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Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedMar 31, 2023
How long is the drive from Broken Hill to Ballarat?
The direct drive from Broken Hill to Ballarat is 466 mi (750 km), and should have a drive time of 9 hrs 29 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Broken Hill to Ballarat, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with top places to visit like Old Wentworth Gaol and Darling and Murray River Junction and Viewing Tower, or the ever-popular Perry Sandhills.
The top stops along the way from Broken Hill to Ballarat (with short detours) are Mildura Visitor Information Centre, Castlemaine Botanical Gardens, and J Ward Museum. Other popular stops include Lock 11 Mildura Weir, Old Wentworth Gaol, and GrainCorp Brim Silo Art.
Perry Sandhills, located just outside the town of Wentworth on the VIC-NSW border, is an amazing spot for families to explore sand dunes and enjoy a day out. Visitors recommend bringing smooth plastic toboggans or boogy boards for sliding down the dunes and suggest packing water to wash out sand from kids' eyes. The area offers a great view of the sunset from the sand hills and provides toilets and under cover shelter for resting in the shade.
Beautiful Little spot, impressive to see the giant Eucalyptus growing amongst all that sand!
Sealed the whole way there up to the car park.
Good for all fitness levels
RichCor — Google review
Great sandhills with interesting history! The god tree there is also worth a visit. There is some litter on the ground in places so please make an effort to keep this clean for everyone to enjoy!
Luke McGrath — Google review
Interesting place, a little unexpected given there doesn’t appear to be any other sand dunes in the area. Toilets and under cover shelter next to sand hills for a rest in the shade. Easily accessible.
Nathan Cook — Google review
we had a great time wandering around and took lots of pictures
mark lehne — Google review
If you are after sand dunes this place is OK. Parking is available and it's accessible by car/SUV. It was a pleasant walk along the dunes on a ~30 degree day. Tricky to walk with shoes, bare foot or trekking shoes suits best.
Pr3m — Google review
Kids loved rolling down the hill and playing with the finest sand while me and hubby were amazed by the beautiful sunset. What an amazing place and hidden gem!
Chelsea Zhong — Google review
A great natural wonder, their are toilets and a shelter with table and bench.
The god tree is a wonder.
Matthew Yager — Google review
Can walk over these & drive all the way around. Take some cardboard for the kids to slide down. No charge to enter
Helen Clarke — Google review
Great sight. Awesome for kids to run around in the sand. No tickets needed, it's free.
Alexander Bolick — Google review
Awesome spot to take the kids to explore the dunes and slide down. Take a picnic and make a day of it!
I recommend smooth plastic toboggans, corflute sheets or smooth bottomed boogy boards.
I also recommend taking water to wash out kids eyes, as the more adventurous kids will no doubt end up with a face full of sand!
Zach Fleming — Google review
Awesome Sandhills! We did 4WD sand dunes as well. This place has interesting history of extinct animal fossils! Beautiful landscapes; bush melons are everywhere.
Jami Mahmud Rahman — Google review
Perry Sandhills are amazing sand dunes eroded by wind overs the years and is located just outside the town of Wentworth on the VIC-NSW border. We went to see the sunset here and it was a great view from the sand hills. Would highly recommend if you are around Wentworth.
Nakul pisolkar — Google review
A very beautiful part of nature. Its definitely worth a visit. If you go there, I highly recommend to walk inside the sand dunes and not only explore the edges. Soo beautiful. There are lots of water melon growing. To my knowledge, they were originally planted as food for camels. Please do not destroy or eat them.
The Old Wentworth Gaol offers a glimpse into the past, where 8 years in prison was the punishment for stealing a horse and just 1 year for getting drunk and punching someone. The visitor found it to be a good historical trip, despite initially thinking it was closed. The reasonable entry fee of $8 makes it worth the visit, with an hour being sufficient to explore the small but intriguing jail.
