Sport
Ruby to represent Ararat in Flapper Shield
YOUNG Ararat bowler Ruby Jackson has been selected to play with the Murray Mallee Bushrangers in the prestigious Flapper Shield.
The statewide tournament which is for under eighteen bowlers will be held at the Sebastopol Club on the 15th of January.
Ruby has been training for the event on Monday nights for the past five weeks at the Sebastopol Club with the Ballarat Nuggets which is for players aged eight to sixteen.
For non-bowlers, the shield is named after Matt Flapper who has represented Australia on many occasions and is a household name in bowls circles.
NEW YEAR PARKRUN
ARARAT parkrun welcomed in 2025 with a New Year’s Day run. 55 people were up early on New Years morning to kick off a healthy 2025 with a run around Ararat’s Alexandra Gardens. The participants included a number of visitors from across Australia and one from Sussex in the United Kingdom. Organiser Tricia Ruthen said […]
Skate Park Leagues Competition ready to roll into Ararat
ON 19 January, the Bill Waterston Skate Park in central Ararat will host its first Skate Park Leagues (SPL) event as part of the 2025 Melbourne Metro Series.
The grassroots competition will bring up to 600 participants to the park to showcase their skills in skateboarding, BMX, and scootering, all taking place on the ramps and rails of our facility.
SPL is all about celebrating skate park culture and creating a positive space for young people of all ages and abilities to shine, whether competing or cheering from the sidelines. Launched in 2007 in partnership with the Victorian Skateboarding Association, SPL now runs over 100 events a year across Australia.
Lights on
THE lights are officially on at Ararat Bowling Club following a joint project between the Victorian Government and council.
The newly installed 200-lux LED lights meet competition standards, spreading light evenly across the green and offering an energy-saving alternative to traditional lighting (80% less energy for the same luminosity).
Early Christmas for pony club
ARARAT Pony Club will soon be the envy of clubs across Victoria with funding announced this week to construct a year-round covered equine arena.
Ararat Rural City Council in partnership with Ararat Pony Club have secured close to $1.5 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Play Our Way Grants Program.
The program aims to provide greater opportunities for women and girls to access, participate and remain involved in sport and physical activity.
The $1.5 million funding will support the construction of a covered equine arena, complete with lighting, to provide a climate-controlled riding space that is protected from rain and sunlight.
Pittsburgh Pirate takes the cup
PERFECT spring conditions greeted racegoers at last Sunday’s Ararat Gold Cup. Well over a thousand people flocked to Ararat Racecourse for the eight race program. Race 7 was the much anticipated Ararat Gold Cup won by Pittsbergh Pirate by two and a half lengths over Staunch and Lottoroc. Pittsburgh Pirate also won last month’s St […]
Race Ready
MORE than a thousand people are expected at the Ararat Racecourse on Sunday for the regions premiere racing event. The annual Ararat Gold Cup has been 12 months in the planning and club officials say a great day or racing and fun is assured. Ararat Turf Club President Adam Atchison said with a fine, partly […]
Rats sign aces
ARARAT Rats 2024 was always going to be a transitional campaign. With a young, green list, development was always the aim. After a winless season, however, the Rats have decided to hit the accelerator. Their first signings for season 2025 are a pair of stars: Faith and Paige Biddle. The sisters, moving from cross-town rivals […]