Geelong & District Sun Aria Competition Local Winners and Contestants

The competition began as the Sun Aria in 1924 in Ballarat with the South Street Society. Similar Sun Aria competitions then commenced in Geelong and Ballarat. The latter two seem to have ceased by 1934 and 1936, while others commenced in Sydney and Canberra. It was the Ballarat based competition that survived to become the Herald Sun Aria Competition. Heats are held annually in Ballarat with the final being held at Hamer Hall in Melbourne. Some of the better-known winners in the various Aria competitions include Marjorie Jackson (1928 Geelong), Dame Joan Sutherland (1949 City of Sydney), June Gough [Bronhill] (1950 City of Sydney), and Dame Kiri te Kanawa (1966).