It is approximately 105
kilometres (65 mi) north-west of the state
capital Melbourne, with an urban population
of 88,437 people. The city lies at 441
metres (1,447 ft) AHD and consists of an
area of approximately 740 square kilometres
(286 sq mi), with the city occupying a built
up area of approximately 75 square
kilometres (29 sq mi).
Gold was discovered near
Ballarat in 1851, and the influx of over
10,000 miners in less than a year
transformed it from a pastoral town into
Victoria's largest settlement. The Victorian
gold rush occurred throughout the 1850s and
1860s whilst gold could be readily extracted
from the surface. The city's growth slowed
after the 1880s and Melbourne quickly
overshadowed it in importance.
However, Ballarat has
endured as a major inland regional centre
and tourist destination, having retained
much of its Victorian era heritage, a unique
culture, and is highly regarded for its
grand heritage listed public and private
buildings, monuments, statues and expansive
gardens. (via
wikipedia