Editing Ballarat (section)

==Sport and recreation==

Ballarat Highlanders Rugby Football Club (est. 1976) is based at Doug Dean Reserve, Delecombe. They play in the statewide Victoria Rugby Championship, which they last won in 2016. They also host the Ballarat Charity 7s (est 2022), a short form version of Rugby Union and all proceeds from the event get donated to a local charity (2022 – Ballarat Men's Mental Health, 2023 – GROW Group Ballarat).

[[File:Ballarat Football Team 1889.jpg|thumb|[[Ballarat Football Club]], 1889. The club was founded in 1860 and is one of the [[oldest football club]]s in the world.]] [[Australian rules football]] is the most popular spectator and participation sports in Ballarat. It has its own dedicated stadium, [[Eureka Stadium]], which serves as a venue of the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL), as well as the home ground of the semi-professional [[North Ballarat Football Club|North Ballarat Roosters]], which formerly competed in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL). The [[Ballarat Football League]], established in 1893, features six local teams, including the [[Ballarat Football Club]], which was founded in 1860 and remains one of the world's [[oldest football club]]s. Other Ballarat-based teams compete in the regional [[Central Highlands Football League]].

[[Cricket]] is Ballarat's second most-popular sport. It has three international standard cricket ovals, including [[Eastern Oval]], which was one of the host venues of the [[1992 Cricket World Cup]]. The [[Ballarat Cricket Association]] is the city's principle cricket competition. [[Association football|Soccer]] is also popular in Ballarat. Based at [[Morshead Park]] Stadium,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://events.ballarat.vic.gov.au/news/may-2014/historic-first-match-for-the-new-home-of-soccer-in-ballarat.aspx|title=City of Ballarat – Community Events Calendar|work=ballarat.vic.gov.au}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> the semi-professional [[Ballarat City FC]] competes in the [[National Premier Leagues Victoria 2|National Premier League]], the [[Australian soccer league system|third tier]] competition of [[Soccer in Australia|Australian soccer]]. Melbourne's [[Western United FC]] plays four [[A-League]] matches per year at Eureka Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.miragenews.com/western-united-brings-a-league-soccer-to-mars-stadium/|title=Western United brings A-League soccer to Mars Stadium|date=8 August 2019}}</ref> [[Basketball]] is played in Ballarat with the [[Ballarat Sports Events Centre]] hosting [[South East Australian Basketball League]] matches involving the [[Ballarat Miners]] and [[Ballarat Rush]]. Netball is similarly popular, with many netball clubs affiliated with local Australian rules clubs.

[[Sport of athletics|Athletics]] is and has historically been very popular with 4 local clubs competing at the BRAC<ref>{{Cite web|last=nemenvisual.com|first=Ben Foster-|title=Ballarat Regional Athletic Centre|url=http://ballaratregionalaths.com.au/|access-date=2021-02-04|archive-date=23 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223032331/http://ballaratregionalaths.com.au/|url-status=dead}}</ref> (Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre) located at the Llanberis Athletics Track in [[Golden Point, Victoria|Golden Point]], 5 minutes from the CBD. The city features a rich and decorated athletics history with Australia's most successful track and field athlete ([[Jared Tallent]] – Racewalker), and many other Olympians ([[Steve Moneghetti]], [[Greg Smith (Paralympian)]]) having been born in Ballarat.

[[File:Lake Wendouree Ballarat.jpg|thumb|[[Lake Wendouree]] hosted the rowing and canoeing events for the [[1956 Summer Olympics]].]]
Rowing and kayaking are centred on [[Lake Wendouree]], which hosts the Victorian Schools Rowing Championships as well as the annual "Head of the Lake" rowing regatta. The city hosted rowing events for the [[1956 Summer Olympic Games]]. [[Horse racing]] and [[greyhound racing]] are also popular, with dedicated facilities. The [[Thoroughbred racing in Australia|Ballarat Turf Club]] schedules around 28 race meetings a year including the Ballarat Cup meeting in mid-November.<ref name = "RaceClub">{{cite web|last=Country Racing Victoria|title=Ballarat Race Club|url=http://www.countryracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_club_info&club=49&Itemid=80|access-date=7 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719021221/http://countryracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_club_info&club=49&Itemid=80|archive-date=19 July 2008}}</ref> [[Sport of athletics|Athletics]] facilities include an international standard athletics track at [[Golden Point, Victoria|Golden Point]]. Swimming and [[water sport]] is facilitated at two Olympic-sized pools as well as an indoor {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} competition short course pool. The main facility is the Ballarat Aquatic Centre located in [[Lake Gardens, Victoria|Lake Gardens]]. [[Baseball]] was first organised in Australia at Ballarat in 1857,<ref>{{cite book|last=Harris|first=John O.|title=Queensland Baseball 1905–1990|year=2009|page=14}}</ref> and three local teams compete in the [[Geelong Baseball Association]].

Golf is played at four main venues which include the Ballarat Golf Course in [[Alfredton, Victoria|Alfredton]], home to the Ballarat Golf Club.<ref name = "golf">{{cite web|author=Golf Select|title=Ballarat|url=http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=258|access-date=11 May 2009}}</ref> The [[Ballarat Roller Derby League]] was formed in 2008, and held their first match in 2009. They have two teams who compete in local events, and a combined travelling team, the Rat Pack, who compete in interleague [[roller derby]] competitions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Who is BRDL|publisher=Ballarat Roller Derby League|url=http://www.ballaratrollerderby.com.au/about|access-date=1 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403044307/http://www.ballaratrollerderby.com.au/about|archive-date=3 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[World Athletics]]-Certified Ballarat Marathon Road Running Festival, inaugurated in 2024, is now an annual event. It features a variety of road running events, including a full marathon, half marathon, 10&nbsp;km run, and family-friendly fun runs, attracting participants from across the region and beyond. The 2024 Marathon Event was a qualifying race for the [[Abbott World Marathon Majors]] 2025 Age Group Championships. The festival promotes community participation, and showcases Ballarat's scenic landmarks.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BALLARAT MARATHON|url=https://www.ballaratmarathon.com.au/|access-date=2024-08-05|website=BALLARAT MARATHON|language=en-AU}}</ref>

Until they were cancelled in July 2023, Ballarat, along with other cities in regional Victoria, was scheduled to host the [[2026 Commonwealth Games]] with [[Eureka Stadium]] flagged to host athletics, the [[Eastern Oval]] T20 cricket, and Selkirk Stadium to host boxing.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-18/victoria-commonwealth-games-announcement-daniel-andrews/102613156 Victoria to axe Commonwealth Games plans due to financial constraints] ''[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]'' 18 July 2023</ref>

[[File:Mars Stadium Ballarat (Winter 2022).png|thumb|[[Eureka Stadium|Mars Stadium]]]]