Flag: The Spirit of Ballarat, used with permission of the artist, Peter Clarke, of Ballarat. "That's the people's flag.  That's what it is! ... The cross is important. The cross is us - our spirit.  It pretty much represents what we're all about - black and white. The early days of Ballarat, the goldmining, and the Irish and Chinese which came here seeking their fortune, this made the place such a multi-cultural city. The Spirit of Ballarat is a symbol of hope and one of spirit. I painted it as me."  The Spirit of Ballarat hangs in the Trades Hall in Camp Street, a site where I can guarantee much Shiraz has been drunk.