342. Lake Wendouree - Victoria Park 12km

February 13, 2025

U3A Hike No 342

Hike Report By Monica McCormack

On the sort of bad-hair day that sets every hiker’s - and firefighter’s - nerves on edge, the

plan to walk through the local Glen Park State Forest, was abandoned. Last minute

messaging and phone calls from Andrew re-directed our excursion to Victoria Park in central

Ballarat for a two-stage walk: the first, around Lake Wendouree, the second around Victoria

Park itself. This trusty stand-by option during extreme fire danger days, proved once again

to allow a walk-and-talk session for the 13 plus one (Colin joined us for morning tea after locating us on

his bike) participants.

For several newcomers to the hiking group it also allowed a snapshot view of Ballarat’s

green and wetland scene, together with location highlights, that might otherwise be

overlooked when concentrating on driving and traffic lights.

The first leg involved the familiar circuit walk for native Ballarat-ians around Lake

Wendouree, its grey waters whipped up by high-wind, rubbery weeds swaying beneath the

surface. Not quite surfing conditions but enough to dissuade boating, and reflect on how

the two moored weed-choppers might cross the lake in a race festooned with bunting

(Gordon’s fantasy). Both rusty-looking, heavy duty craft looked like they belonged to a

former era and in unlikely racing condition, but we were assured they’re the latest in

chopper technology.

The approximate 6km walk, on flat bitumen surfaces along the lake’s edge, took us past

our first mark of historical interest: the info board on Ballarat’s tramways dating back to the

early 1900s. Complete with B&W images of the horse-drawn era through to the electrified

1970s, displaying the Sebastopol line in faded colour, it highlights Ballarat’s status, not just

as a fortune-seeker’s gold-digging settlement, but an urbane metropole.

Tramway conductors – or Connies – hold a special place of honour, possibly by way of compensation,

posthumously, for their long hours and poor pay. Connies on horse-drawn trams were

expected to clean windows and seats before each trip, call out street names for passengers,

and – sans ticket machines – to correctly balance ticket sales against cash collected. (A non-

balanced result led to dire consequences for the Connie.) It led to bemused discussion over

who picked up the horse-poo along the way. Surely not, on top of everything else, a

Connie’s task!

As we lined up dutifully for our regular group shoot, in front of the Olympic monument, a

cheerful passer-by dropped her carry bags and offered to take the photo.

We passed the colourful boatsheds belonging to local private schools, the Golden City Paddle

Steamer, and Lake Wendouree Museum as well as Lakeside Café before turning off

Wendouree Parade and heading back along Sturt Street to Victoria Park in Oak Avenue for

morning tea.

Stage 2 of our ‘hike’ involved an easy, less windblown, 5 km stretch around the triangular

circuit of the Park itself, along pathways lined with plane, oak and cypress trees.

Not surprisingly Victoria Park with its vast grassy areas and some 4500 plus trees – many classed as

‘significant’ exotic Victorian-era plantings – is a popular jogging, walking and sporting venue.

Victoria Park is another sign of what a successful gold-city can achieve where riches are

invested in the town and its inhabitants. How lucky is Ballarat. Passing the interactive

playground, ovals, dog park, golf course and low-lying wetland area known so creatively as Lake One and Lake Two, we ended up where we started, beside the playground for an early, 10.45am, lunch. (read about some of the interesting history of Victoria Park via the link after the photos}

The question is: following on from what have now been two consecutive weeks of easy

‘talk-and-walks’, can we expect something far more punishing, with predicted milder
weather, in coming weeks? No doubt, yes.