Ballarat Central

Ballarat Central Ballarat, Victoria
Looking east over Sturt Street and the CBD toward Bridge Mall and Bakery Hill from Ballarat Town Hall clock tower
Ballarat Central
Coordinates	37°33′47″S 143°51′04″E / 37.563°S 143.851°E / -37.563; 143.851Coordinates: 37°33′47″S 143°51′04″E / 37.563°S 143.851°E / -37.563; 143.851
Population	5,465 (2011 census)
• Density	1,477/km2 (3,830/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3350
Area	3.7 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
LGA(s)	City of Ballarat
State electorate(s)	Wendouree
Federal Division(s)	Ballarat
Suburbs around Ballarat Central: Lake Wendouree Soldiers Hill Ballarat East Lake Wendouree Ballarat Central Bakery Hill Newington, Redan Redan, Golden Point Golden Point

Ballarat Central (known as the Central Business Area by the City of Ballarat and sometimes simply as "Ballarat") is the central locality of Greater Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. The population of Ballarat Central at the 2011 census was 5,465, making it the third most populous in the urban area. It is the administrative headquarters for the City of Ballarat as well as the Ballarat Base Hospital and health services and home to the city's major religious institutions and a major retail, commercial and inner city residential area.

It is the third oldest settlement in Greater Ballarat (after the gold rush settlements of Ballarat East and Golden Point). Planned as a permanent settlement shortly following the initial gold rush, it was formerly known as Ballaarat West or the new township of Ballaarat.

The boundaries are Lexton, Drummond, Talbot and Pleasant Street to the west; Sebastopol, Hill, Hummfray and Steinford Street to the south; Peel Street to the east and Serviceton Railway Line to the north.

Ballarat Central is important historically to the development of the city as well as for its Victorian era architecture and much of its area is covered by Heritage Overlays.

While the original name for Ballarat Central was Ballaarat and later Ballarat West, the current name originates from the Central Division, a mining lead in the 1870s. Several sporting teams used the name, as well as the local primary school as early as the 1880s. It was officially gazetted "Ballarat Central" sometime after the 1980s although it is still marked simply "Ballarat" on some maps.

The settlement of Ballarat West was established during the Victorian gold rush.

It was surveyed by William Urquhart as early as October 1851. By 1852 his grid plan and wide streets were prepared for the first land sales in the new township of West Ballarat.