The Ballarat Independent.

Australian professional rodeo to be held at Ballarat polo grounds February 16th

Ballarat's community groups performing at Buninyong Brewery to assist refugees

Christmas haste leads to Christmas waste - well that's my theory anyway. Every year I grit my teeth and rue the fact that I am complicit in buying objects that no one really likes. Sometimes Christmas just feels like a waste of time, money and resources. There's e-waste when we replace phones, e-re

In the Nineteenth Century Monster meetings were a regular form of protest. Without a vote it was one way ordinary people could voice their grievances and desires. In 1851 Castlemaine was known as the Forest Creek gold rush. It was the world's biggest ever gold rush.

Its illegal to define someone by their colour, or their disability.

Heart Foundation walkers and Sport Central Staff participating in Run Ballarat

With 22 candidates standing for the Ballarat City Council elections, it's not easy to sort out who's who and what they stand for. The Ballarat Independent is here to help. We've put the same eight questions to all candidates and published their responses, along with their contact details so you can

Ballarat Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc (BRRA) has redeveloped their website to create a dedicated ‘council watch' page.

Let your phone do the talking Some things need addressing. Here's what I do. You can too!

Maybe, just maybe, Farnsy was onto something. Among all those bagpipes, maybe there was a message that we should all be taking on board now. Maybe you're the voice. Maybe you should try and understand it. Then make it loud and make it clear. And one of the best ways to do that, is as a councillor.

Over 1,000 students from regions around Victoria have been collaborating with acclaimed East Timorese singer and songwriter, Ego Lemos (currently in London performing in international concerts that accompany the Olympics). Now Ballarat Locals get the chance to hear this fantastic chorus concert at W

Ms Hayes, who grew up in Ballarat, strongly believes our community needs women leaders with diverse experience, and the two trial sessions Women with Disabilities Victoria are running called "Enabling Women" will be a great opportunity for women with disabilities to come together, learn from on

Some things, Australians are just awesome at. Literally, properly awesome, as in, inspiring awe. Take our obsession with building ‘big' things, for example. The Big Pineapple. The big Prawn. The Big Merino. The Big Rocking horse. The Big Gina Rinehart. **That last one may not actually exist.

From this week, all City of Ballarat planning applications that are advertised to residents can be viewed at Council's website Application details including plans and supporting reports can be viewed online throughout the 14 day advertising period.  

On Sunday 8th July a meeting will be held at Trades Hall Ballarat at 2pm for all people interested in opposing the cuts to TAFE provision and education and training in our region. Everyone is invited, if they want to listen, if they want to speak or if they want to become actively involved.

After grandstanding at last night's Council meeting that politics has no place in Council, Ballarat's Liberal Councillors then split down party lines in sheer hypocrisy, to vote against a motion calling on the Baillieu Government to review its disastrous cuts to TAFE and VET.

Artist Fiona Morgan will be at The Good Life Festival Daylesford on Saturday June 2 freely giving out meatless meals recipes from her soon to be published cookbook. These are recipes that everyone will enjoy not just die hard hippies! Find out how easy and tasty vegetarian meals can be.

You may have seen some funny dressed cyclists on Sunday at Heritage Weekend. This was for a Tweed Ride, organised by the Ladies Classic Bicycle Association of Ballarat. The event was so popular, that we are hoping to make it an offical event of Heritage Weekend next year.

Budding photographers are being invited by the Australian Human Rights Commission to use their cameras to capture those things that remind people of the importance of living in a fair and equal society, and then enter these photos in the Commission's 2012 human rights photo competition.