The town's population swelled to 10,000 people in the mid-1800s.

With a population of 3700 recorded in the 2016 Census and 3200 in 2011, Buninyong is going through a growth spurt again.

Long-term residents are noticing a number of people moving to the village from Melbourne, particularly since COVID-19 hit, and rising property prices indicate high demand.

Data shows the median house price in Buninyong increased 28 per cent in the past year to $610,000.

Residents speak proudly of Buninyong's strong sense of community, its village feeling, its treasured heritage and its natural beauty.

How will Buninyong maintain its village character as it and the areas around it continue to grow?

Many active and passionate community members and business owners believe change and growth will boost Buninyong's vibrancy and sustainability, but it must be respectful to its history and character.

Chef Dianne Ray opened her first restaurant The Shared Table in Buninyong two months before COVID-19 hit.

She worked for two years to transform the old derelict building into a beautiful restaurant space that celebrates its history with exposed shingles and photographs from the 1850s on display.

Ms Ray said she saw a gap in Buninyong to offer not just a restaurant but a dining experience.

The Shared Table offers a set menu experience that changes monthly.

Ms Ray describes it as 'dining without decision', like going to a nice dinner party and being surprised by what you are served.

Ms Ray has lived in Buninyong for 27 years. She said she had always seen it as a 'lovely village' that could be 'such a vibrant place'.

She said people were hungry for experiences, particularly since COVID-19 hit and the villages around Ballarat, including Buninyong, had a lot to offer.

"People who come here say 'how come we didn't know this exists?'.

"It is a gem. I think it will always retain its village atmosphere because it is dense in the centre.

"There is an element of change that will always be necessary to sustain the village. In order for the village to thrive and continue we need modern support for what people want to do.

"We should embrace creative people who live here."

Ms Ray said collaboration within Buninyong would help sustain it.

She worked with Saltbush Kitchen and Red Door Pizzeria to host a progressive dinner for Begonia Festival and a progressive lunch for Heritage Festival.

Red Door Pizzeria and Maggie and Kate owner Katrine Taylor grew up in Buninyong, left for 10 years and returned eight years ago.

She said she had always worked in hospitality for other people and started her venture into running her own businesses when she bought a mobile trailer and ran catering from home.

Ms Taylor moved the business Maggie and Kate into a cafe five years ago and took over nearby restaurant Red Door Pizzeria at Christmas.

She said the growth in Buninyong was 'phenomenal' and she never would have thought the village would have so many cafes or a sushi shop.

She said the town's growth would enable businesses to thrive.

"Two-years ago at the cafe we knew everyone by name. Now every week there are new locals," Ms Taylor said.

"95 per cent of our customers are local people but I have noticed this year a lot more tourists coming through.

"If we can get more people to see us as a destination that would be awesome."

Ms Taylor said she was a member of the Buninyong Business Network which was trying to work more with City of Ballarat to link Buninyong in with existing events, like the progressive lunch for Hertiage Festival.

"Attracting Ballarat people to come out is a big one. There is a feel we are a long way away and there always has been," she said.

"We are trying to find ways and that is part of working with the city, to bridge the gap, to encourage people to think of coming 10 minutes out.

"There is Clunes and Creswick and those towns a bit out but Buninyong feels a bit forgotten sometimes.

"The businesses are saying we want to be part of Ballarat. We identify as part of it. We don't want it to be us and them.

"It would be great to have more retail to make this a destination."

Long-time Buninyong resident Brigid Corcoran has brought flair, creativity and flavour to the village with an immersive experience at her Saltbush Kitchen store, which opened in 2018.

Ms Corcoran said growing up at Buninyong's post office and having a long history in the town, her business venture was well-embraced by locals.

She said new residents from Melbourne were excited and surprised when they found the store that has a somewhat hard to find entrance into its cellar location.

Ms Corcoran said she was loving seeing so many people in town using bushfoods. She told a story about friends who dropped off excess bushfoods they had grown in their own gardens.

Saltbush Kitchen also delivers wholesale and online across the country, all produced and packed in Buninyong.

"It is something people are quite proud of," she said.

="Buninyong people in general really love their town, are really involved in it and love spending time in it.

"It is a creative hub. There are amazing people around and people really wanting to gather and connect.

"I think when you're as a community if your core values are about connection and really living in that community you are in, growth becomes a part of that - everyone lives and shares in this lovely area."

Ms Corcoran said she saw the future of the town as exciting and vibrant.

She acknowledged running a small business in Victoria was difficult in the current climate, but hoped more would open in Buninyong.

"Hopefully we can see more businesses open up on the street. That will go hand in hand with visitation. If there is more visitation more shops will be able to open up," she said.

Buninyong resident Liam Murphy moved to the village with his partner and three young children two-and-a-half years ago from central Ballarat.

