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From Wikitravel

Ballarat [1] is a city of 84,000 people, about 110 km (65 miles) north-west of Melbourne in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia. Drive time from Melbourne is about 80-90 minutes. Ballarat is most noted as a former goldmining town and the site of the famous miners' strike at the Eureka Stockade, the event celebrating its 150th anniversary in late November - early December 2004.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

Ballarat is an easy 90 minute drive from Melbourne on the Western Freeway (M8). Alternatively, from Geelong take the southern section of the A300; from Bendigo and Castlemaine take the northern section of the same highway.

[edit] By train

Frequent V/Line [2] trains run from Southern Cross Station (known as Spencer Street Station until December 2005) in Melbourne. The trip takes approx 1 hour and 20 minutes and Ballarat Station is in the centre of the city.

[edit] Get around

The Ballarat Visitor Information Centre, a short walk from the Station, operates a friendly visitor shuttle bus. This service links to the main tourist attractions as well as to Buninyong Township.

[edit][add listing] See

• Visitor Information Centre, 39 Sturt Street (cnr Albert St).

• Sovereign Hill, Magpie St., [3]. Every day except Christmas Day 10AM-5PM, till 5:50PM during daylight saving. The “DisneyLand” of Victoria, it is a recreated 1850s goldmining town where staff wear period costumes and visitors can try their hand at panning for gold. $29 adult, $14 child.
  • Blood on the Southern Cross. M-Sa evenings and some Sundays. Times vary. An 80-minute sound and light show depicting the Eureka Uprising. $35 adult, $19 child.
  • Gold Museum. Every day except Christmas Day 9:30AM-5:20PM. Sovereign Hill ticket gives entry to the museum as well.

• Eureka Stockade Centre, cnr Eureka St and Rodier St, East Ballarat, [4]. Every day 9AM-4:30PM except Christmas Day. Last entry 4PM. The 1854 Eureka miners’ rebellion against license fees took place here. The stockade was formerly home to a rather rundown wooden shed with a diorama and recorded explanation, but in recent years it’s been totally modernized and the site now hosts a large multimedia exhibition on the Stockade. $8 adult, $4 child.

• Ballarat Botanical Gardens, [5].

• Ballarat Wildlife Park, [6].

• Lake Wendouree.

• Kryal Castle, [7] A medieval castle situated just eight kilometres out of Ballarat on the Western Freeway. It has got royal accommodation, restaurant, re-enactments and an interesting history. The owners seem to have given up maintaining this establishment for day tourists and is probably only worth a look if your having a function there. Although the theme of the park is meant to be medieval Europe it has a baffling range of old exhibits that appear to have be brought from other groups, picked up from closing establishments or just plain being stored for a private collector. For example a collection of old motorbikes, a collection of items from a hospital that closed in Melbourne in the 1970's and an exhibit about an item that isn't there (assumably they stopped touring the item but Kryal Castle brought the exhibit without it).

[edit][add listing] Do

• Begonia Festival, Lake Wendouree & Sturt St, [8]. The Begonia Festival, held over the labour day long weekend in March is worth attending, with activities such as a street parade held in Sturt St and horticultural displays in and around the botanical gardens of lake wendouree.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Ballarat has several markets held throughout the week which offer great shopping for antiques, bric a brac and various local products such as plants and confectionary. The showgrounds Trash & Treasure is held every Sunday from 6AM - 2opm, entry is by Gold Cloin Donation. The Pleasant Street Primary Craft market is held the First Sunday of every month, free entry.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• oscars, doveton st (opposite target, in the cbd), ☎ 03 53311451, [9]. Oscar’s Hotel & Café Bar is a unique art deco, boutique hotel in the heart of Ballarat’s CBD. Now privately owned and operated, Oscar’s was originally the Criterion Hotel, a popular venue in the gold rush days.  edit
• Europa, 411 Sturt St Ballarat, ☎ =(+61 3) 5338 7672, [10]. A great surprisingly mid priced cafe, with a wide range of meals, from the tastes of Italy to Asia, also good for dropping in for a coffee or wine & watch the Ballarat foot traffic of Sturt St. mid range.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

There are a numerous pubs and nightclubs in Ballarat including: 21 Arms - more for young people this offers modern music and drink specials - open until 3AM Fridays and Saturdays The Bended Elbow - Newly Opened, this venue has several dance floors, an eating area as well as downstairs stage and nightclub. The Karova Lounge - The best place for Live music in ballarat, with many popular Melbourne bands making the trip to perform there. Cover chanrge can vary depending on the band.

• L'espresso, Sturt St. Formally a music store, this place serves some of the best coffee in town, along with quality Italian-based fare that is interesting and reasonably priced. Choose a CD from the wall to listen to, and try the housemade icecream.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Oscars Hotel, doveton st (opposite target, in the cbd), ☎ 53311451, [11]. Renovated hotel built in gold rush days, with 13 modern guest rooms, restaurant, bar and courtyard.  edit
• George Hotel, 27 Lydiard St Nth (between Sturt St and Mair St). Bunkroom $30, singles from $50 (tariffs include light breakfast). Nightclub may cause noise in the rooms till 4AM F-Sa nights.

• Craig’s Royal Hotel, 10 Lydiard St Sth.

[edit] Get out

To get back to Melbourne get onto the Western Freeway from either Ballarat - Daylesford Rd, Gillies St, Midland Hwy or Ballarat - Burrumbeet Rd.