Project Overview

The City of Ballarat is progressing design works for a new public toilet facility in De Soza Park.

Officially opening in 1983, De Soza Park is a great community asset in the heart of Buninyong. Acknowledging the importance of the park to the community, and to visitors, these improvements look to enhance the quality, accessibility, and usage of the park.

Identified in the Public Toilet Strategy, this project supports the outcomes of the De Soza Park Masterplan. During engagement for the Public Toilet Strategy, community members highlighted the need for improvements to accessibility, baby-changing facilities, lighting, and cleanliness at the existing De Soza Park toilets.

This project aims to provide an accessible toilet facility and reinstate the Queen Elizabeth Rotunda (the larger rotunda) as a gathering place for the park.

  • Improved Access

    Improved path of travel between parking and toilet facilities to better support families with young children and people with disability.

  • Improved Amenities

    The new facilities will follow Universal and Safer by Design principles in line with the Public Toilet strategy. The Queen Elizabeth rotunda renovation provides enhanced community use.

  • Visitor Experience

    The facilities aim to encourage users of De Soza park to extend visit duration and increase expenditure in local shops.

Concept Design

The concept design has been shaped by the park’s masterplan, discussions with key stakeholders and community feedback. The building form and material palette have been inspired by nearby structures to ensure the new facility responds sensitively to the surrounding context.

In line with the City’s preferred model, the proposed toilets are configured as externally accessed, single‑occupancy cubicles. Entry points face public areas to support passive surveillance and enhance user safety.

The design includes provisions for accessibility, baby change facilities and ambulant cubicles. To support accessibility outcomes some changes will be made to pathways, furniture, and garden beds.

Following the completion of the new toilet facilities, works will begin to refurbish the Queen Elizabeth Rotunda—transitioning it from a public toilet to an accessible picnic and BBQ area. To view the site layout and concept designs click on the arrows below.

*Please note: The images are indicative and design is subject to change.

How you can be involved

There are a variety of ways that you can share your feedback:

  • Complete the feedback form (online or printable)
  • Visiting us at the Let’s Chat Ballarat Expo on 26–27 March 2026, Civic Hall, Ballarat.
  • Attend an in-person session at De Soza Park to talk about the project:
    • Thursday 2 April 2026, 9:30am – 12:00pm
    • Wednesday 8 April 2026, 12:30pm – 4:00pm
    • Saturday 11 April 2026, 8:00am – 10:30am
  • Contact us with any questions or queries you may have by using the Contact details on this page.
  • Follow the project: Click the Follow button at the top of this page and get the latest news as the project progresses.

De Soza Park Public Toilet project