He said they were loving Buninyong life, with easy walks to get around town, a bigger block with a garden, friendly neighbours, a sense of community, great facilities, plenty of open spaces and being close to nature.

"You can walk a couple of hundred metres down the street in Buninyong and get five hellos and walk all the way around the lake in Ballarat and not get one," he said.

Mr Murphy joined the Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens group and has been on the school council.

He said he had seen growth in the village since living there with new houses being built on empty blocks.

As more people move to the village, he asks 'what is the next big thing for Buninyong?'.

"When you get more people in there is bigger supply and demand. We have coffee shops and hairdressers, there is a new childcare in town. What is going to be the next thing?," Mr Murphy said.

"I think it is improving it and holding on to things like the bike race that add value and put Buninyong on the map.

"I would hate for Buninyong to lose things like the bike race and just keep Buninyong to the people of Buninyong. I think it needs to be put out there as a destination. It is a little hidden gem.

"It is not going to be the next Daylesford or anything like that but it needs to attract visitors and the community needs to support the businesses. If the businesses are going well that means Buninyong is going well."

The passion of residents to create new experience offerings for Buninyong and visitors is clear through the work of Buninyong Community Events Inc.

The group operates the village market, the Buninyong Festival, the film festival, Crack the Crater fun run, an art prize and exhibition and the Bended Knee Music Festival.

"A couple of our mottos are 'bring the community together' and 'we make events happen to make Buninyong shine'," Buninyong Community Events Inc. president Lisa Cressey said.

"The events are a way to show off Buninyong."

Ms Cressey said many people came to stay overnight in Buninyong for the film festival but weekend tourism was limited by accommodation options in the village and no caravan park.

"I think the lack of accommodation is a bit of a limiter, but it is not a major tourism town so I don't know if that is going to change any time soon," she said.

"Bended Knee will start bringing more people into town, music events have that drawcard. Especially if accommodation is available people will come for a whole weekend.

"I think if we can get a bit more accommodation it will be a bit of a drawcard."

Ms Cressey said she would like to see Buninyong be registered as an 'RV friendly' town and to have more destination businesses.

"You need the right people to come in who have the energy," she said.

Barry Fitzgerald is the editor behind the fourth edition of Buninyong's Visitor Guide which was released in May.

The guide was first published in 2014 after the Buninyong and District Association were unhappy with the sparse coverage given to Buninyong in Ballarat tourist publications.

Mr Fitzgerald said walking and cycling were among key drawcards for attracting people to Buninyong.

He said there was heavy promotion of the Blue Plaque Trail, a historic township walk with historical information at sites of interest.

The historic Buninyong Botanic Gardens is also a standout attraction. Dating back to 1861, it is one of the oldest gazetted botanical gardens in Victoria.

Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens president Roger Permezel said a major project for the group was to develop a masterplan for the gardens.

He said there was a 'phenomenal' surge in people visiting the gardens during COVID-19, up to two to three times more than it had ever been.

"There is a relationship between the way Buninyong has grown and the gardens," he said.

Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens has enlisted a Stakeholder Advisory Group to help plan the future for the gardens, work with council and engage community in the process.

One member Jock Gilbert is an academic in the school of architecture and urban design at RMIT University.

He worked with his students on bold visions for the future of the Buninyong Botanic Gardens as a project.

"What can gardens do to activate the town?," he said.

Mr Permezel said he hoped the students' work could provide a catalyst for big thinking about what the future of the gardens could be.

Buninyong and District Community Association is a group of about 40 volunteers who provide a link between the residents of Buninyong and council.

Treasurer Robert Elshaug said a long-term goal for the group was to advocate for town planning.

"One of the main aims we have is to preserve Buninyong as an identity and not become sprawling suburb like the west is," he said.

"We are not against development. We are looking at the fact if we connect up to urban sprawl coming around from Sebastopol our identity, as it has always been called a village, will disappear."

Mr Elshaug said one of the group's main concerns was increasing truck traffic on Midland Highway.

He said for more than 15-years the group had been advocating for a heavy truck bypass.

Mr Elshaug said the group was pushing for council to complete a characterisation definition for Buninyong and to update the town plan.

"We are waiting for a new town plan for Buninyong and to get a character definition included in it so everyone will know what is wanted for Buninyong and what areas can be developed or not," he said.

The Buninyong and District Community Association is opposing an application for the development of 'sky barrel' accommodation on rural living zoned land on Mount Buninyong.

"We don't mind development as long as it is an appropriate development in the area," Mr Elshaug said.

"It is not an appropriate sort of development for an historic landscape area on the side of Mount Buninyong."

Mr Elshaug said the group would advocate to ensure the condition for minimum block sizes of 800 square metres for residential properties remained in the town plan.

"Until the town planning is done for Buninyong then the future is not guaranteed and all you need maybe is a change of government and something can change," he said.

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