Meet the trailblazing women behind some of Ballarat's best cafes, restaurants, attractions and experiences.
The hospo heroes
- Mother and daughters trio Jane Baker (botanist), Elizabeth (distiller) and Georgette (designer) from Mrs Baker's Still House
- Chef Lilly Wright from Flying Chillies and Not Your Grandma's Pantry
- The Shared Table owner and chef Dianne Ray
- Erin Taylor, co-owner of Hop Temple, Aunty Jacks, Grainery Lane and Roy Hammond
- Carboni's co-owner and event manager Irene Beghini
- Cornerstone Cafe owner and chef Nicole Edwards
- The Little Cupcake Ballarat's mother and daughter duo Madeleine Witham and Chelsea Foord
- The Turret Cafe and The Turret Bakehouse co-owner Belinda Hand
- Cake queen Sara Kittelty from Kittelty's
- Eclectic Tastes and Eleanora owner Jane Miller
- La Miette Patisserie owner and pastry chef Jacinta Hogan
- Lilly's at Eureka owner Catherine Gill
- Kilderkin Distillery co-owner Rebecca Matthews
- Sip Champagne Bar owner Lauren Irwin
- The Crypt Ballarat's mother and daughter owners Shani and Savannah Stevens
- Lucky & James owner and chocolatier Jade Davidson
- Mrs Browne Bakes cookie queen Erika Browne
The art & culture champions
- Sovereign Hill CEO Sara Quon
- Art Gallery of Ballarat director Louise Tegart and curator Emily Wakeling
- Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and visual artist Jenna Oldaker from Murrup Art
- Ceramicist and Ross Creek Gallery owner Ruby Pilven
- Mother and daughters trio and Wadawurrung artists Aunty Marlene Gilson and Deanne Gilson plus traditional weaver Tammy Gilson
- Ceramics queen and The Pottage owner Shelby Sherritt
- Cyril Callister Museum founder and general manager Liza Robinson
- Travis Price's Hop Queen mural in Hop Lane
The retail & relaxation queens
- The Crafty Squirrel owner Morgan Wills
- Hattie and the Wolf founder and graphic designer Andrea Hurley
- GOR Woollen Mill co-owner Isabel Renters
- Women of the Well founders and South Sudanese refugees Mary Top and Mary Deng
- Wen & Ware Living owner Wendy McLachlan
- Ballarat's Sanctuary Day Spa owner Sarah Emmanuel
The nature warriors
- Ballarat Botanical Gardens curator Donna Thomas
- Backyard Beekeeping Ballarat beekeeper Amanda Collins
The nostalgic namesakes
- The Provincial Hotel's European-inspired restaurant Lola is named after spirited gold rush showgirl Lola Montez. The Lydiard St hotel is also home to Clara the cocktail caravan – a nod to The Ballarat Times' first female editor, Clara Seekamp
- The boutique Hotel Vera is named after co-owner David Cook-Doulton’s maternal grandmother, Vera. "We wanted the hotel to embody her warmth, generosity and, most importantly, her beautiful heart," David said
- New Ballarat neighbourhood cafe Naomi & i is named after co-owner Frazer Wyley's beloved grandmother, Naomi – "inspired by handwritten notes, gardens full of flowers and a love that can never be broken"
- Hotel Canberra's Vesta x Jigs restaurant is named after Vesta, the mother of co-owners and brothers Pete and Paul Dillon. Vesta was also the Roman goddess of the home and hearth
- Pat's Sandwiches is named after co-owner Thom Mitchell's publican grandmother, Patricia. "Pat embodied the true sense of hospitality – love and care expressed through providing beautiful food and spaces for others," Thom said
