THIS was a space David and Brownyn Sanders had hoped would put Ballarat on the map. Their dream officially ends this weekend in vintage style, hosting Australia’s largest antique fair.
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A dream lost. We thought it would be really special for Ballarat to have a big space, but it's got to pay the bills.
- Ballarat Exhibition Centre owner David Sanders
By Wednesday, most of Ballarat Exhibition Centre will be occupied by a logistics company.
Mr Sanders said they had tried for four years to attract new exciting, large-scale events and exhibitions to Ballarat but a lack of support from the City of Ballarat and the city’s tourism agencies, made it too hard to persevere.
“There are opportunities lost every week,” Mr Sanders said. “This is a dream lost. We thought it would be really special for Ballarat to have a big space, but it’s got to pay the bills. We never asked for state or council funding. All we wanted was to bring events here to Ballarat.”
The centre was a $3million investment for the Sanders’, plus $100,000 renovations to the kitchen and toilets to ensure the Dowling Street venue could cater to 100-strong crowds.
Mr Sanders said the venue would still be a good asset, sticking with their theme foster new business venutres.
In the past, the Sanders have opened the centre to community organisations, like Eureka Gymnastics Club, woodwork guilds and for cricket and football training, and start-up companies for little or no cost.
Their events, like last year’s national drone exhibition and old trades fair, will end.
Exhibitions like Ballarat Antique and Vintage Fair will continue but have been forced to relocate.
The antiques fair has already locked in Ballarat Trotting Club to host the event next year but long-time fair organiser John Markworth said the space would not be as big, nor work in the same way, that Ballarat Exhibition Centre offered.
They hoped to end the partnership in one of their biggest events, featuring what Mr Markworth said was an unprecedented range, from bronzed buttons to a full complement of furniture for a house.
Mr Markworth said about 65 per cent of fair attendees came from outside Ballarat and, according to fair surveys, usually took in the begonia festival and places like Sovereign Hill.
Ballarat Antique and Vintage Fair runs from 10am, Saturday to Monday.
