19th century Ballarat West railway station, as it was then known, was constructed at a cost of almost £22,000, as part of the
original railway line to Melbourne via
Geelong, built to serve the booming
Ballarat goldfields. A
bluestone engine shed was built to the south, and a goods shed to the north was added in 1863. In 1877, the
footbridge and
waiting rooms on the south side were added. All of these areas were later repaired and retained. Many of the original features were restored, but some interiors, including the booking office, were subsequently modernised. A clock was added to the tower in 1984. In 1983, the
State Transport Authority proposed to demolish the interlocking gates at Lydiard Street. The City of Ballaarat, the
National Trust and the Historic Buildings Council responded with a successful campaign to save the gates. In 1990, conservationists succeeded in their lobbying to preserve the historic railway gates. An automated mechanical system was built to enable their continued use. Additional restoration was carried out in 2005, and the station roof was renovated with Welsh slate to match the original southern roof. In 1994, the
bus interchange near the station entrance was upgraded.
21st century Following the 2006
Regional Fast Rail project, and the introduction of
V/Line's VLocity trains, as well as the reintroduction of services to
Ararat in 2004, passenger numbers at Ballarat increased by as much as 40% a year. A call for a second station ensued, which resulted in
Wendouree being opened in June 2009 to alleviate congestion at Ballarat, mainly caused by
park and ride passengers from Ballarat's outer western suburbs. A further increase in trains followed the resumption of passenger services to
Maryborough in 2010. On 30 May 2020, a VLocity passenger train, operated by V/Line, failed to stop at Ballarat, and crashed into the interlocked gates protecting the Lydiard Street North level crossing. Four men were on board the Ballarat-bound service and were injured in the
collision, including the driver and
conductor. The
Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigated the incident, and issued a preliminary report in September 2020. It established that the train had travelled through the station at 23:35 at about , passed a
departure signal at stop, and struck the gates at the level crossing, before coming to rest west of the station. On 16 November 2021, the level crossing reopened with temporary
boom barriers installed, with the remains of the interlocked gates placed in storage in nearby
Wendouree. ==Platforms and services==