News Alert |

Since the 1860’s the area surrounding Latrobe Street has continued to develop into a thriving industrial precinct.

However, there is one facility that has not had a chance to develop with the significant growth occurring in Ballarat’s west – the Latrobe Street Saleyards.

Stock, into the millions, has passed through the saleyards – but the 158-year-old facility has reached its end of life.

The facility has aged and conditions no longer meet modern safety and environmental standards.

As the new Miners Rest saleyards edges towards its first livestock sale, the City of Ballarat edges closure to activating the Latrobe Street precinct once again.

What this looks like will be determined through the Latrobe Street Saleyards Precinct Urban Renewal Project – A project which will focus on providing a significant opportunity to establish a gateway to the city from the west, and activate and introduce sensitive uses such as residential and education to the south-western interface to Victoria Park.

Ballarat Mayor Samantha McIntosh said a combination of the opening of the new saleyards at Miners Rest and the planning set to get underway on the Latrobe Street saleyards precinct was a great step forward for the city.

“They’re both great news stories for our city. Just look at the benefits, we’re talking about local jobs creation and an ability to build on marketing our city to wider audiences.

“The new Central Victoria Livestock Exchange at Miners Rest will transaction 30 per cent of the state’s sheep and lambs marketed through saleyards, that alone provides us with a marketing profile in the food and fibre sector which opens up opportunities we can take advantage of.

“We also can’t lose sight of the fact the new facility is now a major economic contributor to Ballarat and regional areas.”

The Miners Rest Saleyards opening sales commence at 10am this Friday.

It’s also a significant time for Ballarat’s west with works ramping up on the Latrobe Street Saleyards Precinct Urban Renewal Project.

In August, the Victorian Planning Authority announced the City of Ballarat was successful in securing $60,000 in Streamlining for Growth Program funding towards this project.

Work has since commenced on the background research and context analysis which will form part of the first phase of community consultation.

This community consultation will begin shortly, with an intention to:

Understand the opportunities and constraints, specifically looking at heritage, land use, movement/transport, drainage, buffers, contamination and landscaping across the precinct Identify and consider options for future development of the saleyards site and surrounding precinct Prepare an urban renewal plan and an implementation plan to guide future development of the area.

Cr McIntosh said the precinct offers a significant opportunity to consolidate Ballarat’s West, establish a gateway to the city from the west and provide a positive interface with Victoria Park. 

“The site is strategically located on the south-western interface with Victoria Park, and is a transition area as people move between Ballarat central and Ballarat West,” she said.

“This urban renewal plan will assist us determine how best to maximise Victoria Park to boost prices up around the east and south sides, and how best to change the retail strip to mixed use.”

The first phase of consultation will specifically target the wider community to understand what they love about the precinct, what things they imagine for the area and what they would like retained.

This feedback will be used to define a vision, develop a land use and urban design framework including implementation plan for Ballarat West, and to identify preferred land use options for the Ballarat Saleyards.

Community members interested in taking part in the consultation can sign up to the weekly myNews alerts at news.ballarat.vic.gov.au for updates on consultation dates.

The saleyards area and surrounding precinct has been identified in the Ballarat Strategy as a significant potential urban renewal project.   

“We would like to thank the Miners Rest and Latrobe Street precinct communities for their interest and contribution over the years, and look forward to working with you all to develop these precinct into the future,” Cr McIntosh.