Ballarat has more than 122,000 residents, and its council expects tens of thousands more by 2046. That makes it a fair place to ask whether you should start something of your own. This guide covers where Ballarat is growing, what its economy runs on, where businesses cluster, what help and permits to expect, the practical steps, and one option for home-related businesses: a flooring showroom.
The short version. The City of Ballarat has 122,661 residents and grew 1.7% in 2024–25, just under Victoria's 1.8%. Up to 17,200 homes are planned in Ballarat West and up to 6,000 in the north. Health care is the biggest employer. The council runs a free business concierge, and it warns that a planning permit can take up to two years, so check before you sign a lease.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Is Ballarat a good place to start a business?
Steady rather than spectacular. The ABS's preliminary estimate puts the City of Ballarat at 122,661 residents on 30 June 2025, up 2,102 in 2024–25: growth of 1.7%, just under Victoria's 1.8%. The council forecasts 164,365 residents by 2046, and its annual report counts 10,133 businesses in 2024 and 63,084 jobs in 2023–24.
The council also points to Ballarat's road and rail links to Melbourne, which it says support fast delivery of goods that aren't sourced locally.
Where is Ballarat growing?
The council names two growth areas and one more site:
| Area | Where | What the council says |
|---|---|---|
| Ballarat West Growth Area | Parts of Delacombe, Alfredton, Winter Valley and Lucas | Up to 17,200 new homes planned |
| North Growth Area | Parts of Mount Rowan and Miners Rest | Up to 6,000 new homes, and more than 15,400 future residents |
| Bonshaw | A separate site | Water, road and sewer upgrades would support up to 3,500 homes on 200 hectares |
These figures come from Enabling Growth 2026, a campaign the council and partners launched in April 2026 to ask governments for the infrastructure and investment that growth needs.
In the north, the Victorian Planning Authority's draft Ballarat North plan, about eight kilometres north of the CBD, went to public consultation in September 2025, and the VPA says it's now finalising the plan for the Minister. These are plans, not finished homes.
Across the city, 1,380 new homes were approved in 2025–26, 1,074 of them houses. Approvals aren't completed homes. Victoria's housing target for Ballarat is 46,900 new homes by 2051. Our guide to new housing estates in regional Victoria says which of Ballarat's growth areas are building now and which are still being planned, and where regional Victoria is growing compares Ballarat with ten other areas.
What are the business opportunities in Ballarat?
Start with what the economy runs on. Health care is the biggest employer, with 14,819 local jobs, followed by education, retail, construction and manufacturing. Construction follows housing. The council's list of key sectors adds advanced manufacturing and the visitor economy, and names Federation University and the Australian Catholic University's Ballarat campus.
Industry has a precinct of its own: the Ballarat West Employment Zone, a 438-hectare development beside Ballarat Airport that the council expects to drive jobs and growth over the next 20 years.
Where do Ballarat's businesses cluster?
The council's Activity Centres Strategy, written in 2012, shows the pattern. Some of its plans have moved on, so check with the council.
- The CBD is the principal activity centre, and the strategy aims to keep it the pre-eminent centre for retail, commerce, entertainment and tourism.
- Wendouree is a major activity centre, with a designated bulky goods centre west of Gillies Street North.
- Ballarat West is planned to get its own major activity centre beside the Glenelg Highway, with restricted retail and bulky goods floor space staged as the growth area fills.
- The Ballarat West Employment Zone is the industrial precinct, beside the airport.
The strategy discouraged bulky goods shops on industrial land, so ask the council what your use needs before you look at an industrial unit.
What business support does Ballarat offer?
Ballarat has a single front door: the council's Economic Development Team. It runs a free business concierge for starting, expanding or buying a business, in person or by phone. You apply online, and the team then calls you or arranges a meeting. It can research commercial or industrial sites, guide you through council rules and arrange permit pre-application meetings with the planning teams.
The council is upfront that it doesn't provide funding incentives for businesses, though it says it works with state and federal bodies to identify opportunities. It lists local business groups and Regional Development Victoria among its partners.
Do you need a permit to start a business in Ballarat?
Planning. The council says not every business needs a planning permit, but you should find out before you proceed. A permit can be complex and lengthy, taking up to two years in some cases. That's a reason to check before you sign a lease.
Heritage. Check your address for a heritage overlay on VicPlan. The council points to Heritage Victoria's guidelines on demolition, external painting and signs, to be read with the planning scheme's heritage clause, and its heritage advisors give pre-application advice.