Lovely old goal well maintained. Has lots of artefacts to look at. Staff very friendly. It is a self guided tour and you can take as long as you like. Park and toilets opposite goal . Town musuem is also across the road.
Gillian Cameron — Google review
You feel like you've stepped back in time here. It's a very interesting to learn the history of the gaol, what happened there and who was impressed. We really enjoyed ourselves!
Jessica Hulson (Jess) — Google review
Very cool. Informative exhibits. Allows pets which was great! The kids really enjoyed it. Very educational. The guy at the entry was lovely. Wasn't much to do nearby, but worth a visit.
Ness Harmer — Google review
Pretty good look at how things were back in those days. 8 years prison for stealing a horse. Wow, what changed
These days you only get 8 years for murder. Can someone explain that to me. If you got drunk in those days and punched someone you could have got 1 year goal. These days you can use being drunk or high on drugs as an excuse for committing crimes and get a reduced sentence because of it. Again can someone explain why we are so soft on major crimes these days. Ok the goal is a good history trip and the goal or jail while is small is worth a look at. All good Jim. Look
dodge and plymouth parts australia — Google review
A great deal of information available during a self guided tour. Gift shop available. Public rest rooms across the road in a local park.
There is also the pioneer museum close by. Reasonably priced at $10 per adult.
Natasha Deex — Google review
Paranormal investigated this beautiful gaol .what awesome activity we had as a team.
Chases of the paranormal 👻
Jodie Prideaux — Google review
Great place to visit to learn about a bit of the history of Wentworth and the stark reality of what prisoners lived in and the way they were treated. So well kept a credit to whoever is looking after this site.
L Christian — Google review
If you like history this is worth going to. A lot of historical items on display. walk through at your own pace & read all about it. $8 per adult entry fee
Helen Clarke — Google review
The history of this place. One the most intact old gaols from the 1800s. Great indigenous history collection and display. $8 entry and an on-site antique store.
Elizabeth Smith — Google review
The Old Wentworth gaol is the oldest Australian designed gaol and was built between 1879-1881 and operated till 1927. The Gaol gives you a glimpse into how life was as a prisoner back in those days. It has a male cell block of 10 cells and female cell block of only 2 cells. Lots of information & stories are there inside to read about who were prisoners, gaolers and others in Old Wentworth gaol. Definitely worth a visit if you are around Wentworth or Mildura.
Nakul pisolkar — Google review
Paul was a gracious host on our paranormal tour and showed us around the gaol before leaving us to investigate alone in the dark. With a full moon behind us we explored for nearly 3 hours. This gaol is original and a great deal of care and attention has gone into its upkeep and history. We will be back!
Paranormal 11:11 — Google review
Very interesting history well worth a vist
Mark Felton — Google review
Very interesting to see the building. Definitely built to last. Displays a bit of a mixed bag, but as it's run by locals rather than professionals that's to be expected. Displays were not offensive some just not particularly connected to Wentworth jail
Mary Coombe — Google review
Thought it was closed at first as I didn't notice the open signs in the office. Price is reasonable at $8, even $10 would be fine.
You can easily do this place in an hour even if you stop to read everything. Worth the visit.
Mathew Barber — Google review
Fascinating place to visit for a bit of penal history. Lots to see and learn about.
Nina — Google review
Our family loved this old gaol. Such a great experience to be able to have some insight into how hard things were back in the early colonisation times.
Possibly not very accessible for people with walking disabilities or wheel chairs due to steps.
Shayne Beswick — Google review
We'll worth the trip over to see the goal.
You can take your time walking around it, dog friendly as well still take doggy bags with you. Just a few of the photos that I took.
Lesley Wright — Google review
Great little goal - very interesting history lots of information dotted around. Worth a visit .
Darling and Murray River Junction and Viewing Tower is a fantastic spot for dog owners, offering stunning views of the Murray River and old paddle steamers. The area features a lookout tower, outdoor gym, children's play area, and nearby toilets. With plenty of grassland to explore and shaded areas from trees, it's an ideal place for leisurely walks.
