Key details
Location192 Ring Road, Mitchell Park
Wadawurrung Country
Project completion The project continues to be developed in stages
Policy objectiveEconomic growth
Project partnersCity of Ballarat
Regional Development Victoria
Overview
Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) is set to become the engine room for jobs and economic growth in Ballarat.
We are transforming surplus Crown land at 192 Ring Road, Mitchell Park into industrial, wholesale, logistics, construction, commercial and residential areas to create connected places where people can work and live
BWEZ will also be home to an Intermodal Freight Hub, which will provide secure infrastructure and access to road, rail and ports, encouraging employment growth in Ballarat and the surrounding region.
BWEZ is a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and the City of Ballarat to support the region’s economic growth over the next 20 years. BWEZ is being funded and delivered by Development Victoria, with Regional Development Victoria playing an important investment attraction role.
The 438-hectare project involves the development of surplus Crown land for industrial, wholesale, logistics, construction, commercial and residential uses, encouraging employment growth in Ballarat and the surrounding region.
BWEZ industrial land is being released in a staged manner to the open market.
Development Victoria acknowledges the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land at BWEZ.
For further enquiries, please contact Development Victoria on bwezenquiry@development.vic.gov.au or call the office on (03) 8317 3400.
438ha project area
22 lots sold, Stage 1 and 1B
2 lots sold, Freight Hub Stage
11 lots sold, Stage 2
BWEZ stages
Acacia is a residential land development of 92 lots, successfully delivered by Development Victoria in partnership with the City of Ballarat and Regional Development Victoria in 2022.
The Acacia land development sold out in record time - a testament to the appetite and desirability for Ballarat as a place to call home.
Stage 1 & 1B are now complete, comprising of a range of industrial businesses across 22 lots.
The 2014/15 State Budget provided funding of $25.2 million and City of Ballarat provided funding of $5 million for Stage 1 and subdivision works were completed in 2016. The subdivision included an initial release of 36hectares of industrial land, construction of roads, services (including gas, recycled water and NBN) and landscaping.
With most of the land within Stage 1 sold, the State Government released an Expression of Interest (EOI) process for Stage 1B in February 2017. Civil works for Stage 1B were completed in June 2019.
Stage 2 comprises of 22 serviced lots on 55 hectares of high-quality industrial land.
Civil works are now complete in Stage 2, unlocking 45 additional hectares of industrial land and 10 hectares of landscaped open space reserve. The area is adjacent to Ballarat Airport, with sewer, drainage, gas, water, electrical and NBN connections now installed, along with internal roadworks.
Stage 4 lots are located adjacent the main entrance to Ballarat Airport and will be delivered in the future.
The Freight Hub stage industrial land is an excellent location for freight and logistics enterprises, with access to road, broad gauge rail and aviation infrastructure, with access to the future Ballarat Intermodal Freight Terminal.
The Freight Terminal is being delivered by Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and V/Line. An open expression of interest (EOI) for a construction contractor will be released in late 2025.
Gateway Precinct comprises a 14.8 hectare super lot - Expressions of interest are now open.
Location
Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) is located on the north-west fringe of Ballarat, adjacent to the Ballarat Airport, existing rail infrastructure and the Ballarat Western Link Road.
Development Victoria acknowledges the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land.
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Stage 2
Stage 2 sits on 55 hectares of industrial land that is north of Airport Road, and features 22 lots.
Many of the remaining lots for sale are located adjacent to the Ballarat Airport. Businesses can take advantage of the proximity to the airport and also the runway extension.
Expression of Interest open
Development Victoria has partnered with property specialists, Knight Frank, to market land in the recently completed Stage 2 of BWEZ.
The lots are fully serviced to meet development requirements and are subject to BWEZ urban design and landscape guidelines that create the vision for the site.
The individual lots within Stage 2 are adjacent to the Ballarat Airport and strategically located in the heart of BWEZ’s industry precinct.
Services including sewer, drainage, gas, water, electrical and NBN have been installed along with internal roadworks.
To be eligible for this opportunity, a business must address a set of criteria to ensure it meets a certain standard of capability and capacity, provides policy outcomes and a suitable proposed use.
The land is available for development now.
For all enquiries, please contact Knight Frank at www.knightfrank.com.au
For more information on Stage 2, please email bwezenquiry@development.vic.gov.au.
Stage 2 works completed
Winslow Constructors were engaged as the successful head contractor to complete the civil works for Stage 2.
Stage 2 civil works are now complete, unlocking 45 hectares of industrial land and 10 hectares of landscaped open space reserve. The area is adjacent to Ballarat Airport, with sewer, drainage, gas, water, electrical and NBN connections now installed, along with internal roadworks.
