EXPLORE

In the mood to venture out? Here’s a small selection of the many activities on offer in and around Ballarat just to get you started.

ATTRACTIONS | EATING & DINING | RECREATION | SHOPPING & MARKETS

ATTRACTIONS

SOVEREIGN HILL

Bradshaw St, Golden Point

Experience what life in Ballarat was like in the first ten years after the discovery of gold, Sovereign Hill is a living museum that recreates Ballarat in the 1850s and tells the story of the miners who came here from all over the world to seek their fortune. Don’t miss the nightly multi-sensory sound and light show AURA, a 4D cinema experience that combines state-of-the-art projections and historical sets to tell the Eureka story.


EUREKA CENTRE

102 Stawell St, Ballarat East

Explore the cultural impact of the gold rush and the stories of the men and women who risked their lives in the fight for miners’ rights. Located at the historic site of the 1854 Eureka Stockade, the Eureka Centre is home to one of Australia’s most iconic cultural objects – the Eureka Flag (The Flag of the Southern Cross). The centre is surrounded by the very scenic Eureka Stockade Memorial Gardens.


KRYAL CASTLE

121 Forbes Rd, Leigh Creek

A legendary land of adventure, with knights, dragons, wizards, kings, queens, princesses, fairies and so much more. Once you cross the drawbridge, a kingdom of myth, magic and fantasy will enthrall you. Journey through the chambers of the Dragons Labyrinth, which reveals the legend of Kryal; experience the drama of a medieval joust, as knights and their warhorses battle it out on the main arena; get lost in our maze; be enchanted by pantomimes; or learn the ancient art of archery.

BALLARAT WILDLIFE PARK

250 Fussell St, Ballarat East

Victoria’s no.1 interactive wildlife experience where you can hand feed the free-roaming kangaroos, see the world’s smallest penguins, marvel at the cheeky meerkats, pat a koala, cuddle a wombat, see Crunch the 5 metre super croc, the southern cassowaries, giant tortoises, the reptile house and the newest arrivals, the two Sumatran tigers. Daily tours and a schedule of animal and conservation presentations will immerse you into the animal world.


ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT

40 Lydiard St North, Ballarat

Australia’s oldest regional gallery with a remarkably comprehensive collection of Australian art. The heritage-listed Gallery building, one of the oldest purpose-built art galleries in the country, has evolved to accommodate the expanding collection and now includes a range of spaces from grand and elegant 19th century rooms to stunning contemporary additions.


BALLARAT BOTANICAL GARDENS

Lake Wendouree, Ballarat

One of Australia’s most significant cool climate gardens, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens feature a remarkable collection of mature trees and marble statues set among colourful bedding displays. The gardens cover 40 hectares and are divided into four distinct zones. The central part of the gardens features the traditional, ‘gardenesque’ style, while open parklands on either side are known as the North and South Gardens and the area alongside Lake Wendouree as the Lake foreshore precinct.


EATING & DINING

TABLE 48

48 Humffray St, Bakery Hill

Table 48 is a family friendly Italian based restaurant specialising in pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks and chicken dishes.


FREIGHT BAR & ROOFTOP

49 Mair St, Ballarat

Freight Bar & Rooftop, indoor and outdoor dining in an al a carte setting. A modern bistro style menu includes pub favourites.


1816 BAKEHOUSE

18 Armstrong St Nth, Ballarat

1816 Bakehouse is an artisan sourdough bakery showcasing a range of sourdough breads, house made pastries, hand made pies and freshly filled sandwiches.

MUNSTER ARMS HOTEL

10 Victoria St, Bakery Hill

Munster Arms Hotel is a family-owned Irish pub with a hearty menu packed with flavour and options for many tastes.


MONCEES RESTAURANT & BAR

95 Mair St, Ballarat

Moncees Restaurant & Bar, experience the perfect blend of premium beverages and multi cuisine in an elegant bar atmosphere.


YELLOW ESPRESSO

13 Sturt St, Ballarat

Yellow Espresso, serving specialty coffee and all-day breakfast. The menu is an ode to produce that is fresh, local and seasonal.


RECREATION

Once famous as the venue for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics rowing events, Lake Wendouree is now celebrated for its more relaxing activities. Join countless joggers and run the six kilometre circuit around this popular lake. Take in the scenery and abundant birdlife and watch vintage trams rattle along nearby streets. The route south (anticlockwise) from the kiosk at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens passes the Olympics course, the historic Ballarat Sailing Club (one of Victoria’s oldest) and many popular cafes and bars.


