Ballarat woman Heidi Biggin, who has been legally blind since she was 22, says AI smart glasses have given her independence she never expected. She says she would not get another guide dog because of them. Ms Biggin says she is often stopped by people who accuse her of filming them, because the glasses light up when in use. She is also concerned about a ban on smart glasses in Victorian schools from term one next year, saying exemption details are unclear. Guide Dogs Victoria says a guide dog or white cane should remain a person's primary mobility aid.
An animal welfare group has declared Victoria the deadliest state for racehorses in the last racing season. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses says its DeathWatch report recorded 48 horse deaths in Victoria between August 2025 and July 2026. Racing Victoria called the figure misleading and said there were 22 racing fatalities. The industry body said the list included horses that died from colic, paddock accidents and a road accident. The group says it wants greater transparency from racing bodies about horse deaths.
The City of Ballarat has opened a public exhibition period for its draft LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan 2027-2030. The plan aims to strengthen inclusion, promote participation, and support the wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people. Community feedback is being sought before the plan is presented to council for consideration. The draft plan is available on the City of Ballarat's MySay platform until 22 November.
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Victoria's Labor government has promised 45 extra beds and 145 nurses for Werribee Mercy Hospital as part of a $1.5 billion election commitment. The plan would expand emergency departments at 12 Victorian hospitals by an average of 25 per cent and reduce waiting times at those hospitals by up to 20 per cent. Labor says the expansion depends on winning re-election. The government has not yet released construction timetables or explained how the waiting time reduction was calculated.
Premier Ben Carroll has promised to expand a dozen emergency departments by 25 per cent as Victorian Labor launches its bid for a fourth term. The $1.5 billion health package also includes 1,500 more health workers, half of them nurses, and 150 extra hospital beds, most opening next year. Labor says the expansions will cut waits by up to 20 per cent at hospitals in Melbourne and regional Victoria. The Australian Medical Association welcomed the funding but called for a review of the whole emergency care system.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has launched Labor's campaign for a fourth straight term, pledging to cut emergency department wait times. He announced $1.5 billion to expand emergency departments at 12 hospitals, with 250 extra beds and 1500 more health workers. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, speaking at a vandalised Upwey South tennis club, focused on crime and pledged 3000 new police officers. Mr Carroll accused the coalition of seeking to Americanise the health system, a claim Ms Wilson rejected. The state election is on November 28.
Indian citizen Shipra Saini plans to return to India this month with her brother's estate still unsettled. She came to Ballarat in 2025 to care for her brother, an Australian citizen, who died on November 1 last year. Her visa carries condition 8503, and a request for a compassionate waiver was rejected by the Department of Home Affairs. Ms Saini says she spent more than $40,000 on visa applications and living costs, and that she had to accept the first offer on her brother's home. The department said it cannot comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
A suspicious fire badly damaged a grocery store on Ballarat Road in Deer Park, in Melbourne's west, early on Friday. Fire crews reached the single-fronted shop within about four minutes and contained the blaze to the shop. Five neighbouring businesses suffered smoke damage. No one was inside the store, but a witness was treated for smoke inhalation. Police say a group broke into the grocery store minutes before the fire started, then fled in a utility. The fire is being treated as suspicious, and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Police are investigating a suspicious fire at a grocery store in Deer Park overnight. It is understood unknown offenders entered the business on Ballarat Road just before 1.35am. No one was inside, but a witness needed medical treatment at the scene for smoke inhalation. Fire Rescue Victoria said the fire was under control by 2.21am, and five nearby buildings suffered smoke damage. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Pentland Calisthenics College will hold its 48th Annual Display on Sunday 25 October at St Francis Catholic College in Melton. Performers will show the routines they have developed over the year. Calisthenics combines dancing, singing and gymnastics. The college says it welcomed more than 110 members across seven competitive sections and its CaliFit program in 2026. Its Masters Red team was named Division 7 State Champion. The display runs from 10am to 4pm. Tickets cost $25 for those aged 17 and over and $15 for those aged 16 and under. Next year marks the college's 50th anniversary.