Where the mighty Murray and Darling Rivera join. Can see the water level on the trees are the floods. The viewing platform does have the best view of the rivers, wished there were a better location. Worth the stop over
Pr3m — Google review
Pleasant park and is in good order, considering that it was inundated by the big flood in 2022. Information board has quite a lot of detail. I was able to see tide marks on some of the gum trees. Water in river is currently all from Murray as barrages at Menindee Lakes are closed.
Mary Coombe — Google review
Well maintained park where the Darling and Murray rivers meet. The lookout is a must to climb as you will see the two masses of waters merge, one clean one muddy. Clean toilets, picnic tables...
Ty Lynch — Google review
A vey pleasant park to visit with lots to see. Well kept and some great stories about Wentworth. The views of the river, Loch and the countryside were so peaceful and serene. We were fortunate to have a family member who explained the whole area to us. A hidden gem.
Glennie B — Google review
It's a beautiful place to walk around. You can see traces of the floods still on the trees 10 metres up the tree trunks. A playground for younger kids to play at as well. You will enjoy it if you soak in the fact that two of Australia's largest rivers meet here.
Anand Iyengar — Google review
Nice park at the important meeting point of the two big rivers, has a viewing tower, signs about its importance and toilets, has picnic areas if you had food
David Hackett — Google review
What a great idea to build a viewing platform in Wentworth Park! Shady picnic tables beside the river and plenty of parking.
_ “Van-go-Golf” _ — Google review
Plenty of parking, seating and BBQ area. Viewing platform is a great place for taking photos.
Grass is still growing and the toilet facilities were closed.
Romano Feuerreiter — Google review
We visited Wentworth and its riverside parks in early March 2023 and there was plenty of visible evidence of the incredible high water levels during the early 2023 flooding. It must have been both heart breaking & terrifying for the town population.
Council teams are working as fast as they can to restore the areas to what they once were.
Colin Slark — Google review
A beautiful and peaceful place to park, take in the views and rest up or to let the kids run some energy off.
Loads of shade under the trees to sit and relax. There is also a park at one end with exercise equipment and playground for the littlies.
The toilets were very clean and there is loads of parking.
Melissa Spratt — Google review
Well kept facilities. Toilets and Picnic area. Where the Murray meets the Darling.
Marge Hynoski — Google review
An amazing place to take your dog for a run, with some great views of the Murray River alongside some old paddle steamers on the shore. There's a lookout tower for even better views, an outdoor gym, children's play area and toilets nearby. Lots of grassland area to explore and plenty of shaded area from the trees too. There's a few adjacent walks that you can do too which is great.
My partner and I recently visited Orange World and it was a fun and educational experience. Mario is a gem of a human and makes everyone feel welcome regardless of age or culture. He is a true story teller and his tour is highly recommended.
Nerissa Nicholson — Google review
Such a fun time at Orange World. Mario is a delight, and we were warmly welcomed with a glass of delicious fresh orange juice.
From there, we had the introduction, the orange peeling demo, the orange harvesting demo, then it was all aboard the farm train for a tour around the farm. As we visited in January, most of the oranges were small and green on the tree, but it was great to see them, as well as the huge avocado trees, and the special citrus Avenue for those classic photos. The tour was a great balance of humour and information.
After the tour we bought a litre of orange juice (yum!), and took fun photos with the set up out the front. Highly recommend!
Jesse Lovell — Google review
A family owned orange farm for almost 50 years, Maria & Mario are super friendly.
The train tours are must do. Very interesting and engaging train tour for kids and those who are kid at heart. Mario shares a lot of information along the ride.
The freshly squeezed and bottled orange juice is a must buy. The cafe also serves Dutch pancakes and waffles to satisfy your sweet tooth. Only tip will be to pack your lunch or get a take away if you are going for afternoon train tours and good thing is the train tours are spaced an hour apart, so plenty of time to get a feel of the place, take photos and prepare for the tour.
