Pop-up beach proposed for Lake Wendouree

That dream may well be a reality this summer after the City of Ballarat revealed a proposal to build a pop-up beach near View Point on the eastern side of the lake.

Council hopes to have the pop-up beach established by late December or early January and run it for around eight weeks.

Ballarat councillor Samantha Mclntosh said the spectacle would encourage residents to stay in the city over the summer months, with many locals regularly travelling to the coast for the sand and surf.

"One of the goals is attracting people to Ballarat and retaining the people that are here," Cr Mclntosh said.

Sand would be trucked in to the site to create the attraction, which Cr Mclntosh hoped would become "a beehive of activity".

Cr McIntosh said the council would announce other additions to the pop-up site in the coming weeks to further entice locals and tourists.

"We're working on a couple of ideas."

The idea for the attraction came after members of council viewed old photos of the lake from the early 19th century, which depicted a similar mock-beach around the lake.

"This is a vision that reflects upon our past," Cr Mclntosh said.

"(Ballarat's history) its what people love and it's why people come here."

Owner of Racers Cafe and Bar on Wendouree Parade Adam Rasmussen said there was a noticeable drop in business during summer.

Mr Rasmussen said people vacated Ballarat for the beach.

He welcomed ideas which would encourage people to the area.

"Anything that brings people to the area will be good for business."

However, Mr Rasmussen expressed some skepticism, saying he believed the makeshift beach would do little to stop people from leaving Ballarat during the summer.

"The reason families go to the beach is there's huge expanses of sand and the surf.

"It doesn't quite have the same appeal."

So far the council have been reluctant to offer any details surrounding the size or cost of the proposed attraction, with a council spokesperson stating they were still in the planning stages.

The City of Ballarat's general manager of City Strategy Natalie Reiter said "(the City of Ballarat) is working to determine the viability of (the) proposal."

"The proposal is part of the City of Ballarat's ongoing suite of activities to ensure Ballarat ... remains a vibrant and active place for locals and visitors to enjoy all year round."

While council may be able to craft a beach on the bank of the lake, people will still have to look elsewhere for a swimming hole this summer.

Swimming is currently prohibited in the lake except for special events which must be sanctioned by the Department of Health, the Environmental Protection Authority or council itself.

The proposal comes after the City of Ballarat began rolling out their Christmas decorations on Wednesday, with a ferris wheel set to be put in the Bridge Mall on December 5.

If there's a story from the past we should revisit, let us know at cos@thecourier.com.au

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