Each year, the Ballarat Heritage Festival invites the community to celebrate the city’s rich and diverse history. For many local groups, however, preserving and sharing these stories is a year-round commitment.
The Community Hub brings together a curated collection of Ballarat’s historical and cultural organisations, offering a welcoming space to explore the people, places and hidden stories that shape the region. Meet passionate volunteers, discover unique collections, learn more about local community groups, and enjoy a series of short presentations throughout the festival.
Discover a diverse range of organisations, each sharing their own perspective on Ballarat’s past and present:
Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid
The Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid is a collaborative initiative to recognise and celebrate the global significance of Australia’s nineteenth-century gold rush.
Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee
This committee preserves and promotes Ballarat’s Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour, commemorating thousands of World War I service personnel.
Royal South Street Society
The Royal South Street Society delivers Australia’s longest-running eisteddfod, fostering excellence in performing arts and cultural participation.
Sebastopol Historical Society
The Sebastopol Historical Society collects, preserves and shares the rich and fascinating history of Sebastopol and surrounds, from pre-gold rush, through to the present day.
Ballarat Historical Society
The Ballarat Historical Society preserves and stores items of historical importance, promoting the region’s rich goldfields and community history through research and public engagement.
St John's Anglican Church Group
For more than 160 years, St John’s Anglican Church has stood as a place of worship in Soilders Hill, representing a community that has played a key role in the city’s social, cultural and architectural heritage.
Ballarat Air Force Association
The Ballarat Air Force Association has fostered the spirit of friendship formed on service; supporting service men and women through advice, liaison and representation and continued to honour the heritage and proud traditions of the Air Force.
Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens
The Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens support the preservation, research and promotion of the gardens’ environmental, cultural and historical significance.
PRESENTATION SCHEDULE
SATURDAY
Time
Group
10:30 – 11:15
Ballarat Historical Society
11:45 – 12:30
St John's Anglican Church Group
1:00 – 1:45
Ballarat Air Force Association
2:15 – 3:00
Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens
SUNDAY
Time
Group
10:00 – 10:45
Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee
11:15 – 12:00
Royal South Street Society
1:45 - 2:30
Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid
23 & 24 May
10:00am - 5:00pm
Ballarat Town Hall 225 Sturt Street, Ballarat VIC 3350
