Hundreds of recent arrivals are not taking up a booklet that offers welcome vouchers to around 200 of the institutions, galleries, sports venues, cafes and restaurants around the city, figures suggest.

Last year, the City of Ballarat handed new residents 492 welcome booklets through its Phoenix customer service centre.

If the city’s growth rate continued as expected last year – at 1.9 per cent – there would have been an estimated 2,001 new arrivals in 2018. Figures from the ABS Census put the city’s population at 105,328 people in 2017. 

Only one booklet is available per household, which currently averages at around 2.4 people in the city. Although numbers can’t be extrapolated precisely – the growth could be newborns or newly arrived adults – that still potentially leaves hundreds of new residents to the city without a copy. Anecdotally, most recent arrivals The Courier talked to were unaware of the booklet.  

As well as details about services such as public transport, education, health services, waste and recycling, the booklet has a wide array of offers. These include passes to swimming pools, free pizzas, restaurant discounts and vouchers for activities ranging from free Zumba classes, piano lessons as well as free art gallery membership.

Lake Wendouree’s Eau Verte on Burnbank Street – pictured above – is among several cafes and restaurants that offer free coffee vouchers to new arrivals, while several of the city’s sports clubs, including Basketball Ballarat and Redan Football and Netball offer free tickets to a fixture featuring their team.  

Many of the vouchers are in conjunction with a purchase, but others come with no strings attached.

City of Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh said: “The feedback we get from the community at customer service desk is they love it – it’s such a lovely welcome to get a booklet that gives you so much of a guide around Ballarat, that gives you so much knowledge about local business and even some nice vouchers and special little treats.

“If you’re a new resident, come on in to the town hall. The booklet and the welcome pack will help people become familiar with the great assets, treats and services that the city of Ballarat offer.”

The booklets are promoted through the city’s Visitor Information Centre in the town hall and by staff at the council’s Phoenix customer service centre. They are also distributed to estate agents as well as hospitals and universities for new students. 

They are available to all new residents who have lived in Ballarat for three months or less. You will need to show a property sale contract or rental agreement of at least six months, as well as photo ID.

For more information, see the City of Ballarat’s website.