Ballarat Showgrounds facts for kids
The Ballarat Showgrounds is a big place in Wendouree, a suburb of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. It's officially called the Ballarat Showgrounds and Recreation Reserve. The City of Ballarat owns it. Since 1934, it has been the home of the famous Ballarat Show. This show is so important that it's even an official public holiday in Ballarat!
The main part of the Ballarat Show is about showing off things from the countryside. This includes farm livestock (like cows and sheep) and fresh produce (like fruits and vegetables). There are also fun competitions and awards for the best entries. Besides the farm displays, the show has exciting amusement rides, a lively sideshow alley with games, and special showbags. Showbags are like goodie bags filled with cool toys, treats, and other fun stuff from different companies.
The Showgrounds are busy all year round, not just during the show. Since 1979, they have hosted a popular Trash and Treasure market. You can also find other events there, like collector markets and car shows.
In 2013-2014, there were plans to make the Showgrounds even better. The local council and the agricultural society even thought about moving the show to a new place called Victoria Park. However, in 2017, they decided to improve the current Showgrounds instead. The plan is to use money from selling some of the land, plus funds from the government, to build a bigger, newer facility about 3 kilometers north of the current site by 2022.
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What's at the Showgrounds?
The Ballarat Showgrounds cover a large area, about 10 hectares (which is like 10 football fields!). It includes Eureka Stadium, a big sports ground where Australian rules football games are played. There are also many other display areas and buildings called pavilions.
Getting Around
The Showgrounds have several paved roads. These roads are used by people walking around during the show. The main entrance is easy to find at the corner of Creswick Road and Howitt Streets.
Main Roads and Areas
The main path through the Showgrounds is called Beggs Avenue. It cuts across the site and leads to Bolte Place and most of the animal displays. On one side of Beggs Avenue, you'll usually find most of the exciting rides. Whykes Street is another important road. It runs along the southern edge of the site. Along Whykes Street is the Howitt Street Pavilion. This building is used all year for market stalls and during the show for the sideshow alley and other displays.
Pavilions and Buildings
There are many large, permanent buildings called pavilions throughout the Showgrounds. These buildings are used for different things. You can find stalls selling merchandise, areas for show animals, and displays of crafts, machinery, and other interesting items.
History of the Showgrounds
The Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society, the group that runs the show, started way back in 1856 in a town called Learmonth. The very first agricultural show in Ballarat city happened in 1859.
Early Locations
In 1861, the Society's showgrounds moved to Lake Wendouree. This area was near the lake, bordered by Wendouree Parade, Burnbank, and Gregory Streets. Then, in 1934, the current location was chosen. This is at the corner of Howitt Street and Creswick Road in Wendouree. Every annual show since then has been held at this spot.
Post-War Buildings
After World War 2, some special buildings called 'P huts' were moved to the Showgrounds. These buildings came from a former RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) base in Ballarat. They were used for things like administration and as pavilions. Many of these old buildings are still used today!
Harness Racing and Eureka Stadium
In 1951, a special track for harness racing was built. It was about 670 yards long and made of sand. It even had big light towers for night races! This track became the home of the Ballarat and District Trotting Club, which is the oldest harness racing club in Australia. They held races there regularly from 1952 to 1965.
In 1966, the Trotting Club moved to a new, specially built track called Bray Raceway in another part of Ballarat. The old harness racing track at the Showgrounds was eventually taken down in 1990. In its place, Eureka Stadium (now known as Mars Stadium) was built. A smaller grassy area for animal parades and displays was also created between the new stadium and the existing showground buildings.
