Ballarat Central
VIC 3350 · Ballarat
5,378 (2021) → 5,198 est. (2025) · High Growth
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Ballarat Central is a high growth suburb in Ballarat, VIC 3350, about 102km from Melbourne CBD. Its median house price of $692K is around the same as the VIC average. The suburb has 4 schools, a transport score of 80/100, and is about 74km inland. Ballarat Central has an overall score of 82/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 40/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: England (2.4%), India (1.79%), New Zealand (1.12%), USA (0.52%), China (0.5%)
Top languages: Mandarin (0.84%), Punjabi (0.82%), Japan (0.52%), Nepali (0.45%), Malayalam (0.45%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (DTF) · Updated 2024
Residential Safety
Commercial & services hub. This suburb is a major employment and services centre, drawing a significant daily influx of workers and visitors from surrounding areas. Crime figures are recorded by incident location and include offences involving commuters and visitors, not just residents, so the per-resident crime rates below may overstate the risk for people who live here.
Nightlife hub. This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. Crime figures include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
Totals include incidents involving commuters and visitors, not just residents.
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (suburb-level) · Updated 2025
Schools
Outstanding school access
Top 20% nationally — strong, high-ICSEA schools nearby with genuine choice. An excellent suburb for families prioritising education.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1013 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- St Patrick's SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1092
- Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street)Primary · GovernmentICSEA 1056
- Ballarat Clarendon College - Second CampusCombined · Independent
- Mount Rowan Secondary College-LinkUp - Ballarat Learning Exchange CampusSecondary · Government
Nearby (within 10km)
- Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat)Primary · Government · 1.2kmICSEA 1091
- SEDA College (Victoria) - Multi BallaratSecondary · Independent · 1.3km
- Macarthur Street Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 945
- Ballarat Clarendon CollegeCombined · Independent · 1.5kmICSEA 1165
- Newington Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 1005
- St Patrick's CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 1.7kmICSEA 1059
- Mount Clear College-G Place CampusSecondary · Government · 1.8km
- Mount Pleasant Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 956
- St Columba's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2kmICSEA 1088
- Sovereign Hill SchoolSecondary · Government · 2km
- St Alipius' Parish SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.1kmICSEA 1056
- St Aloysius' SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.1kmICSEA 1030
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Fitness
Fitness paradise
Top 20% nationally — gyms, leisure centres, pools and sports fields all close by. Easy to stay active without travelling far.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Great outdoor access
Well above average — plenty of parkland and outdoor recreation within easy reach.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Quiet area
Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.
Nightlife hub. High licensed-venue density drives a significant evening economy here — incidents near the venues are recorded by location, so crime figures include visitors, not just residents.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: VGCCC (Victorian liquor register)
Childcare
Strong options nearby
Well above average for childcare services — good choice and quality, with most families finding a place without a long drive.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
High GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Ballarat
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Frequently asked questions about Ballarat Central
Is Ballarat Central safe?
Ballarat Central has a residential safety score of 40/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 28,728 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Ballarat Central?
In Ballarat Central, the .
How far is Ballarat Central from Melbourne CBD?
Ballarat Central is about 101.8 km from Melbourne CBD.
What schools are in Ballarat Central?
Ballarat Central has 4 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1074 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Ballarat Central?
Ballarat Central has a transport score of 80/100 and 56 bus stops.