Major construction underway at Ballarat Station

Work has ramped up as crews prepare to build the lift shaft and stairs to each platform, ahead of the installation of the new pedestrian overpass.

Fencing, concrete paving and a section of roof sheeting have been removed between the bus interchange and the platform to accommodate the northern lift shaft and stairwell. Crews have also created space for the southern lift shaft and stairwell in a section of the southern station building.

Some roof canopy sheeting on the southern platform has been temporarily removed and will be reinstated after the overpass has been lifted into place later this year.

Temporary supports have been installed to reinforce the southern building while works are underway behind the historic facade.

Piling is now complete on both sides of the rail line to build the foundations for the lift shaft and stairs and install concrete columns for structural support. See more about the piling process on the next page.

Earlier this year, site offices and temporary fencing were established at Ebden Street Reserve and the station, while bus services have temporarily relocated to Lydiard Street North.

Along with a new ramp, stairs, automatic door and landscaping at the northern station entrance, the upgrade will make it easier for people with disability, prams and luggage to get around the station.

Works will continue throughout 2025, with the new overpass opening in 2026.

History of Ballarat Station: the curious case of the missing clocks

Look closely at the photograph below, and you’ll notice that Ballarat Station’s iconic clock tower had no clocks installed when it was first built. The great train hall and northern station building had opened to the public in 1862. Work started on the southern station building and clock tower in 1889 and continued into the 1890s.

However, nearly 100 years passed before clocks were installed in the tower, as responsibility for their installation and maintenance had not been previously confirmed.

It was in 1984, as part of the refurbishment following fire damage sustained in 1981, that the clocks were finally installed.

According to Ellen Becker, Heritage Collections Curator at the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, there is a certain irony to a railway clock tower with no clock “given that the establishment of railways was one of the main drivers for setting a standard time – sometimes called ‘railway time’ – across the world. Prior to standard time, time would differ between towns and sometimes within a city itself. Victoria adopted Eastern Standard Time (EST) in 1895, with Melbourne putting clocks forward by 20 minutes, and Sydney winding theirs back by 5 minutes.” [ballaratmi.org.au]

Today, the clocks are in full working order and welcome Ballarat visitors and locals, as they arrive at the iconic station.

Once complete, the new pedestrian overpass will provide never-before-seen views of the clocks and clock tower thanks to the ‘belvedere’ balconies integrated into the design. These elevated viewing areas with glass balustrades in both lift landings will provide look-out points, showcasing the heritage views of the clock tower and train hall. They will also enhance visual connectivity, demonstrating the integration of safety and heritage considerations.

Piling at Ballarat Station

What is piling?

Piling involves installing large cylindrical concrete supports, called piles, into the ground to create the foundations for superstructures such as pedestrian overpasses, lift shafts or rail bridges. Once these superstructures are installed, the piles take the loads from the structures above down into the earth.

A piling rig is a machine fitted with a large auger drill, used to dig holes for steel reinforcement before filling them with concrete.

What are the piling requirements at Ballarat Station?

Our piling crew has installed 22 piles in total. On each side of the rail line there is one that is 1.8m wide to support the pedestrian overpass, plus 4 smaller 45cm piles for each lift shaft. The staircases will be supported by 2 90cm piles and a further 4 piles that are 45cm wide.

Our 17m, 60-tonne piling rig provided enough power to dig each pile to a depth of between 5m and 8m, carefully drilling through the bluestone layer that sits under central Ballarat.

The Ballarat Station Upgrade is unique. Our team is working in very confined spaces within a 160 year old operating station precinct. This requires carefully sequencing each part of the project to accommodate one work activity at a time.

Now that piling is complete, the foundations are in place for the lift shaft and stairs, which will be built in the coming months on each side of the rail line.

Watch the video below to see piling underway at Ballarat Station.

Works on the southern station building

Station visitors can’t miss the metal props that have been attached to the platform side of the southern station building. These props provide additional support to the building, while we work behind the platform-side facade.

We’ve already removed a section of the southern building to accommodate the lift shaft and stairwell, which will provide access to the new pedestrian overpass on this side of the rail line. Our crews worked carefully, using hand tools only to remove some brickwork, a section of the building’s roof and some interior woodwork.

These were all removed in accordance with the project’s Heritage Protection Plan. The plan is a Heritage Victoria requirement, outlining how the project will manage the stages of construction and conserve heritage assets during construction works.

Visitors to Ballarat Station will also notice that sections of the platform roof canopy have been removed.

This was necessary to accommodate the support props in place. The roofing sheets, which were installed in the early 2000s, will be reinstated on the southern platform using the existing fixing holes, once the overpass has been lifted into place later this year.

Meet Brad Wilson, co-founder of Itinerant Spirits

Brad’s Ballarat connections run deep and are celebrated through the product and place that is Itinerant Spirits, the working distillery, brewhouse, bar and eatery located in the Ballarat Station precinct.

Ballarat was home to Brad’s grandparents on both sides and it is where his parents met. Growing up Brad lived in several western Victorian towns, following his father’s school teaching posts, with many holidays spent in Ballarat.

The name Itinerant Spirits is a nod to the generations of adventurers who found their way to Ballarat and whose skills, ingenuity and hard work have made it the city it is today.

It also references Brad’s and co-founder Craig Ryan’s love of travel and Brad’s personal history of moving around the region in his early life, travelling further afield then returning to Ballarat and showcasing the region through their products.

Brad sources all their grain from small growers in the Mallee and Wimmera regions. It is malted at Ballarat’s historic Joe White Maltings plant, which was established in 1858, just before Ballarat Station was built. Other key ingredients sourced locally include pure Victorian volcanic water and native botanicals from the Grampians, one of Brad’s favourite places to explore as a child and now with his family.

Brad’s plans for Itinerant Spirits are to continue showcasing Ballarat, western Victoria and the spirit of the traveller in their beautifully restored Ballarat venue, before taking the products interstate and around the globe.

Spend and win at Ballarat Station!

Spend $10 or more and fill in an entry form online or at Itinerant Spirits, Nolans or the Station Refreshment Room for your chance to win a prize voucher from these participating local traders.

Competition starts on Monday 2 June. Find out more and enter.

What to expect at Ballarat Station during construction

Commuters using Ballarat Station may notice some noise, vibration and additional construction vehicles in the area.

Local Ballarat bus network services have been temporarily relocated to Lydiard Street North while construction is underway. Drop-off bus stops are located just north of the rail line and pick-up bus stops are located just south of the rail line, until we finish work in 2026.

Some pedestrian detours are in place in the station precinct while we work. Please remember to follow signage and directions of traffic management staff.

Our works are scheduled to take place on weekdays between 7am and 6pm, with some Saturday works, as required, between 7am and 1pm.

Support the station precinct traders during construction

The businesses in the Ballarat Station precinct will be operating as usual during construction, with no changes to their access.

The project team is working closely with local businesses through construction.

Project timeline

2023

• Site investigations and planning works

Mid 2024

• Concept designs released
• Community engagement

Late 2024

• Final designs released
• Further community engagement

2025

• Major construction

2026

• Pedestrian overpass opens
• Construction complete

*Timeline subject to change