Ballarat's four clubs have more than 350 entries at the three-day meet, which begins at the Bendigo Regional Athletics Complex on Friday.

More than 50 clubs from across Victoria will be represented, with under-14 years to 60-plus age groups catered for.

Metropolitan and interstate athletes are able to compete, but are not eligible for medals.

Ballarat Harriers has the most entries of the BRAC clubs with more than 120.

Wendouree has about 100, Eureka 80 and YCW 40.

Bendigo has also long a powerhouse at the country championships and the hometown clubs are again expected to figure prominently.

Ballarat's strong tradition at this level is reflected by the number of country records held by BRAC athletes.

Olympians Jared Tallent and Kathryn Mitchell are among those to still be in the record books.

Tallent still has the best times in the under-16 and under-18 boys' 3000m walks set in 2000 and 2001 respectively, and men's 5000m walk from 2009.

Mitchell's best mark is relatively new, having set the open women's javelin record in 2018 leading up to her gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Victoria Mitchell is another Olympian formerly Ballarat based with records to her name. She holds various age and open women's steeplechase records set as far back as 2000.

The championships begin with afternoon and evening sessions on Friday. They finish mid-afternoon on Sunday. A Saturday night sessions also features.

Some 398 events will be contested.