Sovereign Hill & Ballarat Tour

Lake Wendouree is located right next door to the Ballarat CBD. It is a gorgeous lake surrounded by a 6km trail, perfect for a walk or cycle with the family. Visit the local farmers market on a Saturday or take your kids to the fun-filled playground. A popular attraction with locals, due to an abundance of wildlife and the nearby botanical garden, you may spot some black swans, ducks and other native birds on your visit. Another point of note about this magnificent lake is that the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games rowing and canoeing events were held here. The name of the lake is derived from an old tale about William Cross Yuille, the founder of Ballarat, and a local Aboriginal woman. It is said that William asked the woman about the name of the swamp where Lake Wendouree is now located. The woman’s answer was “wendaaree” which means “go away” in the native Aboriginal language. This tale speaks volumes of the history between European settlers and the native people of this land.

Located nearby Lake Wendouree, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens first opened in 1857, making it the oldest inland botanical garden in Victoria. Sprawled over 40 beautiful hectares and divided into four distinct areas, these gardens are a must-see on any Ballarat tour. The central garden area houses a modern conservatory which is open to the public and popular with lovers of flowers from all over. The north and south garden areas are vast, open parklands and the area along Lake Wendouree is known as the lake foreshore precinct. The gardens feature Prime Ministers Avenue where bronze portraits of the 28 prime ministers of Australia are displayed. In addition, you’ll find a number of intricate marble statutes scattered throughout the garden, notably The Stoddard Collection and The Statuary Pavilion, both installed at the generous bequest of affluent Ballarat citizens. Every year in March, the garden comes to life with the famous Ballarat Begonia (Flower) Festival. It is a brilliantly floral sight to behold!

Located 120 kilometers from Melbourne, Ballarat is the third largest inland city in Australia. Initially established in 1838 as a small sheep station, nobody was to know that it would grow exponentially with the discovery of gold in the area in 1851. Ballarat quickly shot to fame with its lucrative goldfields attracting an influx of European, American and Asian migrants within a very short time frame. You’ve heard of the Gold Rush, right? Well, Ballarat was the town that started it all. As the population boomed to over 60,000 people, Ballarat quickly expanded from a simple sheep station to a sizeable city. The region continued to produce a high output of gold over the next five decades until the gold deposit was significantly depleted. The meaning of “Ballarat” in local aboriginal language is “a place to rest”. This is quite fitting as anyone who has visited Ballarat can attest to the sense of utter serenity. The city has preserved many historic buildings dating back to the mid-19^th century gold rush era. With a significant cultural and historical heritage, this tranquil inland city attracts more than two million tourists annually.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat is Australia’s oldest regional arts gallery and is a must-see for anyone planning a Ballarat tour. Founded in 1884, the art gallery displays not only elegant paintings, but also speaks to the history of Ballarat and the whole of Australia. Many of the art pieces date back to the 19th-century and the historic gallery itself is listed as an Australian Heritage building. A notable feature of the gallery, the Eureka Flag, symbolises the beginning of Australia as a democratic nation. The art gallery has two floors, with the upstairs featuring art collections ranging from the mid-1800s to artistic modern art sculptures. After touring the beautiful artwork, you can find lovely souvenirs in the art gallery’s gift shop downstairs or take a moment to recharge in the in-house coffee shop.

Sovereign Hill is a large open-air museum and a staple attraction of the Ballarat area. Awarded the lucrative title of best ‘Major Tourist Attraction’ four times, this is one stop on your tour of Ballarat that you don’t want to miss. The entire aesthetic of Sovereign Hill is based upon the first 10 years after gold was discovered in Ballarat. Vividly reproducing scenes of everyday life from the famous gold rush era, you’ll find staff dressed in colonial attire from a range of different countries, true to life machinery and decorative pieces as well as gorgeous antiques. You can interact with the staff members, take photos with them and enjoy performances from street artists with accordions and harmonicas.

Experience performances throughout the day such as musket firing and candle and sweet making (with a free tasting at the end of the sweet making session). There is an AUD$160,000 gold pour and red coat parade to really help you get a feel for the gold rush era. Families can experience the thrill of gold panning in the creek. Roll up your sleeves, pick up a shovel and test your luck! Plus, you get to take home all the gold you find! Make your way down the Red Hill Mine to learn about the difficult working conditions gold miners had to endure, or travel around the town on an old-fashioned coach. With a themed bakery and hotel on site, you won’t find another comparable gold rush experience anywhere in the world!

Find a map of Sovereign Hill here.

General Entry (includes Gold Museum ticket):

Adult: $ 58.20 AUD / (5-15 years old) Child: $ 29 AUD

Naturipe Fruits orchard is located bewteen Ballarat and Melbourne. With a huge variety of fruits to choose from in November to May each year, you can pick your fruit and eat it too! Available fruits include deliciously sweet Victorian cherries, juicy strawberries, crisp, crunchy apples, delectable peaches and absolutely divine nectarines. To pick strawberries, apples, peaches and nectarines you don’t have to pay a cent. Cherry picking will set you back a measly $7 for adults and $4 for kids. Who could say no to a sweet deal like that?