Ballarat, California

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Ballarat is a ghost town in unincorporated Inyo County, California that was born in 1896 as a supply point for the mines in the canyons of the Panamints. A quarter-mile to the south is Post Office Springs, a reliable water source used since the 1850s by prospectors and desert wanderers. George Riggins, a young immigrant from Australia, gave Ballarat its name when he proposed it should be named for the city in the heart of Australia's gold country, Ballarat, Victoria.

In its heyday—from 1897 to 1905—Ballarat was home and headquarters for 400 to 500 people. It hosted seven saloons, three hotels, a Wells Fargo station, post office, school, a jail and morgue, but not one church. Ballarat was an oasis of fun, frolic, and relaxation—a town to go to and blow off the dust of long trails and hard work. The town began its decline when the Ratcliff Mine, in Pleasant Canyon east of town, suspended operations. Other mines nearby also began to play out, and in 1917 the post office closed and all that remained were a few diehard prospectors and desert rats.

Area of Ballarat and nearby roads. Red roads are paved State Routes.

In the 1960s, another famous (or infamous) visitor came regularly to Ballarat. Charles Manson with his family of killers stayed at the Barker ranch south of town, and left their graffiti in Ballarat. An old Dodge Power Wagon parked near the general store still bears the stars the family used as their signature, on its headliner.

Today Ballarat has one or two full-time residents. As of October 2006, Rock Novak and his dog, Potlicker live in the town. The store is open most afternoons and weekends and Rock will sell you soft drinks and other snacks. Visitors are welcome. Many 4-wheelers use the trailer park as a campground headquarters for expeditions into the Panamints and Death Valley. The scenery is still spectacular, virtually unmarred by signs of human occupation.

The town is located approximately at 36.04781° N 117.22397° W.