2026 Commonwealth Games: Ballarat mascot suggestions

When the Commonwealth's athletics, boxing, and mountain biking champions reach the podium in Ballarat and Creswick, what sort of little soft toy will they get with their medal?

What sort of character will live on through McDonald's toys and collectible coins and stamps, who will be the one thing children will always have a strange memory about, who could be commodified into every piece of merchandise you can think of (even, dare we say, NFTs or worse)?

The state government has put a tender out for Project Banjo, calling for submissions on a countdown clock for the games and mascots.

A mascot will be chosen that "is a much-loved asset of the Commonwealth Games and plays a critical role in awareness and affinity building," the website states.

After a long week, The Courier had a bit of a think about what sort of mascots should be put forward.

We think it's important Ballarat residents have their say as well before the official shortlist comes out - given this is the regional Victorian Games, there could be four different mascots, each representing a region.

Ballarat should have a character we can be proud of, that sums up who we are as a community, but also lingers in the public memory - with maybe some outside possibilities.

Here's a shortlist, in no particular order, of some of our suggestions, and have your say below.

The unquestioned rulers of the lake, whom everyone must wait for when they cross the road.

We've had a giant swan sculpture swanning around before, Central Highlands Water's majestic Swanaghetti - why not an even bigger one?

Ballarat's home to many native animals, from our koalas to the occasional kangaroo that hops up Sturt Street.

But we're also blessed with native water rats, or rakali, who appear to a few chosen people at Lake Wendouree.

Being chosen as a mascot would draw attention to conservation efforts, and make a really cute soft toy.

For pretty much every schoolchild in Victoria who's been to Sovereign Hill, one of the best memories was watching the raspberry drops getting made, then spending your pocket money on a tiny jar.

Perhaps a sentient raspberry drop, which not only showcases our gold rush past but also points to our unique foodie culture, could be a memorable mascot.

We want to establish dominance over Bendigo - our gold rush history's cooler.

Speaking of our unique foodie culture, chips and gravy (with a bit of cheese) are a staple in Ballarat, particularly on cold nights on Lydiard Street.

This one's more an Itchy and Scratchy type duo, which might be breaking the rules a bit to have a single mascot from each town, but these adorable characters would certainly be memorable, and encourage people to stick around after the events to check out some hidden gems.

I mean technically he's a living breathing human - who also sits on the Commonwealth Games board - but he's also a beloved icon in Ballarat, and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

Why not make him our official mascot as well as one of Ballarat's best ambassadors?

I'm not sure how you'd get this one to become a mascot - maybe a pair of googley eyes?

Did they ever find this guy? One of the city's greatest unsolved mysteries.

Got any more suggestions? Let us know below.

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