Goldfields: Ballarat tourist information

Ballarat

Yesterday, today and tomorrow are as one in Voctoria's Historican City, Ballarat. It's easy to see how Ballarat earned this and other appropriate titles. Today, it could easily be called the Festival City, hosting an Opera Festival, Jazz and Blues Festivals, the Begonia Festival as well. as the Royal South Street Competition, Australia's oldest Eisteddford. The goldrush days stamped the city as a living memorial to the time when a lifetime of wealth and prosperity was to so many new Australians only a shovel or pan away.

Ballarat has a proud heritage. Buildings bare testimony to the skill of stone masons, carpenters and architects of the 1800s. The humble miner's cottages, the Town Hall, Historic Montrose Cottage, Lidiard Street and grand statues will leave you in awe of a bygone era which laid the foundation for Ballarat to develop into one of our foremost cities.

Daily, history is relived. Every Australian leaves a part of themselves behind when they visit the Eureka precinct. View the original Eureka flag in the Fine Art Gallery and visit exhibitions and the place where blood was spilled in Eureka Street.

You'll love the tranquility of Ballarat's botanical gardens. The recent glass house attraction, the Robert Plaque Horticultural Centre, is a gardening enthusiast's paradise. Stroll along Prime Minister's Walk and look for familiar faces. Thousands of visitors flock to the Gardens during the Begonia Festival held annually in March. The forty hectares of manicured lawns and stunning trees form the perfect frame for Lake Wendouree which is surrounded by ideal picnic and relaxation facilities. Sail these serene waters on the paddle steamer or take advantage of the Vintage Tram to see the sights.

While gold can still be found in old diggings, Ballarat's gold museum houses a world class collection of alluvial gold and nuggets, artefacts and a fine collection of memorabilia.

Ballarat's modern treasures offer the ideal solution for those who wish to fossick for fun. Sovereign Hill, the world famous recreation of an 1850's minig town, is Ballarat's most popular visitor attraction. You can experience Cobb & Co coaches, panning for gold, blacksmith's, animal farms and a spectacular evening sound and light show re-enactment of the Eureka Stockade battle. Other attractions include the Ballarat Wildlife and Reptile Park, nestled in a native bushland habitat the Fine Art Gallery and The Old Curiosity Shop, displaying quaint relics of pioneer days. Kryal Castle, the world's third largest castle with Gothic architecture is the place for medieval fun.

The City of Ballarat unfolds to the visitor like a good novel. Whether you're walking the streets of the city, enjoying one of the famous attractions or watching life go by from your favourite restaurant window, you'll always be aware of the history, the legends, the character that make this Goldfields city unique.