Ballan to Ballarat drive: Distance, time and best stops

The Ballan to Ballarat drive covers a 37km distance in a driving time of around 28 minutes. The best road trip stops to add to your itinerary are Kryal Castle and Ballarat Wildlife Park.

The drive from Ballan to Ballarat in Victoria is a relatively short hop along the Western Freeway. It’s a journey that most visitors will undertake as part of a longer road trip – probably from Melbourne to Halls Gap or Melbourne to Adelaide.

Ballan to Ballarat distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Ballan to Ballarat is 37km. This makes for a driving time of around 28 minutes. Obviously, this is short enough to not require any road trip stops along the route. However, there are a few decent spots along the way if you’re wanting to make additions to your road trip itinerary.

4 Ballarat experiences to book in advance ⬇️

Sovereign Hill tickets – visit Australia’s best open air museum. Give it a full day, too – there’s so much to see and do.
Ballarat Wildlife Park entry – meet loads of cute native Aussie animals.
Kryal Castle admission – enjoy a bizarre knights in armour theme park.
Beer-making course – learn to brew, with tastings and lunch thrown in.

Ballan to Ballarat road trip: Ballan attractions

After leaving Ballan, you’ll quickly join the Western Freeway. This passes between the Ballan Racecourse Reserve and Bostock Reservoir.

The main attraction on the Ballan to Ballarat drive is Kryal Castle in Leigh Creek. This quirky old-fashioned amusement park has a knights and dragons theme, and is better for younger children than older ones. You can save time queueing by buying tickets online.

Ballan to Ballarat drive: Outskirts of Ballarat

Very close by is Gold Rush Indoor and Outdoor Mini Golf, while as you get closer to central Ballarat, it’s not much of a detour to the perennially popular Ballarat Wildlife Park. Again, tickets can be booked online in advance.

The main attraction in Ballarat, however, is Sovereign Hill. This recreated gold rush town offers gold panning, mine tours, plus all manner of shows and craft demonstrations. Fix up your Sovereign Hill tickets here.

Top places to eat in Ballarat include traditional Spanish restaurant Meigas Ballarat, Latin American joint Pancho and the lakeside Boatshed Ballarat.

Good Ballarat accommodation choices include the apartment-style Quest, the family-friendly Big4 NRMA Ballarat holiday park and the well-reviewed Lake Inn.