Mars Wrigley and Alstom Anchor Ballarat Manufacturing Growth

Ballarat's advanced manufacturing sector posted direct output above $2.2 billion while supporting more than 4,700 jobs, with companies including Mars Wrigley, McCain Foods and Alstom among the largest employers in the field.

Output and employment figures

The sector's contribution forms part of the city's Gross Regional Product that reached $8.3 billion in 2022-23, an increase of nearly $1 billion from the prior year. Total regional employment stood at 62,005 positions in the same period, up 3.5 percent, with Health Care and Social Assistance holding the largest share at 21.9 percent of the workforce.

These manufacturing roles sit alongside broader economic expansion that saw the visitor economy deliver more than $772 million from 2.9 million visitors in 2023. Population growth of 9.78 percent, or 10,529 additional residents, lifted the estimated resident count to 118,137 by 2023.

Business networks and new entrants

Commerce Ballarat runs the annual August Business Festival and monthly Biznet Breakfasts to connect local operators. The Ballarat Business Networking group holds regular meetups at venues such as the Ballarat Leagues Club. Accenture's planned technology and operations centre, scheduled to open in May 2025, is expected to add roles in application development and IT service management.

Regional cybersecurity initiatives, including the annual Ballarat Cybersecurity Survey run by Federation University with Aiculus, and the BSides Ballarat conference, provide skills development for smaller firms. Seven entry-level courses, such as the Certificate III in Basic Cyber Security Awareness, are available locally.

Further growth in visitor spending is projected to reach $1.13 billion by 2033. Population forecasts point to 164,365 residents by 2046. Local operators can monitor job listings on platforms such as Indeed and LinkedIn, where typical IT salaries range from $70,000 to $100,000, and attend scheduled events including the Committee for Ballarat Winter Gala Round Table Dinner on 30 July 2026.