2026 Commonwealth Games present opportunity to advance Central Victorian Goldfields’ World Heritage bid

Regional Victoria’s hosting of many of the sporting events for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, will provide an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the Central Victorian Goldfields’ World Heritage bid region and all it has to offer.

Ballarat and Bendigo will serve as the gateway for visitors to discover the rich history of the Central Victorian Goldfields region.

Ballarat is set to be the Commonwealth Games host city for athletics, para athletics, boxing and cricket T20 while Bendigo will host cricket T20, cycling, lawn bowls and para lawn bowls, netball, squash, weightlifting and para powerlifting.

An unprecedented partnership of Central Victorian councils, led by the cities of Ballarat and Greater Bendigo, has met with the Minister for Regional Development, Mary-Anne Thomas to discuss the benefits of the games for strengthening promotion of the region.

The partnership is optimistic that the State Government will support the transformative initiative with $500,000 in funding, through Regional Development Victoria’s $10 million ‘Investment Fast-Track Fund’, to enable critical work to begin to progress the bid. The partnership has already committed $125,000.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor, Andrea Metcalf said the announcement that the Commonwealth Games will be held in the regions provides the bid with an international platform.

“This will enable us to promote our exceptional heritage and experiences, disperse games visitors throughout our region and build a legacy for our communities and businesses that strengthens our World Heritage bid,” she said.

“We keenly await news from the State Government on their financial support to help us to achieve all of this, together. We thank Minister Thomas for meeting with us and we look forward to working with the State Government to deliver our collective vision for our region.”

City of Ballarat Mayor, Daniel Moloney welcomed the State Government’s interest in the project and noted “The Central Victorian Goldfields’ gold rush heritage is unparalleled on the international stage.

“This region has a rich history and an incredible story to share with the world. State Government support of this project will take us one critical step closer to World Heritage listing, which will provide significant opportunities for regional Victoria.”

Central Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid Co-Patron, John Brumby said the evidence showed the region featured the best preserved and represented goldrush history in the world and advised

“If this bid succeeds, and it needs State Government support to succeed, it will unquestionably lead to significant increases in tourists from across the world wanting to experience our story of the goldrush era.

“It will lead to investment in accommodation and other tourism facilities and will bring more jobs to the region. I think it’s a perfect fit for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”

Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive, Chris Meddows-Taylor said additional funding would enable critical work, including that of the World Heritage Master Plan, to begin.

“It would be wonderful to see the unique magnificence and great wealth of the 19th Century central Victorian gold rush recognised for World Heritage Listing, enabling massive regional opportunities and regeneration in the 21st century and beyond.”

The Central Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid was progressed in December last year. The unprecedented partnership of 13 councils, led by the cities of Ballarat and Greater Bendigo, and regional tourism body Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive was formed to progress the bid to share the extraordinary story of the goldfields internationally by striving for a World Heritage listing.

This funding will get the bid ready for World Heritage tentative listing for consideration by the State and Federal Governments. It will help the group identify sites that could make the World Heritage list, outline the investment needed to leverage the bid to benefit local jobs, develop World Heritage journeys, support communities and industry, including rebuilding after the pandemic.  

The Local Government partnership includes:
Ararat Rural City
Campaspe Shire
Central Goldfields Shire
City of Ballarat
City of Greater Bendigo
Golden Plains Shire
Hepburn Shire
Loddon Shire
Macedon Ranges Shire
Moorabool Shire
Mount Alexander Shire
Northern Grampians Shire, and
Pyrenees Shire