Ballarat /ˈbæləræt/ is a city located on the Yarrowee River and lower western plains of the Great Dividing Range in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately 105 kilometres (65 mi) west-north-west of the state capital, Melbourne. It is the third most populous urban area in the state, with a population of 96,940 It is the state's most populated inland settlement, and third most populated inland settlement in Australia. People from Ballarat are referred to as Ballaratians.

The City of Ballarat local government area encompasses both the Greater Ballarat urban area and outlying towns with an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi) and has an urban area population of 93,501. Ballarat is its most populous urban centre, seat of local government and administrative centre.

It was named by Scottish squatter Archibald Yuille who established the first settlement—his sheep run called Ballaarat—in 1837, with the name derived from local Wathaurong Aboriginal words for the area, balla arat, thought to mean "resting place". The present spelling was officially adopted by the City of Ballarat in 1996.

Ballarat is an urban area in Victoria, Australia.

Ballarat may also refer to:

Places

Ships

See also