MELBOURNE lord mayor Robert Doyle has called on the state government to host a White Night event in the heart of Ballarat.
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Following another successful White Night Melbourne at the weekend, Cr Doyle said a regional city like Ballarat was an ideal location for similar events in the future.
“Ballarat is blessed with grand historic buildings and structures which would provide the perfect canvas for the stunning displays we saw during Melbourne’s White Night,” Cr Doyle said.
“It would also deliver an evening of great family entertainment for Ballarat and nearby towns. It could become a tourist attraction and highlight on Ballarat’s events calendar, as it has in Melbourne.”
Cr Doyle said he envisaged the event taking place along sections of Lydiard Street, making the most of Ballarat’s “famed heritage precinct”.
“It would highlight and celebrate the historic and architectural beauty of buildings like the Town Hall, Mechanic’s Institute, Pioneer’s Miners Monument, Former Unicorn Hotel, Former Post Office, Craig’s Royal Hotel, Former National Mutual Insurance Company building and of course the Ballarat Courier building,” he said.
“I think it would be a great event for Ballarat and I’m sure your community would embrace it.”
Speaking to the lord mayor on Triple M on Monday, media icon Eddie McGuire agreed the event needed to venture to regional cities.
“You had a good point about some of the rural areas, whether it’s the same nights or different nights... you’re right,” Mr McGuire said.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to drive to Ballarat and see those historic buildings that most people in Melbourne have never seen.”
White Night Melbourne’s third event at the weekend attracted about 500,000 people to the CBD, with the dusk-to-dawn spectacular featuring visual art, exhibitions, illuminations, music, theatre, dining experiences, film, design and live performances.
While Premier Daniel Andrews hasn’t yet committed to funding the event in 2016, he did say he was interested in expanding the event regionally.
“I very much understand that we need to share much more of the major events calendar with other cities,” he said.
City of Ballarat general manager of city strategy Natalie Reiter said the city would welcome White Night to Ballarat’s expanding list of top events.
patrick.byrne@fairfaxmedia.com.au
