Christmas in Ballarat (December) – experience Ballarat come to life with Christmas decorations breathing life into the streets, with the highlight being Sturt Street’s floral reindeer attractions that draws visitors from near and far. Walking & hiking. A sure hit for curious little ones who love animals, this incredible Wildlife Park is a family-run business that is home to over 100 free-roaming kangaroos, wombats, koalas, scaly reptiles, and even adorable penguins. Not to mention the koalas and other wild life. There are some fun things to do at Ballarat which made it simple for us to have a good mix of relaxing family time and the opportuity to explore new places and things together. 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This is a shame as Ballarat has more to offer than Sovereign Hill and it is a great place for a short, easy trip. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-53940607', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Grampians you need to do bush walking and that takes a lot of time so dont under estimate this area, and it is a big area with lots to see. Please enable JavaScript in order to get the best experience when using this site. We also saved money by buying our groceries online from Woolworths before we left home and then picking them up when we arrived. For more info, visit the Sovereign Hill website. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. How do I get from the airport to the city? The next day you can detour to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Ballarat Municipal Observatory The Ballarat Botanical Gardens are located on the west side of Lake Wendouree and also incorporate the playgrounds mentioned above and the Ballarat Tramway Museum. However, both times were as a day trip from Melbourne. Research on the web before your trip, and google map your travel times. If you're based in Melbourne, a convenient way to explore the top sights of Ballarat is on the Ballarat and Sovereign Hill Day Tour from Melbourne, which includes an optional stop at the Ballarat Wildlife Park. We stayed in a 2 bedroom homestead cottage which was a good size for the 5 of us. There was a time where Andy and I lived up the hotel life everywhere we travelled, but sadly, that time has come and gone. For more exclusive fun-filled travel guides in Melbourne and beyond, sign up to the newsletter. I loved this!! I’m not even kidding. These days, we’re all about finding Airbnbs with amenities and space to accommodate rambunctious little humans, with a place to cook meals (because kids want to eat, like, all the time).So, if you’re off to Ballarat for a weekend jaunt (with or without kids) and looking for those ‘home-away-from-home’ feels without losing out on luxury – this is. Entry Price: Free admission to permanent collection & most temporary exhibitions. But, don’t be fooled by it’s classic facade – inside, you’ll find all the modern amenities that a city gal like me could ever hope for. Think you’re done with gold after vigorously panning and clambering your way through mines at Sovereign Hill? Entry is free and there is also the paid option to take a 15 minute tram ride on a preserved Ballarat tram around the gardens. This spacious home could easily accommodate 3 families. This may have also been because it was the Victorian school holidays as well as the Winter Wonderlights program. Between this and the museum, there was more for Z than for me. Ballarat gained worldwide fame for being one of the biggest gold-producing cities during the time of the great gold rush, contributing largely to the 80 million ounces of gold that was mined in Victoria over the last 150 years. Grab the car and drive 20 minutes south and you’ll stumble upon Mount Buninyong, rising 745 metres above sea level. Entry Price (AUD): $57 (adults), $25.60 (kids 5-15 years). Melbourne to London via Hong Kong - COVID restrictions? For more info, visit the Art Gallery of Ballarat website. There was also a fully equipped kitchen which made self catering easy. Even then, we didn’t manage to occupy all of the space that was available. more. If you want to experience some of Ballarat’s most popular local events, try and plan your visit around these dates: Summer Sundays (January) – kick back to live music brought to you by local, regional and metropolitan acts while basking in the summer sun. Check. Truly one of my best meals ever. You might even get lucky and dig up a golden nugget (although the McDonald’s variety is probably more likely). (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Hop in and out of classical trams that once glided through the streets of Ballarat and learn about their history. You can also read our guides to Melbourne and another gold rush town, Bendigo, as well as Cobram, the sunniest place in Victoria! Moreover, visitors can snap selfies with majestic knights mounted on horses, take sword fighting and archery lessons, or participate in arts and crafts classes. For more free things to do in Ballarat, pop into the Tramway Museum on your visit to Lake Wendouree and the Botanical Gardens. Sovereign Hill has a 25 acre setting on an old mining site from the Victorian gold rush. Ballarat gets cold. Once your bellies are full and the caffeine has kicked in, make sure you pay Australia’s oldest regional art gallery a visit. The place is a. Fantastic Adventure playground at Lake Wendouree. I have 2 days between (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-53940747', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Halls Gap is it. Tickets are $173 per person. There is so much to do that even the 6 hours that we visited was not enough to see it all – we missed out on a lot. And, who knows? Now let's assume you have a private jet and you can fly in the fastest possible straight line between Ballarat, Victoria and Melbourne, Victoria. The wonderlands around Halls gap are at least a full day to see just by themselves. What are my options for seeing the Great Ocean Road. Many are in great condition and it’s also a good way to visit many of Ballarat’s attractions. The Plaster Fun House is a great choice of the fun things to do in Ballarat for kids especially if it’s raining. There are so many things to do in Ballarat, and it's only just over an hour's journey from Melbourne. What is Myki? Your email address will not be published. Thanks for all the great suggestions. No tacky costumes and pretend sword play. You can also choose to fish for trout to take away. There was also Christmas theming and carols during our visit. We have no complaints at all about our stay here and our kids loved it. Need to cry over a glass of wine from sleep deprivation whilst sharing practical family travel tips? Pose with statues along Sturt Street and learn about the faces and stories behind them. It’s an easy 110km journey from the city by car or train. Answer 1 of 11: I will be driving between Melbourne and Grampains, with a day or two to fill. Ballarat is a popular destination thanks to being an easy 100 kilometres from Melbourne and home to the fantastic Sovereign Hill. For more info, visit the Ballarat Tramway website. so there may be other things of note. It’s a lovely site with attentive and friendly staff and great facilities for families. Your email address will not be published. RELATED: A List of 10 Family-Friendly Places to Stay in Ballarat. It gets even more embarrassing. A must-visit if you want to see a historic collection of photos from the great gold mining era, and if you want to grasp the idea of just how big some of the most famous gold nuggets were. It was great to watch. Like, whoa. Pictured above is the massive adventure playground but there is also a small indigenous playground which has some stories and descriptions as well as clever musical instruments. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in New Zealand. Although there is no entry fee, the museum is run by volunteers and they deeply appreciate any small donations visitors can spare. Endless space for kids to run around? Transit in Sydney for International Flight.