Described by MC Roland Rocchiccioli as the "last hurrah", more than a hundred people attended the protest on Tuesday near the trial lights on the south-western corner of the lake.

The lighting proposal, which would see at least 225 light towers installed around most of Lake Wendouree, was backed by both Liberal and Labor parties at the last state election.

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The lights would not be on permanently - they would turn on for a few hours before dawn and at dusk, using sensors.

The lighting would improve amenity and safety for lake users, particularly in winter months when it gets dark quickly, and council has previously pointed to the opportunity for night events around the lake like markets.

But opponents say the project will damage the lake visually and environmentally, with inconclusive studies on the effect on wildlife.

The project, mainly funded by the state government, has received several approvals, and is set to go before council at its next meeting to award the construction tender.

The current plan is to build overhead lights on 5.5m poles - opponents say council must go back to the drawing board, with many pushing for lights at ground level, if lighting must be installed.

Among the speakers on Tuesday were opposition MPs Bev McArthur and Ryan Smith, the shadow minister for planning and heritage - both emphasised they were there to "listen to the community", and opposed the project in its current form.

Many long-term residents also spoke, including 88-year-old Margaret Cutter, who said her ancestry in Ballarat dated back to 1852.

"I know that if the current lighting plans go ahead, Lake Wendouree as we know it, the jewel in Ballarat's crown, will be destroyed for current and future generations," she told the crowd.

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member David Bandy said he had seen the lake's nighttime ecosystem, with insect nymphs hatching and providing food for other organisms in the darkness.

"You can't reverse this," he said.

"I'd like to see more thought put into it, and look at some other options.

"A few observations, fishing into the night, I see very few people walking around in summer after 9pm, they're all home, no one walks at night in summer - in winter, who on earth would walk around the lake in a Ballarat winter?

"Joggers, whoever might use this, the half dozen people who might use it after dark, will need to get used to masks because they'll be breathing in the midges."

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Dr Bob Thurman, who said he has run around the lake for 40 years, called for an ongoing monitoring program if the lights are installed, pointing out maintenance will involve expensive scissor lifts.

He said reports commissioned by council were "inconclusive" regarding impacts on the environment.

"Are we willing to take a chance that this will not be significantly terrible for the flora and fauna once installed? Any guarantee it will have no untoward outcomes? In my view, no, there will be outcomes that are not good," he said.

Another resident, Jennifer Burrell, said each of the 13 separate precincts of the lake identified by council should have tailored solutions.

"The view at the bottom of my street at sunset - it's a magical moment - in that area, council information tells me there could be 11 of those monstrous towers, they would be like prison bars," she said.

"This issue is all about local knowledge - listen to the locals and get it right."

Councillor Samantha McIntosh said council had made its decision, but the underground option should have been considered, as the towers were not "in keeping with the personality of the lake".

"I certainly support lighting the lake, only with the right lights, and these are certainly not acceptable in my mind, but they are the decision of council," she said.

"There was confidence given to us as a group of councillors that the officers would go off and look at different alternatives - the choice that came back was (the two trial lights).

"I certainly showed (the ground level light option) to many people, but it just didn't get to see the light of day through the process."

Approached by The Courier, Federation University environmental science lecturer Dr Philip Barton said light can affect wildlife in many different ways, but the planned timing for dark hours, between 10pm and 5am, were "probably about right, but we don't know for sure".

"Artificial light might attract insects such as moths or beetles (and many other groups), which, in turn, could attract bats overhead, or even fish underneath the lights that come to feed on the insects attracted to the light. Birds that nest around the lake might also be disturbed and seek nesting sites away from the light," he said in a statement.

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"Keeping some dark hours is a very good decision, and I think 10-5am is a good start. But perhaps it's wise to monitor the wildlife a bit more closely and be prepared to adapt the lighting if necessary.

"Lake Wendouree is a highly artificial ecosystem and there is already significant disturbance from foot traffic, and noise and light during busy times of the day and evenings. There is also pollution from stormwater and littering, and very little natural vegetation. Ensuring there is clean water inflow, and maintaining some dark and quiet periods is very important to the health of the Lake. We should also encourage some darker pockets of vegetation around the lake away from people so that wildlife have a place to feed and nest/breed.

"A healthy lake with abundant wildlife is one of the reasons people visit the lake, so we should take care of it. Striking a balance between safety and conservation is important to that both the wildlife and visitors can enjoy the Lake."

A petition to parliament is available online.

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