Ballarat

Come find adventure in the original Gold rush city. #visitballarat

  • Notable Residents

    (past & present)

    Ash Lieb (Artist, Writer & Comedian) Robyn Maher (Olympian) Bill Hunter (Actor)

  • Population: 101,578

    • About Ballarat

      From its glamorous origins as one of the original gold rush boom towns to its current day as a city renowned for beautiful old buildings, heritage trails and entertainment. 

      Ballarat has developed into a very modern Australian city. Steeped in history, Ballarat is a snap back to the gold rush era and much of the originality of the city remains today. As the third largest city in Victoria, Ballarat has a smaller town community feel and is a peaceful blend of green spaces, monuments and historic culture. 

       The nightlife and entertainment in Ballarat is focused within the city centre and students can expect a mix of bars, restaurants and clubs. The city hosts an annual festival, the Begonia Festival in June which includes street parades and a garden party in the Botanic Gardens. Other attractions that are a must for anyone visiting or living in Ballarat include Sovereign Hill, the Botanic Wildlife Park and Lake Wendouree. 

       For food and local trade, Ballarat has two markets that are held several times a month. These are held on the popular Pleasant Street and at Lake Wendouree. For the more demanding retailer Ballarat also boasts a range of high street names and independent boutiques in and around the CBD. From its glorious past to its contemporary and modern present Ballarat is a city that will offer you peace, excitement and rich history at every turn

      Points of Interest

      Map Key

      • City Centre

      Video

      Interesting Facts

      • In the 1850s Ballaratr was the scene of a great Gold Rush

      • The name Ballarat was taken from the word balla arat from the local Wathaurong Aboriginal words meaning "resting place"