Wendouree (/ˌwɛndəˈriː/) is a large suburb on the north western rural-urban fringe of the city of Ballarat, in Victoria, Australia.

In 1838 a squatter called William Cross Yuille camped on the shores of the Black Swamp, now known as Lake Wendouree, the first Ballarat resident.

Renowned fly fishing author Alfred Ronalds established Ballarat's first garden nursery in 1854 on the bank of the Swamp.

[3] Significant urban growth in Wendouree began shortly after the Second World War, encouraged by the development of industrial areas to the west.

Newer industrial and commercial estates have recently commenced development on designated future growth zones to the West that will benefit from access to Ballarat's new western bypass road and planned redevelopment and expansion of the city's airport.

The suburb also has four primary schools (Wendouree, Forest Street, Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, and Yuille Park Community College).

In 1975 a library, art room and multi-function hall complex was built at the expense of the removal of many of the best native flower and rose beds.

[5] The Yuille Primary School buildings in McKenzie Drive are now used for running alternative education programs for disinterested students.

Another facility, Mulvra Aged Care, is a privately run centre in Dowling Street, opposite the Wendouree Sports Complex.

Adjoining Yuille Park College is the Wendouree West Community House, a neighbourhood centre offering social opportunities, adult education courses, and programs specifically designed for children, for youth, for men and for women.

Indoor and outdoor basketball, badminton, tennis and lawn bowls facilities at Hollioake Park in the North of Wendouree.

Initially many of its residents worked in nearby manufacturing plants producing building laminate, caravans and roller bearings.

The estate is noted as having low socio-economic resources due to higher-than-average unemployment, a high population of aged residents, and inter-generational social welfare dependency.

In the early 2000s, during a process to make official the boundaries of all cities, towns and suburbs in Victoria, it was determined that Wendouree West would exist only as an unofficial neighbourhood name.

The name Wendouree West (or "Westie") was often used to stigmatise and as a term of derision, often placing its residents at a disadvantage when applying for employment and other positions in the wider Ballarat community.

In recent years attempts have been made to rejuvenate the estate including the removal of many of the early prefabricated cottages and the construction of retirement units and modern private and public housing.

Some 300 of the original houses are to be retained and many have already undergone extensive renovation and modernisation, but in such a way that the historical character of the area remains intact.

The renewal program has also seen a lot of civic improvements including street-scaping, an upgrade of the shopping centre, new footpaths and fences, as well as new play equipment, toilets and barbecue facilities in the parks.