Goldfields & the Grampians - Melbourne and Victoria - page 410

( 03-5337 1100; www.sovereignhill.com.au ; Bradshaw St; adult/student/child/family $47/37.60/21.40/117.50;
10am-5pm) You'll need to set aside at least half a day to visit this fascinating re-creation of
an 1860s gold-mining township. The site was mined in the gold-rush era and much of the
equipment is original, as is the mine shaft. Kids love panning for gold in the stream,
watching the hourly gold pour, and exploring the old-style lolly shop.
The main street here is a living history museum with people performing their chores
dressed in costumes of the time. Several places offer food, from pies at the Hope Bakery
to a three-course lunch at the United States Hotel. Sovereign Hill opens again at night for
the impressive sound-and-light show Blood on the Southern Cross ( 03-5337 1199; adult/student/
child/family $57/45.60/30.50/154.50, combined with Sovereign Hill ticket $104/83.20/51.90/272.50) , a dramatic
simulation of the Eureka Stockade battle. There are two shows nightly but times vary so
check in advance; bookings are essential.
Your ticket also gets you into the nearby Gold Museum OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (Bradshaw St;
adult/child $11.20/5.90; 9.30am-5.30pm) , which sits on a mullock heap from an old mine. There
are imaginative displays and samples from all the old mining areas, as well as gold nug-
gets, coins and a display on the Eureka Rebellion.

Art Gallery of Ballarat
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP

GALLERY

( 03-5320 5858; www.balgal.com ; 40 Lydiard St Nth; 10am-5pm) Established in 1884 and
moved to its current location in 1890, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest provincial
gallery in Australia. The architectural gem houses a wonderful collection of early colonial
paintings, works from noted Australian artists (including Tom Roberts, Sir Sidney Nolan,
Russell Drysdale and Fred Williams) and contemporary works. Free iPod tours are avail-
able and there are free guided tours at 2pm Wednesday to Sunday.

Lake Wendouree
Lake Wendouree, a large artificial lake used for the 1956 Olympics rowing events, is a
natural focal point for the town. Old timber boatsheds spread along the shore, and a popu-
lar walking and cycling track encircles the lake.
On the western side of the lake, Ballarat's beautiful and serene botanical gardens (Wendouree
Pde; sunrise-sunset) were first planted in 1858. Stroll through the 40 hectares of im-
maculately maintained rose gardens, wide lawns and the colourful conservatory. Visit the
cottage of poet Adam Lindsay Gordon or walk along Prime Ministers Avenue, a collection

LAKE