The Ballarat Swap Meet is more than a weekend for many organisations within the community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The event boasts about 25 community partners, brings eight local rotary clubs together and is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.
Chair Lindsay Florence said the community benefits stretched far and wide.
“The money for this one is primarily for the local area where we support things like funding to compete in events, school programs and scholarship programs,” he said.
“It’s not only rotary that benefits, it’s the whole Ballarat community and the clubs within the community.”
One of the local organisations to be supported by the Swap Meet is Ballarat’s Morris Minor Club, which became involved in the Swap Meet in the event’s second year.
Club member Geoff Brooks said they approached the Ballarat organisers after discovering the Bendigo Swap Meet had a pick up service.
The club soon started transporting goods for customers from a base centre to the car park in return for a donation.
“It reduces the number of vehicles driving around in the Swap Meet so it makes it safer for the people there,” Mr Brooks said.
“We have done it every year since.”
The pick up service also means cheap entry to the Swap Meet and a chance to look around – even snatch a few finds, Mr Brooks joked.
Member Marlene Barrow said the event had become the club’s main fundraiser.
“It keeps the club going by funding our club rooms and keeps our membership and running costs down,” she said.
The club has been running in Ballarat for nearly four decades and has 45 members.
It runs a social outing each month, interacts with its sister clubs and has a Saturday workshop, which is similar to a men’s shed.
“In the last few years we have opened ourselves up to English makes of cars not just Morris Minors, so we’re always looking for new members,” Ms Barrow said.
President Stuart Barrow said it was a privilege to be part of the “biggest” and “best” swap meet in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Swap Meet takes place over two days on February 24 and 25 from 7am until 6pm, and is located on Airport Road.
Public entry price is $10 per day, while children under 15 are free.
For more information visit ballaratswapmeet.com.au.
