The gardens were so pretty and the glasshouse well stocked. Review of: Raintree Art. But, often you do not get to have a pizza that matches your standards. We pay our respects to their Elders past, prese nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. PC and console gaming as well Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Games Workshop, boardgames and . A new immersive theatre experience, Aura, launched last year to add to the experience. If you desire to cruise on the water, ensure that you board theGolden City Paddle Steamer. 1, literally Ballarat's first horse-drawn tram, discovered being used a sleepout in the 1980s and then restored. Large windows and sturdy double bricks were used in the construction of all 20 rooms. But in no way is it any less fascinating. Skip the line- book tickets online in minutes to top attractions with free cancellation on many activities. It's free as well! After Lydiard Street, go to nearby Camp Street, it is Ballarat's next most architecturally impressive street. Ballarat Wildlife Park is a family-owned, interactive wildlife park that specialises in native Australian animals and exotic reptiles. Each year, the program portrays different parts of Ballarats history. Costumed characters populate a gold rush town at Sovereign Hill, a living outdoor museum. Fish for rainbow trout at Tuki Trout Farm. (more) For the best travel inspiration delivered straight to your door. Finally, without wasting more time, lets look at the fun things to do in Ballarat! Are you looking for a place to relive your childhood after exploring all of Ballarat? After exploring the town, you can satisfy your hunger with traditional and delicious Aussie cuisine, Ballarat has some great cafes and restaurants that use local produce to make wholesome food. 12 Fun Things to Do in Bendigo (+ Free Activities), 12 Spectacular & Fun Things to Do in Noosa Heads Everything You Need to Know for a Memorable Trip. The city was even named one of Australia's most livable cities in 2020. Are you looking for a quaint exotic spot to have your picnic and observe some good scenes too? Table of contents Things to do in Ballarat 1. However, both times were as a day trip from Melbourne.This is a shame as Ballarat has more to offer than Sovereign Hill and it is a great place for a short, easy trip. They have many animal encounters, I didnt have time to do but next time I will be! Free Attractions What a fun way to learn about the gold rush, the underground mine tour was amazing, as was the self guided . It is organized by the city of Ballarat over the mothers day weekend (7-8 May). You can come here to walk around and relax in the gardens tranquil environment while enjoying delicious food from the eateries from here. Some of them are from the old days, and some are of the latest technology. Tickets are priced at $35 and $22 for adults and kids respectively. All rights reserved. If you want to learn more about the art and culture of Ballarat, just head over to the Post Office Gallery as it is filled with some of the finest pieces that are hung up on its walls. If you were wondering what to do in this historically rich town, the following is a 'to-do' list consisting of the top attractions in Ballarat. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Surprisingly, tourists can also find lodging options in the form of Tuki Retreat. Many of the early Another 4.00pm. Lake Wendouree is one of the best places in Ballarat to spend a sunny afternoon. Here, kids can abseil, hike, canoe, mountain bike, try archery, go bouldering, cook bush tucker and try crate stacking. They can hand feed the beautiful kangaroos at Ballarat Wildlife Park, experience a land of knights and princesses at the very medieval Kryal Castle, or for the very BRAVE there are fun tours like the Ghost Tour, which introduces you to the towns other residents! Today its collection is presented alongside touring and temporary exhibitions across its elegant 19th-century rooms and contemporary architectural additions. Most Viewed. Sovereign Hills Winter Wonderlights brings similar illumination to the depth of winter. Regardless of your interests or age, there are countless experiences and attractions to dive into. Meet the animals at Ballarat Wildlife Park, Top 12 places to eat and drink in Ballarat, Six reasons why you should spend a weekend in Ballarat now. What are the best day trips from Ballarat? Woowookarung Regional Park is actually named after the Aboriginal language which means place of plenty. Since Ballarat is a relatively small city, a 3-day itinerary is enough to explore it. Sovereign Hill is an open-air museum in Golden Point, Ballarat. It portrays the first 10 years of Ballarat after gold was discovered there in 1851. Join an outdoor spoon-carving workshop for an introduction to green woodworking (which uses freshly cut, unseasoned woods as well as energy-efficient, unpowered hand tools) and take the fruits of your labour home. 156 Shares. Secondly, theRobert Clark Conservatoryshowcases beautiful & kaleidoscopic flowers. St John of God Hospital Ballarat - Open up your guidebook and find out why this place deserves a spot on your travel itinerary. Top attractions The Ballarat Pass Itineraries Art & culture Family fun Markets The Art Gallery of Ballarat is Australia's oldest and largest regional gallery. Lydiard Street. Wander around the gardens or experience the area's art scene. Another of Ballarats truly grand heritage buildings, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is, in fact, Australias oldest and largest regional gallery. Want to get your spirits up at one of the best wineries in all of Ballarat? Hand feed the kangaroos and then head to see CRUNCH the show at 3pm is awesome, learn about how he got to the park and see him leap out of water to get his yummy chicken! You can even click a picture with a red-tailed black cockatoo at 11:00 am, 2.00 pm and 4:00 pm at no extra charge, just use your own camera. Ballarat Botanical Gardens 813 Gardens By JackieWaWa Lovely way to spend an hour or 2. Looking for sports, concerts, or theater events in Ballarat? You can find some amazing vintage pieces in the independent boutiques down any lane. 4. Enjoy your day filled with fun activities at Kryal Castle. LABOUR DAY WEEKEND Feat. It's name was given by George Riggins, a young miner from Australia, who proposed the town be named after the Australian gold mining town. Admire the Beautiful Art Gallery of Ballarat, 5. After a long day of roaming, you can quench your thirst by local wines. Enjoy a unique, fun, small group tour of between 10-15 people on this overnight Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne, perfect for those up for an adventure. Gold Rush Mini Golf Another fun thing to do in Ballarat with kids is the Gold Rush Mini Golf, which has two themed 18 hole courses offering fun for the whole family. Themed around the begonia flower, Ballarat Begonia Festival is an annual carnival and community cultural festival held at Ballarat. