Lake Wendouree event organisers confused by precinct’s heritage requirements

Organisers of major Ballarat events are facing more red tape because of Lake Wendouree’s heritage registration.

Event organisers say Lake Wendouree’s heritage protections have left their plans up in the air.

Greater attention on Lake Wendouree’s heritage protections has cast confusion over events planned in the area.

The 2022 SpringFest market — scheduled for November 27 — was cancelled by organisers last week as a result of the lake foreshore’s saturated ground and the area’s encapsulation by heritage red tape.

The festival, a local calendar staple since 1994 run by the Ballarat Rotary Club, would have comprised hundreds of stalls erected along Lake Wendouree.

Because the lake was added to the Victorian Heritage Register in September this year, activities there now require certain permits or permit exemptions.

SpringFest co-director Robert Glass said plans were submitted to the Heritage Victoria, but confusion ensued, mainly about tree protection requirements.

The initial proposal was to set up booths at least 3m from each tree, but festival organisers were told their stands actually had to be a certain distance from trees’ drip lines – i.e. their canopies – not from their trunks.

Afterwards, Mr Glass said, Heritage Victoria clarified that stalls in fact had to be even more distant than that in order to meet its protection criteria for lakeside events.

But Heritage Victoria told the Herald Sun there were permit exemptions at Lake Wendouree for lightweight temporary structures, which had to be located at least 3m from a tree’s base.

“Events like SpringFest are covered by permit exemptions that allow them to use lightweight structures as long as they follow relevant guidelines to protect vegetation,” a spokesman said.

“Heritage Victoria is not aware of any communication on this issue from the organisers of SpringFest.”

SpringFest organisers considered lining festival stalls along nearby roads but in the end decided it would be too dangerous.

These difficulties were compounded by Lake Wendouree’s surrounds being deemed too drenched by recent rainfall.

For that reason, Mr Glass said the occasion would not have gone ahead anyway, but called SpringFest the “guinea pig” for new-found scrutiny of the lake’s heritage rules.

“The heritage overlay that’s been put in place has now opened a can of worms, and at the moment until we get some clear answers out of Heritage Victoria, events on Lake Wendouree can’t plan with any certainty,” he said.

“These are events that have run for a long time over the years and the lake foreshore as it exists at the moment hasn’t had any damage done to it.

“I would understand if [the festival set-up] was going to be permanent, but for a day or two it shouldn’t be an issue.

“We’ve been planning it since March and it’s a major fundraiser for our rugby club, but we also have community partners as the beneficiaries of the funds that are raised … We’re disappointed that we’re not going to be able to give them as much by way of funding.”

The Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute’s Ballarat Cycle Classic, planned for February 2023, is coming up against similar heritage-related ambiguities.

City of Ballarat community wellbeing director Matthew Wilson said SpringFest did receive a permit exemption which included “conditions around tree protection”.

“The City of Ballarat is in ongoing discussion with Heritage Victoria surrounding permit conditions or exemptions for a number of future events in the Lake Wendouree precinct,” he said.

“Both Summer Sundays 2023 and the 2023 Red Hot Summer Tour already have Heritage Victoria approval to proceed.”

He said the city was trying to ensure Spilt Milk went ahead as planned, with Victoria Park the preferred venue.

Rowing Victoria has been contacted for comment regarding regattas at the lake.