Ballarat
or BALLAARAT, an Australian town in Victoria, chief center of the gold-mining industry of the colony, and next in importance to Melbourne, from which it is distant W. N. W. about 75 miles. It consists of two distinct municipalities, Ballarat West and Ballarat East, separated by the Yarrowee creek, and has many handsome buildings, and all the institutions of a progressive and flourishing city. Gold was first discovered in 1851. The surface diggings having been exhausted, the precious metal is now got from mines as deep as some coal-pits, the gold being obtained by crushing the auriferous quartz. There are also foundries, woolen mills, flour mills, breweries and distilleries, etc. Pop. (1918) 39,970.