The City of Ballarat celebrated the opening of Ballarat’s first Intercultural Garden on Monday, recognising how diverse and inclusive the city is.
It is a space dedicated to acknowledging the city’s various cultures that can be used by anybody and at any time.
The garden is a place where people from all walks of life can come together to connect, share stories and celebrate important times within the communities, such as Christmas, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC week, Lunar New Year among many others.
The City of Ballarat’s Intercultural Advisory Committee has been pivotal in developing the garden in conjunction with many community groups.
Located at the intersection of Sturt and Pleasant Streets, near City Oval, a space that had been relatively under utilised, will now become an enhanced space that can be used by all.
The design of the garden followed community consultation in 2023 and now includes;
- A circular display garden and other plantings
- Community flagpole
- Picnic shelter and park furniture
- Arts display plinth
- Connecting paths
- Drinking fountain supplied by Central Highlands Water
- Electrical and water connections to assist holding events
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said he was proud to see the garden’s initiative from the Intercultural Plan 2002-2026 come to life.
“In this garden, we have the opportunity to learn about one another’s cultures and customs, to appreciate our differences and to celebrate what we have in common,” he said.
“The additional features have beautified the existing space and will become an ideal location for people to feel safe holding community events, picnics and general catch ups.”
Intercultural Advisory Committee member Jim Quinn said the garden is a wonderful venue for the city’s increasing number of cultural group to celebrate.
“The garden is the culmination of over a decade of discussions and consultation in the Intercultural Advisory Committee to find a location for a garden space for use by Ballarat’s many cultural groups,” he said.
The 2021 Census showed Ballarat was home to about 8,000 people from non-English speaking backgrounds, with almost 13,000 residents born overseas.
As Ballarat’s intercultural communities continue to grow, it is important that the community recognise their positive impact on the city.
