Top things to do in Ballarat Ballarat is an old regional town 110kms from the Melbourne CBD. Once a country town that experienced a world renowned gold rush in the 1800s, Ballarat saw their population increase to approx. 50,000. In recent decades, many farms have been sold to build more housing estates, which will see Ballarat's population to increase to 144,000 by 2030, boasting the second largest...