The federal electorate of Ballarat is located on the lands of the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples whose continuous connection to Country spans tens of thousands of years.
The name Ballarat is derived from the Wadawurrung words balla and arat meaning “bent elbow” or “resting place”.
The electorate was one of the original 65 seats created at Federation and its first Member Alfred Deakin served several terms as Prime Minister.
It was also the location of the Eureka Stockade, a defining moment of Australian Democracy. Miners had been protesting restrictive colonial rule including the increasing price of mining licences and their lack of voting rights, when they were attacked by soldiers at dawn on Sunday 3 December 1854. The attack left at least 28 dead and many more injured.
The area is known for its gold rush history which is still evident in the boulevards and architecture of central Ballarat and the surrounding towns.
Centred on the regional city of Ballarat, the electorate also takes in the surrounding rural areas. It stretches from Clunes and Daylesford in the north to Lethbridge, Teesdale and Shelford in the south and from Trentham and Gordon in the east and Linton, Cardigan Village and Learmonth in the west.
The Ballarat electorate encompasses 4 local government areas:
- Ballarat City Council,
- Hepburn Shire Council,
- part of the Golden Plains Shire Council, and
- part of the Moorabool Shire Council.
The electorate is known for its diverse annual events from the Trentham Spudfest, Shelford Duck Race, ChillOut Festival Daylesford, Clunes Booktown, Ballarat Begonia Festival and the Smythesdale Arts and Music Fiesta - ensuring there is something for everyone throughout the year.