The subdivision scope includes 22 lots, serviced by two new roads, adjacent footpaths and essential services.
Works commenced on-site in August 2023, with Statement of Compliance achieved in early 2025.
| Civil Construction | commenced August 2023 |
| Statement of Compliance | January 2025 |
| Title Registration | February 2025 |
| Settlement | from March 2025 |
Development Victoria achieved Statement of Compliance for the Stage 2 subdivision works at BWEZ.
The Plan of Subdivision was lodged for registration with Land Use Victoria, and titles were issued in early February 2025.
Two newly constructed internal roads to Stage 2, Discovery Road and Assembly Avenue are open to traffic.
Access is also available via the newly constructed Liberator Drive extension, which is open to traffic.
Stage 2 gallery
Resources
- BWEZ Stage 2 Bulk Earthworks Plan PDF, 6.3 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Services Coordination Plan PDF, 3.6 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Planning Permit PDF, 198.4 kb
- Plan of subdivision PDF, 142.3 kb
- Ballarat Airport – A Strategic and Competitive Aviation Precinct PDF, 6.4 mb
- Stage 2 Civil Works Stantec Landscape pages L00 - L13 PDF, 28.2 mb
- Stage 2 Civil Works Stantec Landscape pages L14 - L27 PDF, 22.6 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Endorsed Planning Set PDF, 18.9 mb
- Constructed Civil Drawings (Condensed) PDF, 39.8 mb
- BWEZ Northern Land Parcel – Geotechnical Investigation & Pavement Design Report Oct 2022 PDF, 33.0 mb
- BWEZ Northern Land Parcel - Preliminary Environmental Site Investigation - Tonkin & Taylor - Jan 2022 PDF, 13.7 mb
Stage 3A
Stage 3A is comprised of 21.5 hectares of land currently in the design and planning phase. Delivery is contingent on respondent submissions and interest received.
Development Victoria has partnered with property specialists, Knight Frank, to market land in Stage 3A of BWEZ.
Expressions of Interest are now open and close at 3pm on Thursday 11 December.
To be eligible for this opportunity, a business must address a set of criteria to ensure it meets a certain standard of capability and capacity, provides policy outcomes and a suitable proposed use.
For all enquiries, please contact Knight Frank at www.knightfrank.com.au.
Stage 3B: Circular economy precinct
Stage 3B covers 14.2ha of land. It is a future development site that will be released to market.
What is a circular economy?
A circular economy continually seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption, while enabling economic growth through more productive use of natural resources.
The aim of a circular economy is to extend the life cycle of products and use resources more efficiently through recycling and reducing waste to zero.
The Victorian Government has developed a plan – Recycling Victoria: a new economy to cut waste and boost recycling and reuse of the state’s precious resources for a cleaner, greener Victoria.
Gateway
The Gateway site is a premium 14.84 hectare, development ready, serviced lot with triple street frontage located at the front door to the Precinct.
The Gateway site is located in the heart of BWEZ at the entrance to the precinct, with premium frontage and easy access to the Link Road and Western Freeway, as well as the Ballarat Airport and future Freight Terminal.
Development Victoria has partnered with property specialists, Knight Frank, to market the premium Gateway site of BWEZ.
This is an exciting investment opportunity to secure this signature site in the BWEZ precinct.
Expressions of Interest are now open and close at 3pm on Thursday 11 December.
To be eligible for this opportunity, a business must address a set of criteria to ensure it meets a certain standard of capability and capacity, provides policy outcomes and a suitable proposed use.
For all enquiries, please contact Knight Frank at www.knightfrank.com.au.
Please follow these design guidelines to guide future development within the BWEZ precinct.
The guidelines provide guidance on:
- General Provisions
- landscape design
- key frontages
- signature sites
- strategic development sites
- ecologically sustainable design (ESD)
- crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles
- planning application submission requirements.
The approved Development Plan requires development to be delivered to a high standard of amenity in both the private and the public environment.
Using the guidelines
The Ballarat West Employment Zone Design Guidelines have been prepared as a practical reference for businesses seeking to establish operations within the precinct.
Compliance with these guidelines will simplify the planning permit application and assessment process and ensure developments present a high level of design, which provides an attractive precinct.
There are seven parts to the Urban Design and Landscape Guidelines.
- General Provisions that apply to all development sites.
- Specific issues that apply to particular sites that are identified as either having a Key Frontage, Signature Site or Strategic Development Site potential that requires a tailored design response.
- Landscape design.
