The Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee was set up by the Mayor of Ballaarat in 1931 and consisted of representatives from the City of Ballaarat, Ballarat Shire, Returned Soldiers Association and E Lucas & Co. The Committee, eighty four years on is still going strong and is more active than ever as an advisory committee to the City of Ballarat Council, raising funds, managing plaques, tree planting, and organising events.
Today the Committee consists of 21 members including:-
- Mayor of the City of Ballarat (ex officio)
- Two Ward Councillors, one from North Ward and one from Central Ward
- One representative of the Ballarat RSL
- One representative of VicRoads
- City Arboriculture Officer
- Two representatives of the Lucas Past Employees’ Association
- One representative of the National Trust of Australia – Ballarat Branch
- A maximum of twelve community representatives including service clubs with an appropriate range of the necessary skills relevant to the Charter of the Committee.
Projects undertaken or supported by the Committee have included:
- Installation of bronze name plaques in 1934
- Erection of the Memorial Cairn & Cross of Remembrance in 1936
- Management of the Avenue in partnership with Country Roads Board (now VicRoads) and the Shire of Ballarat from 1960
- Construction and Opening of the Memorial Wall Precinct in 1993
- Development of the Ballarat Avenue of Honour Management Strategy Plan in 1997
- Tree Replacement program beginning in 1997 (over 2000 trees planted)
- Renovation of the Arch of Victory in 2011
- Avenue of Honour Upgrade/Fence to Fence Project during 2012 to 2015
- Development of the Conservation Management Plan – Ballarat Avenue of Honour and Arch of Victory 2014.
- Avenue of Honour Overpass and Rail crossing Opening at Burrumbeet in 2015.
The Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee continues to raise funds for the restoration and maintenance of the Arch, trees and plaques. All donations to the Committee are tax deductible and can be sent to the address below.
Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee
C/- City of Ballarat
P.O. Box 655
BALLARAT VIC 3353
