Ballarat | |
|---|---|
 Ballarat, California | |
  Ballarat Location in California  Ballarat Ballarat (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 36°02′52″N 117°13′24″W / 36.04778°N 117.22333°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Inyo County |
| Elevation | 1,079 ft (329 m) |
| ZIP code | 93592 |
| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-03680 |
| GNIS feature ID | 252847[1] |
Ballarat is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California.[1]
Today, Ballarat is a virtual ghost town. It was founded in 1897 as a supply point for the mines in the canyons of the Panamint Range. A quarter-mile to the south is Post Office Springs, a reliable water source used since the 1850s. George Riggins, an immigrant from Australia, gave Ballarat its name when he proposed it should be named for Ballarat, Victoria.[citation needed]