Ballarat subsequently became a thriving boomtown that for a time rivalled Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, in terms of wealth and cultural influence. It was won by Labor's John Mildren in 1980, the first time Labor had held the seat since the DLP split in the 1950s. In the post-war era, Ballarat's growth continued. [104] Additionally each of the major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, IGA and Aldi) are represented. A large cinema complex consisting of several theatres is located behind the façade of the old Regent cinemas in the heart of the city. Ballarat's hotels support push to bring back trams. Some of the other notable memorials located in the Sturt Street Gardens in the middle of Ballarat's main boulevard include a bandstand situated in the heart of the city that was funded and built by the City of Ballarat Band in 1913 as a tribute to the bandsmen of the RMS Titanic, a fountain dedicated to the early explorers Burke and Wills, and those dedicated to monarchs and those who have played pivotal roles in the development of the city and its rich social fabric. Ballarat honours its rich history by hosting a number of annual festivals with historical and cultural focus including the Ballarat Begonia Festival, Ballarat Heritage Weekend and Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival. Ballarat Historical Society – private collection, City of Ballarat Mayors Report 1974 – 1975, City of Ballarat (Maps, Population & Location –. This is a list of electoral results for the electoral district of Ballarat South in Victorian state elections. 23 August 1909. Ballarat West Town Common is presently farmed on by licensed farmers. [24] The Civic Centre, Prince Alfred Hall had burned down suspiciously that year; however a new Civic Hall was constructed and opened in March 1955. The public health services are managed by Ballarat Health Services[195] including the Ballarat Base which services the entire region and the Queen Elizabeth Centre for aged care on Ascot Street Sth. [73] Prolonged drought (an average annual rainfall with falls averaging as low as 400 mm (16 in) per year since 2001) caused Lake Wendouree to dry up completely for the first time in its history between 2006 and 2007. In 2003 Ballarat was the first of two Australian cities to be registered as a member of the International League of Historical Cities and in 2006 hosted the 10th World League of Historical Cities Congress. Ballarat North was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. The first houses were built near Woolshed Creek by William Yuille and Anderson (Sebastopol), while Yuille erected a hut at Black Swamp (Lake Wendouree) in 1838. The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. [7] The find brought other prospectors to the area and on 19 August 1851, more gold was found at Poverty Point. Antony Green is the ABC's chief election analyst. Its second implementation occurred in 1992, when it replaced Ballarat North. The most prominent memorial in the city is the Ballarat Victory Arch that spans the old Western Highway on the Western approaches of the city. It has its own dedicated stadium, Eureka Stadium, which serves as a venue of the Australian Football League (AFL), as well as the home ground of the semi-professional North Ballarat Roosters, which formerly competed in the Victorian Football League (VFL). The main facility is the Ballarat Aquatic Centre located in Lake Gardens. The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. From the late 1860s to the early 20th century, Ballarat made a successful transition from a gold rush town to an industrial-age city. In response to lobbying by landholders, the Ballarat West Growth Area Plan, a major greenfield land development plan, was prepared and has approved by the city and state government to allow for planned fringe communities consisting of 14,000 new homes and up to 40,000 new residents, effectively doubling the city's urban area by extending the urban sprawl from Sebastopol, Delacombe and Alfredton west toward Bonshaw, Smythes Creek and Cardigan[42][43] with a new suburb to be known as Lucas to be created. Ballarat has a moderate oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb)[70][71] with four distinct seasons. Approximately half (38,000 hectares or 94,000 acres) of the municipality's area is rural with optimal conditions for agriculture including rich volcanic soils and climate. The electoral district of Wendouree is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in Australia. [6] Another claim is that the name derives from Yuille's native Gaelic Baile Ararat (Town of Ararat), alluding to the resting place of Noah's Ark.