Victoria's Grampians Region

The Grampians region stretches from Melbourne's western fringe to the South Australian border. At the centre of the Grampians region is Ballarat, Victoria's third-largest city, with a population of more than 113,000; a 64-minute express train to Melbourne; and a strong and growing economy. The region extends well beyond Ballarat, from the creative food and arts communities of Daylesford and the Central Highlands to the productive agricultural landscapes of the Wimmera.

Grampians region at a glance

Key towns: Ballarat, Horsham, Bacchus Marsh, Ararat, Daylesford, Stawell, Beaufort, Avoca
Distance to Melbourne: Bacchus Marsh approx. 1 hr drive, Ballarat approx. 64 min express V/Line train
Population: 271,000+
Universities: Federation University, Australian Catholic University
Hospitals: Ballarat Health Services, Grampians Health Horsham
Average temperatures: 13-27°c (Summer), 3-12°c (Winter)

Employment and career opportunities

The Grampians workforce has grown by more than 11% since 2019. The region employs more than 135,000 workers and its economy generates more than $17 billion a year. Ballarat anchors the employment picture, with a growing services economy and strong manufacturing base. To the west, the Wimmera adds agribusiness and food processing employment.

Healthcare

Ballarat Health Services is one of the state’s largest, employing thousands of people across emergency, surgical, maternity, mental health, and specialist care. It drives strong demand for nurses, allied health professionals, medical administrators, and social workers. Grampians Health Horsham is the main hospital and health service for the Wimmera and is the largest employer in that area.

Education and professional services

Ballarat’s Federation University is a significant employer across teaching, research, student services, and administration. The city's professional services sector, legal, financial, ICT, and government, has also grown alongside its population.

Advanced manufacturing and food processing

The Ballarat West Employment Zone is a 438-hectare industrial and freight precinct that has attracted a cluster of advanced manufacturers and food producers. This supports roles in production, engineering, food science, quality assurance, and supply chain.

Renewable energy

Three of Victoria's seven planned Renewable Energy Zones are proposed for the Grampians region. Wind, solar, and battery storage development is creating growing demand for engineers, environmental consultants, project managers, and trades professionals.

Agribusiness and primary production

The Wimmera is one of Australia's most productive wheat-growing areas (the Horsham region alone contributes more than $600 million annually to the Victorian economy). The Parwan and Bacchus Marsh agriculture and processing precinct supports 1,500 direct jobs in horticulture, processing, and cold logistics.

Major employers

Major employers include: Ballarat Health Services, Federation University, Mars Confectionery, Masterfoods, Alstom, Haymes Paints, Hakubaku, AME Systems, Ferndale Foods, and Grampians Health Horsham.

Housing

Ballarat offers some of the best-value housing of any Australian city of its size. With wide, tree-lined streets, options range from well-preserved goldfields architecture to modern residential estates, at prices that make home ownership achievable. Ballarat's inner suburbs and heritage precincts appeal to people who want character and walkability, whereas new housing further out offers more space for growing families.

Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, around 45 minutes from Ballarat, combine a spa and mineral springs lifestyle with a thriving food and arts scene.

Bacchus Marsh, at the eastern edge of the region, is within an hour of central Melbourne by road, popular with people who want more space without leaving the city's orbit.

Education

Whether you're settling with school-age children or continuing your own studies, the region has strong options at every level, in Ballarat, across the Central Highlands, and into the Wimmera.

Schools

Government and independent schools operate across the region's towns and cities, from primary through to secondary level. Ballarat's school system is one of regional Victoria's strongest, with one of its high schools topping the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) rankings. Towns across the region are well served by local schools with close community connections.

TAFE

Federation TAFE operates across four campuses in Ballarat and a fifth in Horsham, making vocational training accessible across the full breadth of the region. It offers programs across trades, health, construction, clean energy and more, and has been specifically recognised for its renewable energy training, including being the first institution in Australia to offer an apprenticeship for wind turbine blade technicians. Melbourne Polytechnic also operates a specialist viticulture and winemaking training facility near Ararat, aligned to the region's growing wine industry.

