News Alert |

Summer is finally here and with warmer weather on its way, there are a few things we need to do to make our community a safer place.  

The CFA’s Fire Danger Period has officially begun and will run until 1 May 2020. During this period, you cannot light a fire in the open air unless you have a permit or comply with certain requirements.  

Landowners in the municipality are also required to inspect their property and clear it of long grass or combustible materials. Fire Prevention Notices may be issued to property owners directing them to undertake specific works to negate the fire risk. Failure to comply with a Fire Prevention Notice will result in significant fines. 

If you’re looking for somewhere to cool off during this hot weather, Ballarat is certainly the place. With Brown Hill, Black Hill, Buninyong and Eureka outdoor pools all open, as well as Midlands and Sebastopol outdoor water play facilities, our city has so much to offer.  

While at the pool, we want everyone to have fun and enjoyable time, and that's why we strongly adhere to Lifesaving Victoria Watch Around Water guidelines.  

This year, the guidelines have introduced new ratios for swimming with children. All families with children under five must have one adult to two children when at the pool. Families with children between five and ten years must have one adult to four children.  

While on the topic of summer, by now everyone should have received their summer edition of myBallarat. We would be very grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to give us feedback. We would like to know whether you read the magazine, if the stories are of interest to you and how we can make sure you are receiving the information you want. Either return the reply-paid postcard delivered inside your magazine or answer a quick survey online at mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au 

Finally, the Ballarat community and the City of Ballarat are partnering on the Continuous Voices Arts Project, an arts participation program resulting in the design of a dedicated public space to acknowledge sexual assault survivors. We are currently inviting community members and community groups to be involved via a survey. To find out more information or become involved in the project, visit creativeballarat.com.au/continuousvoices.