General News
2 April, 2025
90th birthday celebrations
It was a weekend to remember for Ian Ballinger and his family, with the patriarch celebrating his 90th birthday.
Dual celebrations were held in Horsham and Warracknabeal for the Nonagenarian, with Wheatlands Agricultural Museum marking the milestone on Saturday, March 22, before Mr Ballinger’s extended family packed out the Horsham Sports & Community Club the next day.
His twin sisters joined the birthday boy, who helped him cut his birthday cake before several speeches highlighting Mr Ballinger’s storied life.
The first child of Ellen and Cecil Ballinger, Ian Cecil Ballinger, was born at the Abbottsleigh Hospital in Horsham on March 23, 1935.
He served as a National Serviceman from 1953 to 1955 and has been a member of the Horsham RSL for 70 years.
He married Dorothy Ladlow on November 15, 1957, at the Anglican Church in Horsham.
Together, they raised four children - Geoffrey, Cheryl, Peter, and Sandra - who blessed them with 12 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Like his father, Ian was a builder, plying his trade with his brother Graham at CR Ballinger & Sons for more than 40 years.
His skills allowed him to become a building consultant for more than three decades, and he served as the president of the Wimmera section of the Master Builder Association from 1969-71.
He also established Wimmera Wall & Truss in the 1970s, one of the many expansions undertaken by the family business.
Ian Ballinger was a Project Officer and builder on many sites, including Warracknabeal, Nhill, Edenhope, Dimboola, Birchip, and Murtoa.
He was also a Building Instructor for Horsham Group Self Build No 1-4, constructing 44 homes in the Greenpark area from 2000-05.
Ian’s involvement in the community knows no bounds.
Throughout his life, he has served on numerous committees and volunteered his time to Meals on Wheels, Horsham Historical Society and community radio.
A Life Member of the Horsham Urban Fire Brigade, Mr Ballinger was a captain for six years and a treasurer for almost 13 years.
He was awarded the National Medal, Gold Star Award, and Queen’s Medal for exemplary fire service and good conduct.
These feats saw him bestowed with an Honourary Life Membership to theCountry Fire Authority.
An active member of the Freemasons, Mr Ballinger has served with the Wimmera Masonic Lodge since August 1959, holding the position of Master in 1979-80 and secretary for 13 years.
He held all offices of the Lodge, including six years as Steward.
He was the former Chairman of the Horsham Masonic Centre Committee of Management and a former Horsham Chapter No 55 & Horsham Mark No 63 member.
During Horsham’s 150th celebrations, Ian served as the Horsham Sesqui-Centennial Committee chair from 1994-2000.
An avid historian, he joined the Horsham Historical Society in the early 1970s, serving as president from 1992-97.
Mr Ballinger was also the Western Victorian Association Historical Society's president from 1995-97 and later in 2012-14.
He represented western Victoria on the Royal Historical Society Committee for many years.
As a past player and president, Ian was bestowed with a life membership of the Homers Football Club.