The Eureka Trail follows the route taken by police and soldiers from the Police Camp (the site of the former Post Office) in the early hours of the 3rd December 1854 to quell the uprising of miners. Angered by what they believed to be an excessive mining licence fee, an oppressive authority, and other perceived injustices, the ill-equipped and untrained miners had dug in behind a hastily built and flimsy stockade under the now famous standard of the ‘Southern Cross’.


Cycle or walk alongside the Yarrowee River between the Gong Gong Reservoir Park and the hamlet of Magpie. Pass by forests and wetlands, paddocks and native plantings and into the city streets of Ballarat. The Yarrowee River Trail forms part of the Goldfields Track and links several bushland reserves with other areas of ecological significance. The trail is divided into two sections – the northern and southern sections – each starting from Ballarat Railway Station. To ride the whole trail in one go, stay on Peel Street as you come through the CBD.

The Goldfields Track takes you through sensational lands once so rich in gold deposits they made Melbourne the wealthiest city in the world. Beginning from the heights of Mt Buninyong just south of Ballarat, the Goldfields Track takes bushwalkers and mountain bikers north through the historic towns of Ballarat, Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine, before finishing in Bendigo. The trail has wonderful sections of singletrack that cuts through a diverse landscape of bush, granite boulders and scenic farmland.


The Black Hill Reserve includes the Black Hill lookout, offering sweeping views of Ballarat and the surrounding district to the south. The reserve has also become a focal point of downhill mountain bike riding in Ballarat. Six cross country trails, four downhill trails, two pump tracks, skills area and advanced jump park are open for use.


Cycle, walk or horse ride through Goldfields country and discover what was once an important transport link between the historic gold mining towns of Ballarat and Skipton. The trail reveals sights and structures from Victoria’s gold mining and rail histories and breathtaking farmlands and bushlands alive with native birds and wildflowers. Learn about the history of the area along the way as you pass the former Chinese settlement site at Nintingbool, numerous railway remains and timber trestle bridges. The largest and most impressive of these, Nimmons Bridge, is best viewed from the track below the bridge and across the creek. The trail can be found on the western side of Ballarat where it crosses the Avenue of Honour. It is suitable for the whole family.


SHOPPING & MARKETS

THE BRIDGE

The Bridge, Ballarat

Shop THE BRIDGE. Ballarat’s fun outdoor shopping centre. Dogs welcome. Relax looking at fashion, homewares, jewellery and more, or stop for a bite in one of the many locally owned and operated eateries.


STOCKLAND WENDOUREE

Cnr Norman & Gillies St, Wendouree

Stockland Wendouree has serviced the local community for more than 40 years and is located just 6kms from Ballarat CBD. Stockland Wendouree is within walking distance from the Wendouree Train station and a short drive from the beautiful Lake Wendouree. The centre is anchored by Kmart, Coles and Woolworths and boasts a casual dining precinct, four mini majors and over 100 specialty stores.


BALLARAT FARMERS MARKET

Lake Wendouree opposite the Botanical Gardens

2nd & 4th Saturday every month

The market is in Zoo Drive, just off Wendouree Parade, at the northern end of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. We have hot coffee, food vans, local fruit & veggies, baked goods, eggs, honey, olive oil and loads of specialty stalls. Although we’re a food-focused market, about half of our stalls offer other products. Located on the scenic surrounds of Lake Wendouree for over a decade.

CENTRAL SQUARE

18 Armstrong St South Ballarat

Central Square Shopping Centre is located in the heart of the Ballarat CBD. Visit Myer and Target plus more than 40 specialty stores across three levels. Services include Bank of Melbourne & Austalia Post and a food court with a great range of dining options. Two hours free parking is available in the adjacent Car Park.


THE BRIDGE MARKET

The Bridge, Ballarat

1st Saturday every month

Every 1st Saturday of the month – rain, hail or shine – the market will bring together primary producers from all over the region. The market offers a fun and vibrant community hub with stacks of kiddie activities, local music, community events and bagfuls of bonhomie. Every dollar raised from the market goes back into supporting this great monthly event. So bring your kids, coax your neighbours, soak in the village atmosphere and enjoy a rare occasion where you can honestly say, ‘every one is a winner’.


BALLARAT SUNDAY MARKET

Morshead Park, Redan

1st Sunday every month

Ballarat’s new favourite Sunday Market!
First Sunday of the Month
FEB – DEC
9:00am – 1:00pm