Backed by television and print advertising, as well as a new website, the so-called 'Team Ballarat' initiative aims to bring more visitors and businesses to the region.

Organisers have also signed up a number of local 'ambassadors' to spread the word in the hope the campaign will inspire residents to promote the city.

In an unusually broad-ranging collaboration, the city's three main advocacy organisations - Committee for Ballarat, Commerce Ballarat and Ballarat Regional Tourism - have each backed the campaign, which has been orchestrated by the council. Details were presented to councillors, politicians, businesses and other local leaders on Tuesday night at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Under the 'We are Ballarat' community campaign, residents are being encouraged to get involved to support local businesses and ask friends and family to visit to boost tourism.

The old Made of Ballarat tourism marketing campaign, which faded away after the council brought the arm's length marketing organisation back in-house in 2019, will also be brought back to life with new advertisements airing this week.

The mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said community involvement would be key to its success: "I am keen to see all 112,000 Ballarat people promoting Ballarat and being ambassadors," Cr Moloney told The Courier. "You can't pay for that sort of advertising."

Cr Moloney said more than a third of visits to Ballarat were initiated by friends or family in the city.

The initiative is designed to build on the growing collaboration between the City of Ballarat organisations during the lockdowns last year, Cr Moloney said. He paid tribute to the work done by his predecessor as mayor, Cr Ben Taylor.

"Ben did a great job as mayor bringing all those groups together during a really tough time for the city," he said. "My job is to continue that."

The eight local 'ambassadors', whose role it will be to promote the city, were announced by the City of Ballarat's director of community wellbeing Matthew Wilson.

They are: president of the Ballarat African Association Dr Michael Akindeju, chef Tim Bone, broadcaster and co-owner of the Provincial Hotel Gorgi Coghlan, Wadawurrung woman and artist Dr Deanne Gilson, ear nose and throat specialist Mark Guirguis, elite marathon runner and fitness advocate Steve Moneghetti, the chief executive of Sovereign Hill Sara Quon and businessman Doug Sarah.

They are all taking part on a voluntary basis.

Mr Wilson said more than 100 different businesses from across the city gave input for the campaign.

A new website - ballarat.com.au - has also been set up, designed to help give more information to people thinking of investing, working, or studying in Ballarat, or those simply looking to visit.

The new campaign

Dr Kim Houghton, the chief economist of the Regional Australia Institute which is running a major 'Move to More' marketing push to encourage residents of the state capital cities to consider living in the regions, also gave a speech.

"You've got tourism, commerce and council all working together. We know one of the best ways to get longer term residents is to have a satisfied visitor," Dr Houghton said.

He said there was a lot of choice for skilled workers looking to make the move from the big cities, and that the key to standing out was to "really hone in" on a region's unique qualities to encourage people to move.

Several of those present paid tribute to the council's marketing coordinator Lucy Ibrahim for her collaborative approach.

The campaign will begin on Thursday. It is being funded by the City of Ballarat.

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