- Key frontages within the precinct.
- Signature sites and strategic development sites.
- Details Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) expectations of the precinct.
- An overview of the Planning Application submission requirements.
Applicants are directed to review the guidelines to confirm if their properties are identified as having a Key Frontage or is a Signature Site or Strategic Development Site.
Each of the Guidelines sets out:
- a desired outcome
- design requirements (that must be satisfied)
- design suggestions (that desirably should be satisfied but are not mandatory).
The guidelines contain a series of illustrations, which indicate how the Design Requirements and Suggestions might generally apply to the siting and design of developments.
See below for an example of a guideline and how to comply.
Access and Movement
Desired Outcome
Access and manoeuvring arrangements to/from and within sites at BWEZ cater for large vehicles, are safe and do not cause detriment to other road users.
Design requirements
Site layouts must provide adequate space for trucks and vehicle movements and parking.
Access and parking must not dominate the presentation of development when viewed from the street
Separate access should be provided for pedestrians and cyclists, unless it can be demonstrated that it is impractical to do so.
Truck access, manoeuvring and loading areas must to be separate from car parking areas.
Where not subdivided, all driveways must satisfy the relevant regulations and standards.
Cars and small commercial vehicles must be able to enter and leave the site in a forward direction wherever possible. On smaller lots this requirement may be waivered if it can be demonstrated that it is impractical to achieve this outcome.
Design suggestions
Loading docks should be preferably situated to the side or rear of building.
Pedestrian access through car parking areas should be clearly marked, and where possible emphasised by the use of raised and textured surfaces and articulated through landscaping.
On smaller and constricted sites, consider the use of turntables in order to achieve forward-in forward-out movement of trucks, without the need for full turning areas.
Buildings should be designed to allow loading / unloading of vehicles within the building.
In summary, the Desired Outcome outlines the vision of what is trying to be achieved, the Design Requirements indicate the specifics of the outcome, and the Design Suggestions provide examples on how to apply the aforementioned design requirements.
Assessment process
Applicants are encouraged to seek a pre-application meeting with the City of Ballarat Planning Department as early as possible.
Pre-application discussions will centre around the proposal in relation to the guidelines and how the use and development responds to a range of analysis including:
- Heritage Impact Assessment
- Cultural Heritage Management Plan
- Flood Analysis
- Details of railway connection (if any)
- Site context plan, including feature survey
- Plans fully documenting the proposal
- Ideally any comments from service providers
- EPA assessment with regards separation distances due to a sensitive use
- CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) and NASF (National Airports Safeguarding Framework) requirements
- Vegetation removal details (if any)
- Title documents.
Please note: Not all of the above documentation will apply to every application.
For all planning enquiries and application submission requirements, please contact the City of Ballarat Planning Department on planninginfo@ballarat.vic.gov.au
Frequently asked questions
BWEZ is a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and the City of Ballarat to support the region’s economic growth over the next 20 years.
BWEZ is being funded and delivered by Development Victoria, with Regional Development Victoria playing an important investment attraction role.
It is being delivered by Development Victoria on behalf of Regional Development Victoria and the City of Ballarat to support the region's economic growth.
It will attract new businesses, create jobs and provide housing opportunities for the community through the development of Crown land.
it is a 438-hectare project – located on the north-west fringe of Ballarat.
Approximately 130ha of industrial land has been supplied to date.
To date, the precinct is forecasting almost 1,200 full-time jobs will be created, with the potential for this number to increase as future stages are completed.
- Acacia housing development:
Completed. All 92 lots sold. - Stage 1 and Stage 1B:
Completed. All lots sold. - Stage 2:
Civil works completed. 50% remaining to be sold. - Stage 3A:
Development due to commence in future.
Expressions of interest now open. - Stage 3B:
Subject to future development. - Stage 4:
Subject to future development. - Mixed use site
Subject to future development. - Freight Hub Stage
Two of the four lots sold. - Gateway siteExpressions of interest now open
BWEZ will also be home to an Intermodal Freight Hub, which will improve connectivity and the supply chain efficiency in Ballarat and its regions. It will provide secure infrastructure and access to road, rail and ports, encouraging employment growth in Ballarat and the surrounding region.
Background Assessments
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Geotechnical Desktop Assessment prepared by Golder Associates PDF, 1.7 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Hydrogeological Review prepared by Senversa PDF, 7.9 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Historical Information Review PDF, 26.5 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Targeted Soil Assessment prepared by Senversa PDF, 10.9 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Environmental Management Plan prepared by Biosis PDF, 8.7 mb
Updated on 07 November 2025