The original Boomtown Rat made it to the boom town Ballarat, to provoke the city's leaders to think big and feel motivated.
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Sir Bob Geldof spoke at Committee for Ballarat's Round Table Dinner at Civic Hall on Friday, during a national speaking tour.
Committee for Ballarat's CEO Melanie Robertson said they encouraged "the community to dream" big, and Sir Bob optimises the passion and thought leadership Ballarat should strive for.
"To us it's about motivating. Bob has been one voice with an incredible network of people, which essentially changed the course of Africa, and in a sense the world, with what he's done," she said.
"We are the authors of our future in our region ... so how do we unite for a more prosperous and more equitable future with a really strong social consciousness."
Committee For Ballarat's Nick Beale said people would be "uplifted personally and uplifted in their businesses", after seeing a community organisation land a high-profile speaker.
The dinner was conducted under Chatham House Rules, meaning The Courier could not report on the content of Sir Bob's speech.
Visit Ballarat CEO Noel Dempsey said the tourism body's financial sponsorship of the closed dinner event was a "nominal" amount. He said the opportunity to speak to 500 stakeholders at the dinner about the Made of Ballarat campaign and PR from his visit was "well worth the investment".
"He's an artist and a changemaker," Mr Dempsey said. "It was about sticking our nose up at everyone and saying, 'Why can't (Ballarat) do this? We are great.'"
Sir Bob appeared at a private event at The Pub With Two Names before the dinner. A portrait painting of him by David Bromley was unveiled, which the guest of honour was effusive about.
Yuge Bromley, who co-owns The Pub With Two Names, said the painting might go to Sir Bob or could be sold for charity, but they were leaving it up to him.
"We're in his hands with where it ends up ... but it just so happens that he really likes it, which is good."
On Saturday Geldof visited Sovereign Hill taking in a tour of the museum while learning about the history of the Ballarat Goldfields and Sovereign Hill. Their tour included the Red Hill Gully Diggings and the well-recognised Main Street.
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