Suburb Snapshot: Wendouree

Wendouree is approximately 9.6 square kilometres and has twenty-one parks covering nearly 7.5 per cent of total area.

In 2011 was 10,597 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 10,452 showing a decline of 1.4 per cent.

The suburb is named for Lake Wendouree and separated from the adjacent suburb of the same name by a railway line and a main road. Wendouree was originally an outlying agricultural community when a Wesleyan school was opened in 1857.

It remained much the same for nearly 100 years. In 1951 a migrant hostel was opened at and land at Wendouree West was acquired for a Housing Commission estate. The estate was on part of a common originally of about 24 square kilometres when reserved in 1861.

Although about three quarters of the common had been used for other purposes by the time of the housing estate, there was ample left for industrial and other development.

Among the industries established on the Wendouree common were Franklins Caravans (1951), a stoneware and pipe factory, M.B. John and Hattersley and Unilever. Later a McCains food processing factory was opened.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Wendouree is 20-29 years with households in Wendouree being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1000 – $1399 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Wendouree work in a labourer occupation.

Source: Ballarat Times News Group