Where is the East you say?
Are you living in Ballarat East but voting in Buninyong? Maybe you are even in Wendouree?
I can hear your shouts of dismay… WHAT HAPPENED TO BALLARAT EAST? Where is our name? What happened?
Over time the name Ballarat East has become less and less visible. Once Ballarat East was everything east of the Yarrowee. A lauded place of theatre, goal, canvas and hotels. The official Ballarat East is now just a shadow of itself. A small pocket between the CBD and Eureka.
For a while our name was reflected in the electoral boundary called Ballarat East, however they came and took that too. You can read about it here:
URGENT WE MAY LOSE BALLARAT EAST. And here is what one resident had to say:
It is disappointing that the Ballarat East Electorate was one of the earliest seats in the Victorian Parliament, established in the second state election in 1859 and won by none other that the hero and famous Ballarat Eureka identity – J B Humffray – when we lose the seat we lose that tangible connection not only with the suburb but also the Eureka historic connection.
Well it didn’t seem to matter what we thought, they ‘renamed’ us.
WILL YOU SAVE OUR NAME. And here is what an ex-resident had to say:
as an ex resident of ballaarat east, i’d hate to see it go. i once was told”oh of course you’d live in ballaarat east – that’s where all the rabble have traditionally holed up.” rarely have i felt so proud to have lived anywhere. ballaarat east has a separate and fabulous tradition of rebellion, community activism and general independent action. it deserves to be celebrated with it’s own boundary and status.
What do you think? Is a name important? Does it reflect our identity? Does it help tell us who we are, where we came from?
Tomorrow I am walking to the only polling booth in Ballarat sited as being in Ballarat East. Join me?
The Dr Blake people were filming at the stockade a few weeks ago. they have also done some filming at Pax Hill. On the subject of Ballarat East I would like the City Council to publish a map with definite borders of all Ballarat suburbs I know most of them, but it would help new residents.
Hmm. Slightly connected, but on a tangent – I’ve just watched all the Dr Blake series 2 episodes. Not one story set in Ballarat East! Huh! The writers have really missed the wild side of town. I’m going to contact them. All the open mineholes all over the East that could have concealed bodies … all the flammable miners’ cottages that could have concealed bodies … all the … well, never mind. Long live Ballarat East, name or no name, we love it. the name is on our hearts if not our voting slips. ( Actually, I was really puzzled when I went in the voting place “Are you in Buninyong or Wendouree?” Huh? )
I lived in Ballarat East for the first 20 years of my life and it left an indelible mark on me. I had the privilege of playing football for Ballarat East – the Easties – at the Eastern Oval. The identity was clear. It’s so sad that outsiders think it’s Ok to “re-badge” every last vestige.