Ballarat railway station, Victoria

Ballarat
Eastbound view in December 2011
Location	Lydard Street North, Ballarat
Coordinates	37°33′31″S 143°51′34″E / 37.5587°S 143.8594°E / -37.5587; 143.8594Coordinates: 37°33′31″S 143°51′34″E / 37.5587°S 143.8594°E / -37.5587; 143.8594
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	V/Line
Line(s)	Serviceton
Distance	118.80 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	3
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	BAL
Fare zone	Myki zone 8
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	11 April 1862
Services
Preceding station   V/Line   Following station Ballan toward Southern Cross Serviceton line Wendouree Terminus Serviceton line (Ararat line) Wendouree toward Ararat Serviceton line (Mildura line) Creswick toward Maryborough

Ballarat Railway Station (Ballarat Central) is located on the Serviceton line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the city of Ballarat opening on 11 April 1862.

The extensive building complex is of major architectural and historical significance to Ballarat with most of its original 19th-century features intact. Preserved historic features include the largest surviving interlocking mechanical swing gates in Victoria at Lydiard Street, signal boxes and goods sheds and it is one of only three stations in Victoria to have had a 19th-century train shed (along with Geelong and St Kilda).

Disused stations Ballarat East, Warrenheip, Bungaree and Gordon are located between Ballarat and Ballan.

Construction on Ballarat West Railway Station began in 1862 with the original buildings constructed at a cost of almost 22,000 pounds with the original railway line to Melbourne going via Geelong to service the booming Ballarat goldfields.

A bluestone engine shed was built to the south and the goods shed to the north were added in 1863. In 1877 the footbridge and waiting rooms on the south side were added,. In 1885, hand operated railway gates were added at Lydiard Street, along with the "B" signal box used to operate it on the western side.

Following the opening of the direct line from Ballarat to Melbourne in December 1889, the increase in patronage led to plans to upgrade the station. A grand portico, stationmasters office and clocktower designed in 1888 were added in 1891 however the clock was not added at this time. With the closure of Ballarat East station and the amalgamation of councils, the station gradually dropped the name West Ballarat.