Ballan, Victoria

Ballan is a town in Victoria, Australia. At the, Ballan had a population of 3,392.

It is the second largest administrative centre, behind Bacchus Marsh, in the Shire of Moorabool local government area. Ballan is a small country regional town but also not too far from Melbourne City which takes a one-hour drive. Ballan Town is located in between Melbourne - Ballarat Western Freeway and had a major train stop in between these two cities. Ballan's facilities include a hospital, primary schools, railway station, police station, post office, church, banks, ATM, public play grounds, golf club, hotel, pub, caravan park, fuel station, restaurants, supermarket and other shops. During the Victorian Gold Rush, it became an important staging point for coaches travelling to the Ballarat goldfields.

History
The Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nations are the traditional owners of the land that is today's Ballan.

In April 1838, Robert William von Stieglitz (18161876) took up a pastoral run situated on the Werribee River's right riverbank. He named it Ballan. His brother John Lewis von Stieglitz (18091868) occupied the adjoining run, Ballanee. The two von Stieglitz brothers were some of the first European settlers in the Port Phillip District.

The township of Ballan was surveyed in 1850 and named after von Stieglitz's run.

Gold was found in the area in 1851, which brought an influx of prospectors during the Victorian Gold Rush. The Ballan Hotel dates from the gold rush period in 1851. The town became an important staging point for coaches travelling to the Ballarat goldfields. The post office in the township opened around September 1853, although two earlier offices in the area were named Ballan.

Ballan Primary School was established on 8 January 1855.

The first Mechanics' Institute in Ballan was built in 1861, with the current Mechanics' Institute built on land purchased in 1881, although the façade was demolished and rebuilt in 1922. The building houses the library for the town and a hall.

St Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Ballan was officially opened in July 1866.

On 15 November 2003, a Sprinter train travelling to Ballarat was derailed between Ballan and Gordon, injuring 61 people when it hit a stationary vehicle on a country railway crossing.

Health service

 * Ballan District Health & Care: Located at 33 Cowie Street, Ballan Hospital is a community-owned, registered charity, with 170+ staff members and 70+ volunteers, providing healthcare and wellbeing services for Ballan and surrounding districts. There is a ongoing demand for allowing a Maternity Ward in Ballan Hospital for years.
 * Private Medical Centre's also functioning in town with GP Consultation

Education
There are 2 Primary Schools in Ballan. Ballan Primary School and St Brigid's Catholic Primary School. There is a Child Care Centre also functioning in town. For High School, students goes to Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat or Daylesford. There are Bus Services for students to these towns. There is a ongoing demand for allowing a High School in Ballan for years.

Transport
The Western Freeway bypasses the town, but is located nearby and connects Ballan to Melbourne in the east and Ballarat to the west. The main road into town, the Old Melbourne Road (Old Inglis Street), is also the main street. Another main roads are the Geelong - Ballan Road and Daylesford - Ballan Road.

Ballan railway station is serviced by regular fast regional Ballarat V/Line rail service VLocity approximately hourly with a 1 hour journey to the state's regional railway hub Southern Cross station in Melbourne - or 20 minute journey to Ballarat. Being on the Serviceton line trains stopping at the station give Ballan access via Ballarat to regional services including the Ararat V/Line rail service, the Mildura line as far as Maryborough and connecting bus services. The town centre is only a three-block walk from the station. Train to Ballarat and Melbourne are running at a frequency of 20 minutes in Busy Times and 40 minutes in Normal Day Time starting from 4 in morning to 11 at Night.

VLine coaches also regularly stop in Ballan en route from Ballarat to Melbourne, and Ballarat Airport shuttle buses run from the Ballan Police Station Bus Stop to Melbourne Airport. Ballan Bus Lines also runs on all weekdays bus services to Daylesford (Hepburn Springs) and Gordon (Mount Egerton).

Nearest major airports are Melbourne Airport and Avalon Airport. There is also a local taxi service based in Ballan.

Sport
The town has an Australian rules football team competing in the Central Highlands Football League.

Ballan Brumbies Basketball Club was founded in 2017, playing in the Ballarat Basketball Association competitions. As of July 2023, the club fielded four men's & ladies' senior teams, as well as 20 junior teams. The club's colours are white, royal blue & gold.

The Ballan Cricket Club currently has 2 Senior and 3 Junior teams competing in the Ballarat Cricket Association. The seniors in BCA 2nd grade & One day C grade whilst the Juniors are U12 in the MJCA, U13 & U16 with the BCA. The club has been back with the BCA since the 2005/06 season after 14 years in the Daylesford & District Cricket Association.

The Ballan Bowling Club currently fields three pennant teams in the Ballarat District Bowls Division.

Golfers play at the Ballan Golf Club on Blow Court.

Ballan Football Club is currently involved in the Central Highlands football netball league. They offer a chance for both junior footballers and netballers to play, as well as 2 senior football and 3 senior netball teams.

Festivals and attractions

 * A Vintage Machinery and Vehicle Rally is held in February, well known for its vintage tractor pull.
 * An Autumn Festival is held in Ballan every year in late March.
 * BuzzConf, a technology and futurist festival, is held in Ballan every November.
 * Although there is a mineral spring at Ballan, it does not have the high profile of the towns of Hepburn Springs and Daylesford further to the north.
 * To the south of Ballan are the Brisbane Ranges National Park and the You Yangs Forest Park.

Community groups

 * In 1937, a Country Women's Association (CWA) branch was established in Ballan.
 * In the former courthouse, which closed down in 1983, the Ballan Shire Historical Society holds meetings every month except December.
 * The Ballan Golf Club manages a "shady, tree-lined [and] generally flat" golf course situated on the banks of the Werribee River.