We envisaged Ballarat as a City of Possibilities.
We want a future Ballarat with an embedded culture of innovative thinking and entrepreneurialism; where the spark of creativity is nurtured everywhere. A Ballarat that celebrates is unique identity and heritage; that demonstrates leadership in sustainability; and a Ballarat that is a compassionate city – with a strong, caring community.
We spoke about our history and identity. Our stories run through the streets, creeks and between us – some jubilant and some heartbreaking. We agreed that what unites us is the power of our individuality. Together, we wish to acknowledge past wrongs, to address inequalities, welcome diversity, and continue to meet the changing needs of our community and businesses. We agreed that to achieve the Ballarat we want, we also need to change some things – we want to be less conservative and resistant to change, and more innovative, courageous and inspiring.
We described Ballarat as a city of golden threads, weaving together our rich but complex past into the fabric of a prosperous future. In steering the city towards the future we want, the Ballarat Prosperity Framework suggests we’ll be guided by these golden threads, which are built on our people, our culture, our character and our strengths. They are our appetite for innovation, entrepreneurship and technology; our innate creativity; our heritage; our future sustainability; and our resilient and supportive community.