Do you know an older Ballarat person who makes a difference in our community and deserves recognition?
Why not nominate them for the 2025 Ballarat Seniors Awards?
Every year the Ballarat Seniors Awards highlight and celebrate the remarkable contributions many of our older residents are making to the community.
The awards are the City of Ballarat's way of acknowledging residents 60 years and older who give their time and efforts back to the Ballarat community.
For our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, eligibility commences from 50 years or older.
This year there are five award categories, as well as the overall Senior of the Year Award. The award categories are as follows:
Community Service Award
- For exceptional contribution by an individual to their community.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award
- For an individual dedicated to improving social inclusion, connection and participation for our diverse communities such as LGBTIA+, Disability, First Nations or Multicultural.
Healthy and Active Living Award
- For an individual helping to create active and healthy communities through community involvement and as a role model.
Community Teamwork Award
- For a voluntary group, club or project who have made an outstanding contribution to the community in the last 2 years.
Lifetime Achievement Award
- For an individual with dedicated, continuous voluntary service or contribution to the community over many years. (Can include service prior to eligibility age)
From these categories, the most exceptional nomination will be chosen as the 2025 Senior of the Year.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the annual awards were a highlight on the calendar.
This year, the award ceremony will be held on Friday 31 October, a fitting way to cap off the Victorian Seniors Festival, which runs throughout October.
"Every year we are blown away by our amazing older volunteers and their extraordinary contributions to Ballarat," she said.
"I'm sure there are so many people out there who know Ballarat locals that are doing something special in our community which deserves recognition.
"It is important to acknowledge the significant contribution older people make to our community. After all, volunteers aged 55 and over make up over 40 per cent of all people volunteering for an organisation or group in Ballarat."
Nomination forms can be downloaded on the City of Ballarat website, with hard copies available at the City of Ballarat Customer Service Centre in the Phoenix Building at 225 Armstrong Street, or from all three Ballarat Libraries at central, Wendouree and Sebastopol.
Nominations close at 5pm on Wednesday 10 September.
