Wendouree, Victoria

Wendouree Ballarat, Victoria
View west over Howitt Street from the exhibition grounds.
Wendouree
Coordinates	37°31′55″S 143°49′23″E / 37.532°S 143.823°E / -37.532; 143.823Coordinates: 37°31′55″S 143°49′23″E / 37.532°S 143.823°E / -37.532; 143.823
Population	10,752 (2006 census)
• Density	1,106.2/km2 (2,865.0/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3355
Area	9.72 km2 (3.8 sq mi)
Location	5 km (3 mi) NW of Ballarat Central
LGA(s)	City of Ballarat
State electorate(s)	Wendouree
Federal Division(s)	Ballarat
Suburbs around Wendouree: Miners Rest Mount Rowan Invermay Park Mitchell Park Wendouree Ballarat North Lake Gardens Lake Wendouree Soldiers Hill

Wendouree is a large suburb on the north western rural-urban fringe of the city of Ballarat, in Victoria, Australia. It is the most populated suburb in the City of Ballarat with a total of 10,752 inhabitants counted at the 2006 Census.

It is named after nearby Lake Wendouree, which derives its name from the Wathaurong word wendaaree, meaning "be off" (or "go away"). It incorporates the unofficial locality of Wendouree West.

Wendouree has the second most important business district in Greater Ballarat, and is also the location of several Ballarat-based commercial and industrial firms.

Landmarks of Wendouree include the Minerdome, the home of the Ballarat Miners and Ballarat Rush; the Ballarat Showgrounds, where the annual Ballarat Show is held; Eureka Stadium, which is the home ground of the North Ballarat VFL (Australian Football) club, and has hosted pre-season Australian Football League matches, the former St Mary's Redemptorist Monastery, Stockland Wendouree shopping centre, and the Wendouree Centre for the Performing Arts.

In 1838 a squatter called William Cross Yuille camped on the shores of the Black Swamp, now known as Lake Wendouree, the first Ballarat resident. The Yuille Pastoral Run developed during the mid-1800s.

Wendouree Post Office opened on 17 February 1871.

Significant urban growth in Wendouree began shortly after the Second World War, encouraged by the development of industrial areas to the west.

The Howitt Street shopping centre opened in 1962, and Wendouree Village shopping centre (now Stockland) opened in 1978.

The landmark St Mary's Redemptorist Monastery in Gillies Street was converted into apartments beginning in 2000.