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G’day Ballarat! How good was the Begonia Festival! Between the talks by gardening wizards, the live tunes and the parade, I think it was the best festival yet.

This week we are celebrating International Women's Day (a bit late). And I'm pumped to announce the first Ballarat Life Dinner Club. Lastly, a huge thank you to everyone that reached out offering a lending hand to support me with the newsletter (I'll update you next week).

– Luciano Devoto
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A few weeks ago I floated an idea. Would you be keen on meeting new and interesting people over dinner?

Over 100 of you said yes. So let's do this!

The first Ballarat Life Dinner Club is on Tuesday, 31 March at 6:30pm. A table of six people who haven't met yet, matched by personality and interests, sharing a meal at a local Ballarat restaurant.

Here's how it works: you fill in a short survey about who you are and what you're into. Groups of six are put together thoughtfully, by age, interests, and a bit of gut feel. Everyone pays for their own meal and drinks on the night. There's a small booking fee to cover the logistics (fully refundable if your plans change).

There's no shortage of interesting people in Ballarat. So if you're ready to expand your social circle, secure your spot before it sells out (yep, spots are limited!).

Note: If putting yourself "out there" feels a little daunting, come anyway. There's no pressure, no expectations, and you never know who you'll meet. (it might turn out to be one of the best decisions you make all year!).

IWD may have passed, but the work of some local women continues to inspire. Women's workforce participation has hit a record high of 63.5% nationally, and in Ballarat some remarkable women are leading the way.

From the 2026 Great Women of Ballarat Honourees celebrated for their leadership and community contribution, to women reshaping industries that once skewed heavily male.

Laura Westbrook, Director at RSM Australia's Ballarat office. Jessica Cudia, Director at Simplex Insurance Solutions, Nadine Bunworth and Lisa Eden-Horvat leading Ballarat Property Agents, and the teams at Ray White Ballarat and The Law Collective, just to name a few. All doing incredible work worth celebrating. Happy IWD ladies!

Distance runner Katherine Dowie, para-cyclist Alana Forster, cricketer Sara Kennedy, lawn bowler Sophie Kurzman and race walker Alanna Peart are finalists for the 2025 Ballarat Sportswoman of the Year. What a list. World championships, national titles, international debuts across five completely different sports.

The award is presented by the Sports Association of Australia Ballarat Associates next week at Ballarat Golf Club, with this year marking the award's 50th anniversary. Should be a good night.

From June until August, the Ballarat Farmers Market is heading undercover for winter, swapping its usual North Gardens Reserve spot for the Equestrian Centre at the new Ballarat Showgrounds in Mount Rowan. It's only about 10 minutes from the regular venue. No entry fee, plenty of parking, and dogs on leads welcome.

Here’s a summary of the Council notice board and other interesting stuff

Did you know APCO is one of a handful of Australian-owned service stations? With 27 locations across VIC and NSW and the best-rated petrol brand three years running, they're worth supporting.

Now there's another reason. APCO Alfredton has just been named Retailer of the Year at APCO's annual gala, awarded to the store with the highest result in their Retail Excellence program. Plus there's a coffee shop, fresh cakes, nibbles and a supermarket on site. Next time you need to fill up, head to 47-99 Learmonth Street. Open 24/7.

Ballarat Life is 100% free, independently owned and operated. We research and curate interesting local stories and list over 100 events in our calendar every week to keep you connected to what's happening in your city. Your contributions go toward keeping it going so we can have more fun and build more community. I appreciate any and all support, my friends! - Luciano

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Discover all events, activities, and live music around Ballarat each week inside our events calendar. Check it out!

Big thanks for subscribing to Ballarat Life! If you’d like to support this free community newsletter and keep local stories brewing each week, you can shout me a coffee. ☕

Until next Thursday!

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