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in June. You can eat gourmet pizzas straight out of the wood-fired oven at Forge Pizzeria. 2) Family Fun You should definitely visit this lovely building from a grander time, you will surely be amazed by this historical gem. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens Reserve is a fantastic place for the whole family The Garden is 40 hectares and is divided into multiple zones - the central part with 'gardenesque' style, the area alongside Lake Wendouree as the Lake foreshore precinct, open parklands on either side of the garden called North and South Gardens. - lots to see, especially if you like swans. Prices are like normal cafe prices. Well worth the hour or so to go through. 2.) The ponds here are stocked with rainbow trouts and visitors are guaranteed a catch; you can then have it cooked in the restaurant. Step inside the the Robert Clark Conservatory inside the Botanical Gardens in Ballarat. The park provides shelter to mostly native Australian animals and includes the worlds smallest penguin species, wombats, quokkas, echidnas, koalas, and crocodiles. To spend a day here is a fun day with your family or friends. Opened more than a century ago, the Ballarat Municipal Observatory and Museum is one of the oldest observatories in Australia. History is never far from your fingertips in Ballarat: its there in its grand architecture and immersive experiences that transport you back to the heady days of the gold rush. Buildings found in the city center are the best ways to reminisce about the Gold Rush days of Victoria. Their winemaker collaborates closely with producers to create wines that exhibit unusual varietal expression and represent unique vineyard, vintage, and regional characters. The gift shop is great, too, selling art books and products by local artisans. Contents [ hide] 1. It features a moat and drawbridge, a maze, castle towers, stocks, and an armory. Here you can experience the days of old when gold was first discovered in Ballarat and have a go at panning for gold in the creek. There are a lot of fun activities to do, such as witnessing the amazing gold pour where $160,000 worth of gold is melted and turned into a three-kilogram bullion or see the outdoor show Aura, an immersive after-dark theatrical experience. Explore the governor's lavatory, the hangman's gallows, the unique kitchen, the showerblock, the grave websites, the West Wing, the J Ward Block . Sovereign hills are known an original mining site with shops, theaters, hotels, gold diggings and factories to explore. The water splash park is the main attraction of this place along with the other tit-bits. For more family fun, check out Kryal Castle: an adventure park and accommodation based in a replica medieval castle a little further east out of town from Ballarat Wildlife Park. Find out why Ballarat is the culinary capital of regional Victoria. This was a lovely relaxing yet cold walk. Thankfully, the rebellions won the battle, and Ballarat is still a famous gold mining place, attracting thousands annually. It is the first motel off the M8 motorway in the direction of Melbourne, and it takes 5 minutes to get to Ballarat Town Center. However, if you want to learn more about the history of the place and its various ups and downs in politics- do pay a visit to the Prime Ministers Walk. A true art lover would never miss the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Also, you can get a view of the native kangaroos. You can stay at the castle and enjoy your childhood dream as the castle offers 4-star accommodation. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The hotel has served many famous people including Mark Twain and Prince Alfred (Queen Victoria's second son), and Dame Nellie Melba. Kryal Castle is an Adventure Park & Resort in Ballarat, Victoria. Have a casual bite at the Yacht Club, admire the quaint and historic Lake Wendouree boat sheds and then take to the water for a trip back in time onboard the replica Golden City Paddle Steamer. It is near the shores of Lake Wendouree, which is an activity centre for Ballarat. Fortunately, Ballarat has a flourishing wine region specializing in chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir, and other wines. Top 15 Best Places to Visit in Iceland. In addition to sampling Ballarats ever-growing wining and dining scene, time your visit to coincide with Ballarats month-long Plate Up Festival in May, which celebrates local produce, venues, craft beers and boutique wines through a series of special events, lunches and workshops across town. Take a Self Guided City Walking Tour with Ballarat Revealed 6. 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Ballarat Town Hall is just one of the places to see in Ballarat, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Sovereign hill is the citys only live museum, telling tales about the life of Ballarat in the 1850s. Tours. The list of the best things to do in Ballarat above demonstrates how this city is the ideal blend of modern and traditional. Meet Maneki and Satu, the parks resident Sumatran tigers, and choose from a number of animal encounters with meerkats, koalas and even a giant tortoise whos over 80 years old. Lydiard Street & Ballarat's Gold Rush History. Top 10 Best Things to Do in Ballarat, Australia. Discover for yourself why Ballarat is renowned for its award-winning attractions and unique visitor experiences.