Ballarat Station Upgrade complete

We’ve upgraded Ballarat Station to improve accessibility, safety and connectivity for all public transport users, while respecting the heritage of the station.

Ballarat Station now has an accessible pedestrian overpass, with a passenger lift and stairs to each platform.

Commuters no longer need to leave the station to change platforms, making it easier and safer for everyone, including people with disability, those carrying luggage or pushing a pram.

We also improved access to the existing northern station entrance with a new ramp, stairs, and automatic swing door.

The designs, endorsed by Heritage Victoria, provide contemporary companion structures to the enduring heritage-listed buildings, demonstrating accessibility and heritage considerations working together.

At the end of March, we celebrated the completion of the Ballarat Station Upgrade with the local community, marking a major milestone and the opening of the new accessible pedestrian overpass.

Ballarat Station is now back in your hands. Thank you for your patience, Ballarat.

See the transformation

View the video below about how the Ballarat Station Upgrade project progressed and why it matters.

Celebrating with the Ballarat community

At the end of March, we welcomed the Ballarat community to celebrate the completion of the Ballarat Station Upgrade and the opening of the new accessible pedestrian overpass.

Community members came to mark this milestone and be among the first to use the new overpass, including taking in views of the station precinct and clock tower from the belvedere balconies.

Visitors enjoyed complimentary coffee and sweet treats, giveaways, and live musical performances from Ballarat High School and Mount Clear College students.

The event was a chance to come together and mark the completion of works at Ballarat Station.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate, and for your patience during construction.

Supporting Ballarat Station precinct traders

We did our best to minimise and manage the impact of construction on nearby businesses.

We worked with The Goods Shed, Itinerant Spirits, Nolans, Quest Ballarat Station and the Station Refreshment Room to ensure station users knew that they were open for business while our works were underway.

Key initiatives included:

• ‘Spend and Win’ competition attracting over 300 entries and awarding 32 prize vouchers
• from local businesses
• Prominent ‘Open for business’ signage throughout the station precinct
• Inclusion of business information in our community update publications
• Working with businesses to minimise the impacts of our works such as the station closure and disruptions to power.

Making an impact with McCallum Enterprises

McCallum Enterprises, a Ballarat-based social enterprise, played an important role in delivering the Ballarat Station Upgrade.

With more than 70 years of experience supporting people with disability, McCallum provides inclusive employment opportunities across services such as landscaping and recycling, supporting people who may otherwise face barriers to employment.

On the Ballarat Station Upgrade, McCallum delivered landscaping works across the station precinct and helped to manage materials and reduce waste.

Working within a heritage building

The historic nature of Ballarat Station meant we needed to take extra care when working in the southern station building.

We completed a full upgrade of the electrical mains and wiring, carefully routing services through the roof cavity.

To protect the historic flooring and areas damaged by fire in the 1980s, we used custom-designed, lightweight scaffolding tailored specifically for this project.

These measures safeguarded both our workers and the heritage building during this highly sensitive installation.

Did you know?

Our electricians weighed in before each shift to confirm they were under 91 kgs before commencing work. This was required to safely use the custom lightweight scaffolding installed within the building.

Milestones from early design to completion

In just over a year of construction, the Ballarat Station Upgrade progressed through a series of major milestones, delivering improved accessibility, safety and connectivity for the Ballarat community.

Project milestones

Late 2024

• Final designs released.

January 2025

• Site establishment begins to prepare for construction.

March 2025

• Major construction gets underway, with piling works starting to form the foundations for the new overpass.

May 2025

• Works begin on the new northern station entrance.

August 2025

• Northern station entrance reopens with accessibility upgrades.
• Pedestrian overpass arrives on site for fit-out.

November 2025

• 28m, 65 tonne pedestrian overpass lifted into place using a 750 tonne crane.

December 2025

• Full fit out of lifts and stairs, with landscaping, lighting, signage and CCTV installation across the precinct.

February 2026

• Ballarat Station bus interchange reopens.

March 2026

• Accessible pedestrian overpass opens to the public.