Ballarat's History

Ballarat's wonderful collection of heritage buildings, gardens and art reveals the city’s fascinating and turbulent story.

When money flowed during the heady days of Ballarat’s gold boom, Ballarat’s citizens began creating the elegant architecture, broad-tree lined streetscapes and cultivated European gardens for which the city is famous today.

A Beautiful Resting Place

The attractions of the Yarrowee valley and surrounding areas made it a valued place for the local Wathaurong people - the city’s name was derived from the local Aboriginal language, ‘balla’ ‘arat’, meaning resting place.

White settlers also found the area suitable for settlement, from the late 1830s, the area boasted several prosperous pastoral stations, serviced by Buninyong, the first settlement in inland Victoria, now an attractive historic village on the edge of Ballarat.

Gold was discovered in Ballarat in 1851 and by the following year there were around 20,000 diggers sinking shafts and searching for gold. Following this population explosion, Ballarat was proclaimed a town in 1852. By 1855, Ballarat was a municipality, a borough by 1863 and a city by 1870.

These days, Ballarat is famous for its graceful and timeless architecture and streetscapes, which have been protected and carefully maintained.

Take a walk down the main street to see for yourself. Sturt Street is celebrated for being one of the widest and most picturesque streets in Victoria. Information on self-guided walking tours is available from the Mining Exchange.

Ballarat's Magnificent Elms

Sturt Street’s magnificent elms were planted in the 1880s, replacing the original bluegum plantation which local shopkeepers complained were too tall and thick, making the street damp. Council eventually uprooted the magnificent trees under the cover of dark.

Picturesque Camp Street has an impressive story. This sweeping street was the site of the Government Camp in the 1850s, established on this hillside because it gave the authorities a clear view of the diggings below. Troopers began their march to the Eureka Stockade here, early in the morning on December 3, 1854. Today, the street is a focus for the arts, housing the University of Ballarat’s Arts Academy and the city’s fine art gallery, as well as cafes and restaurants.

Ballarat residents have always gathered around Lake Wendouree for picnics, walks and outdoor activities. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens were established beside the Lake in 1858 and now boast magnificent exotic trees, a spectacular conservatory and the Prime Ministers Avenue, which features bronze portrait busts of each of our national leaders.

A Spectacular Rise

All over this remarkable city, you’ll see evidence of its spectacular rise from humble mining settlement to world famous heritage city. Ballarat offers the best of both worlds – a captivating history and a contemporary urban lifestyle.