University

Federation University has its main campus in Ballarat, offering a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across health, education, science, business, and the arts. The Australian Catholic University also has an established campus in Ballarat near Lake Wendouree. Both institutions serve students from across the region, including the Wimmera.

Health

Ballarat Health Services is one of the largest regional health services in Victoria, providing the full range of hospital care: emergency, surgical, maternity, mental health, cancer services, and specialist clinics. It serves a large catchment that extends well beyond Ballarat itself.

• Grampians Health Horsham - covers the Wimmera and is recognised as an accredited teaching and training centre for health professionals.
• Urgent Care Clinic, Ballarat - A free, Medicare-run clinic, open seven days a week, no appointment or referral needed
• Urgent Care Centres - nurse-led care located in district hospitals in Bacchus Marsh, Stawell, Horsham, Daylesford and Edenhope

For the most complex specialised treatment, Melbourne is around 90 minutes by train or road. And the Virtual Emergency Department is available throughout Victoria too. This free service is available 24 hours and allows you to have a video consultation with Emergency doctors and nurses, providing peace of mind when you need it most.

Transport

By car

Bacchus Marsh is approximately one hour from Melbourne by road. Ballarat is around 1 hour 30 minutes by road, and Horsham approximately three hours.

By train

Ballarat is one of the best-connected regional cities in Victoria by rail. V/Line express trains run frequently to Melbourne's Southern Cross Station. Travel times range from just over 1hr (express peak service to Ballarat) to just under 2 hours (Ararat).

By air

Horsham Airport serves the Wimmera with charter and general aviation services.
For regular commercial flights, Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) is accessible by road or V/Line train.

Community and culture

Ballarat

Ballarat is one of Australia's most historically significant cities, but it’s also a thriving cultural centre, featuring:

• Sovereign Hill -Australia's most visited living history attraction. Visitors from around the world come to experience the full-scale recreation of 1850s goldfields life.
• The Museum of Australian Democracy - On the site of the Eureka Stockade, the defining moment in Australia's democratic story.
• The Art Gallery of Ballarat - one of Australia's oldest regional galleries.
• Her Majesty's Theatre - Australia's oldest continuously used theatre.

Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

An hour north of Ballarat, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs offer a completely different experience: mineral springs, a celebrated food and arts scene, independent galleries, and a strong creative community. The towns have a warmth and character that residents are genuinely proud of, and a pace of life that gives you room to enjoy it.

The region's cultural calendar includes:

• Stawell Gift is one of the world's most famous footraces
• Grampians Grape Escape food and wine festival
• Ballarat Beer Festival
• Daylesford Chill Out Festival
• Ballarat Eisteddfod
• 160km Grampians Peaks Trail

Nature on your doorstep

The Grampians region has some of Victoria's most striking natural environments, and they're part of daily life here, not a day trip.

Gariwerd, the Grampians National Park, rises dramatically from the western plains, with more than 160 kilometres of walking trails, ancient Aboriginal rock art, and wildlife that includes kangaroos, emus, and wedge-tailed eagles. The 160km Grampians Peaks Trail is one of Victoria's great multi-day walks. Lake Wendouree in central Ballarat is a year-round destination for walking, rowing, and cycling. The Pyrenees wine region, the volcanic plains of the Western District, and the mineral springs of Hepburn are all part of the landscape you'd be living in.

Aboriginal First Nations Communities

Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) are the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. They are the primary source of advice and knowledge on matters relating to Aboriginal places or Aboriginal objects in their region.

In the Grampians region, these are:

• Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
• Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
• Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
• Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

Settlement support

A range of settlement services operate across the region to help you and your family get established. Local councils and community organisations provide practical support: from language assistance and employment pathways to social connection and help understanding local services.

Local councils in the region are:

• Ararat Rural City
• City of Ballarat
• Golden Plains Shire
• Hepburn Shire
• Hindmarsh Shire
• Horsham Rural City
• Moorabool Shire
• Northern Grampians Shire
• Pyrenees Shire
• West Wimmera Shire
• Yarriambiack Shire

Community organisations include:

• Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, Ballarat
• Wimmera Southern Mallee Development, Horsham

Region at a glance