Ballarat accommodation from NZ$137

Iconic landmarks and attractions

Ballarat’s gold mining days live on at Sovereign Hill, a whole village constructed in the style of 1850s Gold Rush Ballarat. On top of its extravagant sound and light show ‘Blood on the Southern Cross’, Sovereign Hill has a number of experiences to help you live your gold mining dreams. Pan for gold (yes, real gold! Yours to keep!) at Red Hill Gully Diggings. Explore the old-fashioned shops and buildings, and take a guided tour of a gold mine.

Kryal Castle is about nine kms from Ballarat by car, but worth the trip if you like the sound of a medieval fun park filled with exciting activities. Behind these castle walls, you’ll find wizards, fairies, jousting tournaments, a dragon’s maze and the legend of Kryal itself (what’s that all about? You’ll have to go there to find out).

Check out the Art Gallery of Ballarat, full of Australian art and ever-changing exhibitions. You’ll certainly want to visit the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on the shores of Lake Wendouree. With its native plants and beds of brightly coloured flowers in bloom, it’s a nice place to relax. It’s also well known for its statues, especially the collection of former Aussie PMs on the Prime Ministers Avenue.

Interested in democracy? Find out all about the ordinary people who have fought for democracy and against injustice at M.A.D.E (Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka). Built on the site of the Eureka Stockade, it’s full of exhibits and artifacts like the Eureka Flag from 1854.

Getting here

Ballarat is a roughly 90-minute drive from Melbourne. Get to Melbourne first with one of our cheap Melbourne flights. If you’re not planning to hire a car, there are trains and coach services to carry you from Melbourne to Ballarat.

Getting around

Hire a car or get around Ballarat on public transport. And if you need to be somewhere in a hurry and don’t want to drive, there are taxis in town as well. What are you waiting for? Book your Ballarat accommodation with Wotif today!