Road Transport Capability
Ballarat is well connected to Victoria’s extensive road network, which enables Ballarat businesses and industry ready access to Victorian, Interstate and International markets.
Ballarat is a major provincial city, strategically located 110km north-west of Melbourne along the Western Freeway. The Western Freeway is the principal road link between Melbourne and Adelaide, and is the first link of the transcontinental route between Melbourne and Perth.
Ballarat currently enjoys uninterrupted access to Melbourne, with travel times around 1 hour and 10 minutes. Travel times will be significantly reduced by the construction of the Deer Park Bypass, which is scheduled to commence later this year, at an estimated cost of $330 million. The bypass will link the Western Freeway to the Western Ring Road at Sunshine West, providing direct access to Melbourne CBD, International Ports, and extensive Freeway network.
The Western Freeway is the premier regional freeway in Victoria, offering Ballarat distinct road transport advantages over other regional freeways, which are heavily congested and in poorer condition. Ballarat’s reduced travel times equate to reduced transport costs, better driving conditions and safer road access to Melbourne.
Ballarat is also centrally located at the nexus of several major State Highways, being the Midland, Glenelg and Sunraysia Highways, which provide direct road access to the regional centres of Geelong, Bendigo, Hamilton and Horsham.