Federal minister Catherine King has said politicians and the wider community must lower the temperature of political debate. She said threats and personal abuse, particularly online, have escalated and that a national conversation is needed. King also said Qatar Airways will operate new international flights from Western Sydney International Airport, after the federal government extended an air services agreement with the airline in May. The airport opens on Sunday with its first domestic passenger flight.
Victoria has signed a federal housing deal that will support 25,600 homes reserved for first-home buyers across 20 locations, including Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Federal housing minister Clare O’Neil announced the agreement, which is part of a commitment to deliver 100,000 new homes for first-home buyers nationally. The federal government will provide $2.5 billion, while the Victorian Government will contribute at least $499 million. The funding will go towards essential infrastructure such as roads, water, sewerage and electricity connections. The first homes are expected to be delivered in 2027.
A preferred bidder has been chosen to transform Sunshine Station in Melbourne into a six-platform transport superhub. The Network Integration Program Alliance, made up of CPB Contractors and SMEC, will deliver the Stage 1 works, due for completion in 2030. The upgrades include new regional train platforms, an extended concourse, new forecourts and an upgraded bus interchange. Three of five Stage 1 packages have already been awarded. Stage 2 works, which will extend the line to a new Keilor East station, start in coming weeks and are due for completion in 2031.
Ballarat residents can now borrow and return library items at any hour through four new lockers in Buninyong, Cardigan Village, Learmonth and Miners Rest. Major road reconstruction on a 425-metre section of Whitelaw Avenue, Delacombe, starts Monday 26 October and is expected to finish before Christmas. The $1.04 million project is fully funded by the City of Ballarat. Nominations are also open for the 2027 Ballarat Australia Day Community Awards, and community members can contribute artworks to the Respect Is... exhibition before Friday 30 October.
Ballarat Mayor Tracey Hargreaves is encouraging residents to become library members. The City of Ballarat is developing a new Library Strategy to guide library services over the next four years. Community feedback will help shape priorities for programs, collections, digital services, accessibility and library spaces. Ballarat Libraries has three physical locations, with weekend and extended evening opening hours. A free membership gives access to books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs and digital resources.
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Ballarat Mayor Tracey Hargreaves has expressed concern about a distressing incident involving Independent federal MP Helen Haines in Wangaratta. Hargreaves said everyone in public office deserves to be safe while doing their job. She said there is never a place for violence, harassment, threats or intimidation, including online. Hargreaves also said every woman deserves to live free from violence and fear, and extended her support to Haines.
Garry Bish has won the 2026 Clunes Ceramic Award for his work The Wake of Departure. The biennial prize, presented in Clunes, includes a $10,000 award and acquisition by the Art Gallery of Ballarat. The award received over 200 entries, with 56 artists selected as finalists. The exhibition runs at Esmond Gallery in Clunes until November 1, with other awards to be announced then.
A columnist details her health struggles, including a broken ankle, osteoarthritis, and a meniscus tear, which required surgery. She shares her experiences with recovery and the humour she found in hospital. The writer also highlights local festivals and upcoming events in the community, expressing gratitude for the volunteers who organise them. She reflects on the passage of time, noting how quickly the years seem to pass as she approaches Christmas and the new year.
A Pleasant Sunday Afternoon concert at St John's Anglican Church in Ballan raised $600 for the McGrath Foundation. The event on Sunday 11 October was part of Pink Up Ballan activities during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The concert featured 35 performers and drew more than 102 people. Organiser Kevin Harper thanked performers, volunteers and attendees for their support. The McGrath Foundation funds free cancer care nurses across Australia for people affected by the disease.
The City of Ballarat will start a $1.04 million reconstruction of a 425-metre section of Whitelaw Avenue in Delacombe on Monday 26 October. The road will be fully closed between Pentlands Court and Beaumont Drive, with traffic diverted to Greenhalghs Road or La Trobe Street. The service road will stay open for buses and local residents. The council, which is funding the project, expects the work to finish before Christmas, weather permitting. Mayor Tracey Hargreaves said the project would help the growing suburbs keep a safe and reliable road network.
