Lake Wendouree foreshore to be upgraded with new boardwalk and cultural trail

Ballarat City Council has approved a $12 million upgrade of the Lake Wendouree foreshore that will deliver a new 1.8-kilometre elevated boardwalk through the western wetland, a dedicated cycling track separating bikes from pedestrians, and a cultural interpretation trail developed in partnership with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.

The project responds to a decade of advocacy from local community groups who highlighted both safety concerns — particularly pedestrian and cyclist conflicts on the shared path — and the degraded condition of wetland habitat along the lake's western and southern edges.

Mayor Des Hudson said the foreshore was one of Ballarat's most visited public spaces, with usage surveys indicating more than 1.2 million visits annually, yet it had not received significant investment since the 2000 pathway upgrade. "This is a world-class natural asset that deserves world-class infrastructure," he said.

The Wadawurrung Aboriginal Corporation welcomed the inclusion of cultural interpretation infrastructure, with corporation chair Wathaurong Gibson describing it as a meaningful step toward shared custodianship of a site of deep spiritual significance. The corporation will co-design the interpretive signage program and conduct Welcome to Country ceremonies at major project milestones.

Construction is expected to begin after the upcoming rowing season concludes in April, with the boardwalk and cycling infrastructure targeted for completion by December.

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.