The division currently takes in the regional City of Ballarat and the smaller towns of Gordon, Meredith, Buninyong, Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford, and Trentham and part of Burrumbeet.

Unlike most marginal seats, it was not a barometer for winning government; since 1955, all but one of its members has spent at least one term in opposition.

Liberal senator Michael Ronaldson was the grandson of Archibald Fisken, a former Member for Ballarat.

Nationalist Edwin Kerby unseated Labor incumbent Charles McGrath by a single vote in 1919.

It has been a safe Labor seat since 2007 except for a 6.8 percent swing towards the Liberal Party at the 2013 election turning it marginal for one term.