Childcare in Ballarat
There are 107 approved childcare services in the Ballarat urban area: 44 offer long day care, 36 run a kindergarten or preschool program and 34 offer before and after school care. 17% of rated services are Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, against 18% nationally.
Highest-rated suburbs
Suburbs with at least 5 rated services, ranked by the share rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent.
| Suburb | Rated services | Exceeding or Excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Ballarat | 11 | 6 (55%) |
| Sebastopol | 10 | 2 (20%) |
| Wendouree | 11 | 2 (18%) |
| Ballarat Central | 7 | 0 (0%) |
| Alfredton | 7 | 0 (0%) |
| Lucas | 5 | 0 (0%) |
How the ratings work: National Quality Standard ratings explained.
Types of care in Ballarat
| Type of care | Services in Ballarat |
|---|---|
| Long day care | 44 |
| Kindergarten or preschool program | 36 |
| Family day care schemes | 1 |
| Before and after school care | 34 |
| Vacation care | 20 |
Services that offer more than one type of care are counted once for each. Family day care is counted by scheme, not by educator.
What childcare costs in Ballarat
The Department of Education publishes fees by state, not by city. Long day care in Victoria averaged $14.65 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $147 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. What a family pays after the subsidy depends on income:
| Family income | Subsidy rate | Daily gap fee |
|---|---|---|
| $80,000 | 90% | $15 |
| $120,000 | 84% | $23 |
| $180,000 | 72% | $41 |
For a 10-hour day at the Victoria average fee, one child under school age, before the 5% of the subsidy that is withheld until the year is balanced. Work out your own with the CCS calculator, or see childcare fees by state.
All suburbs in Ballarat
- Alfredton 7
- Ballarat 11
- Ballarat Central 7
- Ballarat East 2
- Ballarat North 2
- Black Hill 1
- Blowhard 1
- Bonshaw 1
- Brown Hill 4
- Bungaree 1
- Buninyong 3
- Canadian 1
- Cardigan Village 1
- Delacombe 4
- Eureka 1
- Invermay 1
- Lake Gardens 3
- Lal Lal 1
- Lucas 6
- Magpie 1
- Miners Rest 3
- Mount Clear 2
- Mount Helen 2
- Mount Pleasant 1
- Napoleons 2
- Nerrina 1
- Newington 1
- Redan 2
- Sebastopol 11
- Smythes Creek 1
- Soldiers Hill 3
- Wallace 1
- Warrenheip 1
- Waubra 2
- Wendouree 11
- Wendouree West 1
- Winter Valley 3
Frequently asked questions
How many childcare centres are there in Ballarat?
There are 107 approved childcare services in the Ballarat urban area, including 44 that offer long day care and 34 that offer before and after school care. Many services offer more than one type of care.
How much does childcare cost in Ballarat?
Long day care in Victoria averaged $14.65 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $147 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. A family earning $120,000 pays about $23 a day after the subsidy. Fees vary by centre, so check each service directly.
How many Ballarat childcare services are rated Exceeding?
17 of the 101 rated services in Ballarat (17%) are rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, compared with 18% across Australia.
Which Ballarat suburbs have the most childcare?
Ballarat (11), Sebastopol (11) and Wendouree (11) have the most approved services in Ballarat.
Services and ratings: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026. City boundary: ABS Significant Urban Area (Ballarat), ASGS Edition 3 (2021), matched to services by postcode. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026.