1975

Rex Taylor wins the Herald Sun Aria competition. The first opening concert for the Competitions is launched with a Music Hall theme. Audiences are invited to wear period costume and…

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1976

South Street receives a record number of entries with 1646 calisthenics teams and 72 Graceful Girls. An invitation is extended to a special supper party to celebrate foundation president of…

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1978

The Courier and 3BA sponsor the Open Classical Ballet Solo with a first prize of $100 and planning gets under way to celebrate the centenary of the founding of South…

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1979

The Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Winneke, opens the competitions and attends a celebratory centenary dinner at Craig’s Hotel. Also in attendance is Miss Elsie Berry, a winner for Speech…

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1980

Ellinor Morcom, accompanist, teacher and mentor to many Royal South Street singers, is awarded an OBE.

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1981

The competition introduces the Open Classical Ballet solo for dancers over 16 and South Street gains permission for bands to march down Sturt Street but not outside churches on Sunday…

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1982

Dance gains in popularity as new competition items are added to the competitions repertoire including: the Ballarat Ballet Guild Junior Ballet Championship, the Modern Dance Piroutte Championship Solo and the…

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1984

David Kierce wins the Nijinsky Prize for Classical Ballet and goes on to train with the Australian Ballet. Principal Dancer with the Queensland Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, BalletMet Columbus and…

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1985

Roger Lemke continues to impress the judges and wins the Sun Aria. “The Sun Aria was the most prestigious competition of all, the one I really wanted to win”. The Memorial…

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1986

Steve Moneghetti runs his first marathon at the Commonwealth Games bringing home the bronze medal followed by a gold four years later.

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1987

The Memorial Theatre is gifted to the City of Ballarat as a condition of obtaining State government funds for a $6.5 million restoration program and is placed on the Historic…

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