What is it like to Study in Ballarat?

Located on the Yarrowee River in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, the population in Ballarat is more than 100,000 in 2019 and making this city as the third largest inland city in Australia. It was in the city of Ballarat that gold was first discovered in 1851 by  Thomas Hiscock, months after Victoria was granted separation from the state of New South Wales.

Ballarat has a diverse history, architecture with enticing old touches and wide streets. Ballarat is one of the cities in Australia with rapid growth. Ballarat also hosts a variety of events, festivals, activities and attractions and provides a variety of restaurants, cafes and bars.

Climate in Ballarat

The weather in Ballarat is influenced by the Marine – Mild winter climate. Cool with no dry season, warm summer. The average temperature of all months is lower than 22 ° C (72 ° F). At least four months with an average temperature of more than 50 ° F (10 ° C). Rainfall is the same throughout the year.

By far the hottest months are: January, February, and March. Temperature range: 22 ℃ – 25 ℃. January is usually the hottest month with an average temperature of 25 ℃. The coldest month is July with a temperature of 10 ℃ and an average of 71 mm of precipitation. Other cold months are August 11 ℃, June 11 ℃, September 13 ℃.

The month with the greatest rainfall is August, September, October with 227 mm of rainfall. The most rainfall occurs in August with an average rainfall of 78 mm. The annual amount of rainfall in Ballarat is 741 mm.

Transportation in Ballarat

Ballarat only takes 1.5 hours by train to Melbourne; or 1 hour 15 minutes if using a car. Bus also provides transportation to and from Melbourne (2 hours) wit fare from $15.54. There is also bus services from / to Geelong and fare from $15.54.

The nearest airport is Melbourne Airport. From this airport you can take shuttle bus to Ballarat train station. Online booking is available. The shuttle bus costs around $37 for adult and $18 for child. Other transportation options are motor vehicles and taxis.

Cost of Living in Ballarat

To calculate cost of living in Ballarat, here is list of prices as of September 2019.

  • Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district: AU$22
  • Fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar): AU$11
  • 1 liter of fat milk: AU$1.36
  • 12 eggs: AU$4.74
  • 1 kg of tomatoes: AU$4.17
  • 1 kg of apples: AU$4.14
  • 1 kg of potatoes: AU$4.06
  • 2 liters of coca-cola           AU$3.00
  • Bread for 2 people for 1 day        AU$2.67
  • Monthly rent for 85 m2 furnished accommodation: AU$1,236 to AU$1,862
  • Utilities 1 month for 2 people in 85m2 flat          AU$496
  • Monthly rent for a 45 m2: AU$1,118 to AU$1,443
  • Utilities 1 month for 1 person in 45 m2 studio: AU$409
  • Internet 8 mbps (1 month): AU$55
  • Laundry detergent: AU$10
  • 1 pair of jeans: AU$88
  • 1 summer dress in a high street store: AU$98
  • 1 pair of sport shoes: AU$132
  • Monthly ticket public transport: AU$80
  • 2 tickets to the movies      : AU$33
  • 2 tickets to the theater: AU$136
  • Dinner for two at an italian restaurant: AU$86

To get pocket money or to cover living expenses, international students are eligible to work part time 40 hours per fortnight.

Read: How to run a business in Australia while you are studying

What can I do during the study in Ballarat?

The most important thing is to visit fascinating re-creation of Ballarat’s 1860s gold-mining township, Sovereign Hill. Sovereign Hill is an open-air museum created to introduce the history of Ballarat as one of the most important cities in Australia. Replicas of buildings, such as libraries, schools, hotels and homes form a small town that takes a day to explore. On Sovereign Hill, there are many shows you can watch, from the parade of red uniformed soldiers to the way of making candy.

Ballarat is a home to the oldest provincial gallery in Australia, Art Gallery of Ballarat. You can find collection of early colonial stuffs such as painting. Wine and beer are specialities here. Hop temple and Mitchell Harris are two famous beer hall and wine bar in the town.

Interested to watch performances, exhibitions and patterned projections during your study in Ballarat? Stroll the city’s historical street and you can find  all-night arts festival everywhere. Live music showcasing some best local bands are also ready to be enjoyed.

There are many stadiums if you prefer to watch sport matches such as:

  • Australian Rules Football
  • Cricket
  • Rugby League
  • Horse racing and Greyhound racing
  • Basketball
  • Soccer
  • Athletics
  • Golf
  • Roller Derby

Universities in Ballarat

Federation University

You can study in Ballarat at Federation University Australia, on the Mt Helen campus. The Federation University campus in Mt Helen provides world-class education in a rural setting.

Federation University Australia (Fed Uni) has campuses located in Ararat, Ballarat, Churcill, Horsham and Stawell. The Fed Union provides access to tertiary education, TAFE, secondary school, and research opportunities in various fields including business, information technology, environmental science, engineering, sports science, education, nursing and health. This university program is also presented online and through various partner institutions throughout the Australian region and throughout the world.

The Mt Helen campus is in the middle of the quiet bush area of Mount Helen. The campus is equipped with a library, child care center, research facilities, and various sports and entertainment facilities. The campus is 10 km from Ballarat city center.

FedUni is the third oldest government institution in Australia, founded in 1870. As one of the leading universities in Australia, Federation University has provided education and training for nearly 150 years. FedUni is also the largest campus in Victoria.

Ranking & accreditation:

  • # 1 in Victoria for student support
  • # 1 in Victoria for educational experience
  • # 1 in Australia for employability skills
  • # 1 in Australia for quality of teaching
  • # 38 in Australia, Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)
  • Top 500 world universities
  • Australian CPA
  • Financial Services Institute of Australasia FINSIA
  • ANMAC Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council
  • Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia NMBA
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia ICAA
  • Australian Computer Society ACS
  • APAC’s Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
  • AHPRA Australian Health Practitioner Registration Authority

Also check: Affordable Universities in Australia

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