Ballaz. B.Rat. The Rat (see https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_355034/the-rat-bitter-ale ). My old stomping ground but never before my “rowing ground”, thanks to Lake Wendouree’s evaporated state the entire five years that I lived two minutes down the road from it. To its credit, however, the lake did provide much entertainment for the locals in other ways during that period, whether it was revealing cold case criminal evidence in the form of dumped firearms, luring school kids into a false sense of security with an apparently firm and study surface but quicksand-like layer underneath, or, and most excitingly, encouraging the continuing and desperate search for the legendary lost 1956 Olympic Rowing gold medal (even though apparently it was found shortly after and was in fact silver).
The epicentre for excitement, Lake Wendouree, the heart and soul of Ballarat (right up there with Sovereign Hill) did not disappoint on this 2016 regatta event either – even when filled with water! Her glorious breadth and mirror-like reflection of the heavens allowed us all a pleasant day relaxing on the soft and grassy bank whilst enjoying the sight of swans and boats gliding across glass; a picture quite the contrary to the expectations and warnings continually tossed about by pessimistic/realistic club members (come on guys, give B.Rat a break).
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