Building and footpath. A building surveyor issues building permits, and changes to layout, occupant numbers or use generally need one. An A-frame sign or a display of goods on council land needs an outdoor trading permit.
What state support can you use?
State help is the same across Victoria. Business Victoria offers free one-on-one online advice sessions. Regional Development Victoria is the state's regional economic development agency, and Ballarat falls in its Grampians region. The Victorian Small Business Commission gives free early help with business disputes, including with landlords, and runs mediation for a fee.
How do you start a business in Ballarat?
- Apply for the council's concierge online before you look at premises.
- Get an ABN, free through the Australian Business Register, and check which other registrations you need.
- Ask whether the address needs a permit: the zone, any heritage overlay, signs and building work.
- Have a lawyer read the lease before you sign it.
- Arrange insurance and workers compensation before you open. An outdoor trading permit needs a current public liability certificate.
Our Victorian setup checklist explains each step.
Why does housing growth matter for flooring and other home businesses?
Every new home needs floors, and so do the renovations, sales and rentals that follow. With up to 17,200 homes planned in Ballarat West alone and 1,380 approved across the city in 2025–26, there's a pipeline for flooring and the other home trades, from kitchens to landscaping. Plans change and building slows as well as speeds up, so treat it as a direction, not a promise.
Is a flooring showroom one way to start in Ballarat?
It's one option, and not for everyone. At National Floors, the Ballarat territory is open, and it would be our first showroom for Ballarat and the Central Highlands. A 60-minute drive from central Ballarat takes in Buninyong, Creswick, Learmonth, Smythesdale and Gordon, plus Clunes, Daylesford, Beaufort and Skipton, but that's indicative. Your Local Marketing Area would be non-exclusive and set in your franchise agreement.
Compared with going it alone, a franchise trades some freedom, and a share of gross sales, for a tested fit-out, training and a national marketing fund. The estimated total investment is $318,200 to $606,750 + GST, depending on your site and fit-out. National Floors doesn't offer financing, but you can talk to third-party lenders. Our guide to how to finance a franchise explains how franchise lending works. Ongoing fees are a 6% royalty and a 1% national marketing levy, plus local marketing of at least $2,500 a month and a technology fee of $450 a month. What a flooring franchise costs has the detail.
It's a full-time job: the showroom trades 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and owners should expect to be on the floor six days a week, especially in the first year. You don't need flooring experience.
You'd receive the Disclosure Document, the franchise agreement, a copy of the Code, leasing information and related agreements at least 14 days before you sign, and a 14-day cooling-off period applies after you do. Get independent legal, financial and accounting advice first. See the Ballarat territory page, what a franchise discovery call involves, or check whether your area is open.
Questions
Is Ballarat a good place to start a business?
Growth is steady rather than fast: 1.7% in 2024–25 against 1.8% for Victoria. Health care is the biggest employer, and the council offers a free business concierge. Check permits before you sign a lease.
Does the City of Ballarat help new businesses?
Yes. Its Economic Development Team runs a free business concierge, researches sites and arranges permit pre-application meetings. The council doesn't provide funding incentives for businesses.
How long does a planning permit take in Ballarat?
Not every business needs one, but the council says a permit can be complex and lengthy, sometimes taking up to two years. Ask the Economic Development Team before you sign a lease.
Where are the new homes being built in Ballarat?
The council names two growth areas: Ballarat West, planned for up to 17,200 homes, and the North Growth Area, planned for up to 6,000. These are planned totals, not finished homes.
Can I open a flooring showroom in Ballarat?
The Ballarat territory is open to a new National Floors franchise owner. Check whether your area is open.
Sources
- ABS: Regional population, 2024–25
- ABS: Building Approvals, Australia, August 2026
- Victorian Government: Plan for Victoria housing targets
- City of Ballarat: Annual Report 2024/25
- economy.id: City of Ballarat, employment by industry, 2024/25
- City of Ballarat: Enabling Growth 2026 launched, April 2026
- VPA: Ballarat North
- City of Ballarat: Key industry sectors
- City of Ballarat: Investing in Ballarat, frequently asked questions
- City of Ballarat: Activity Centres Strategy, December 2012
- City of Ballarat: Preparing for where you will do business
- City of Ballarat: Preparing your street presence
- City of Ballarat: Heritage planning permits
- business.gov.au: City of Ballarat business support
- business.gov.au: Register for an ABN
- Business Victoria: Virtual mentor sessions
- Regional Development Victoria: Grampians
- Victorian Small Business Commission: Resolving a commercial dispute
- National Floors: the franchise opportunity and Ballarat territory