Padmaja Bysani — Google review
What a great experience. Mario ran a great tour and he was very dedicated. Tour felt very personal despite tours running three times a day. Our kids(3 and 5) enjoyed it too. Thanks Mario!
M W — Google review
This was such a fun tour of the orange farm with excellent commentary from Mario. The shop has a wonderful selection of marmalade and also orange themed souvenirs. We got some good tips for growing an orange tree from Mario too.
H apples — Google review
"Orange World" is an amazing place to visit...then let me chat about its owner, Mario!!! Unfortunately, I would get RSI if I did so...so may I suggest you experience the experience yourselves!!! Cheers Jeff Teague Owner/Operator of Teague Tours 😊 🇦🇺 👍
Jeffrey Teague — Google review
Mario runs this tour on his farm, and is a hoot, great conversationalist.
Oranges themselves are only mildly interesting, but the kids loved the tractor ride. Wear a soccer shirt for extra points.
Jarrah Muller — Google review
What a fun and informative day hosted by the absolutely lovely Mario and Rowena. 30 years between visits for me and still a fabulous day had!
Thank-you for all you do for the citrus industry here in Australia guys.
Buy local people!
🍊🥑
Kimmy Sexton — Google review
Very interactive tour. Mario the owner and tour guide was extremely affable and gave a great experience for the kids.
The pricing was slightly more than I wanted to pay, but it was a better tour than many.
Mick Micallef — Google review
A little hidden gem. Family run business. The owner Mario is very friendly and lively to run a tractor tour. He provided many interesting information running a orange orchard. The blood orange ice cream is very distinctive.
Thean Sim — Google review
Mario was an engaging tour guide and really ap-pealed to us. The tram was also a neat idea to allow tourists to explore the farm comfortably seated all the way. Appreciated the complimentary orange juice before the tour.
Only downside was that we could not step off the tram and walk around the farm to see and feel the fruit trees up close.
Eugene Leong — Google review
We were lucky enough to visit Orange World on Boxing Day and it was fantastic! This family owned farm is well worth a visit, not only are the staff friendly and welcoming, but their orange juice (included with the tour) is THE BEST. The tractor farm tour is very engaging and informative. Our guide was Lynton, he was such an outstanding presenter and was so kind as well. The farm shop has lots of produce, honey and home-made goodies. Make sure you take a stop here if you’re road-tripping through the area!
Michelle Rendace — Google review
We had the pleasure of visiting Orange World during our Easter holiday and had the best experience. The very kind Mario and Maria and also informative Linton who took us on our tractor/train ride. What a wonderful experience. Best thing we did!!
Shayne Beswick — Google review
We had a great day at orange world. Whilst waiting for the tour the kids enjoyed the sandpit. The adults enjoyed exploring the souvenirs, I couldn't go pass the mandarine and mimosa scented candle and the honey.
Mario the tour guide and owner was great entertainment, funny and informative, he had us laughing and interacting. It was a lovely start to our day. Thank you Mario.
Vanessa Sullivan — Google review
Great place to visit when in Mildura. Host Mario & staff are very friendly & accommodating. So nice to have a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice while you wait to go on the orange farm tour. Such a pleasant experience, very cute that Mario gives prizes out. The kids play area outside is small but homey feels.The train ride is fun and really interesting what you learn about orange's . Best to book a head as you may miss out if you just rock up, it's a chance you take. The gift shop is cute. Overall a great activity for young & old. Keep up the lovely customer service and orange farm experience. Have been here a few times now. We tend to bring family & friends to orange world when we visit Mildura.
Connie Dinu — Google review
Orange World was a highlight of our trip to Mildura for Country Champs Basketball. Mario was hilarious, such a great host and tour guide. He got to know every single person by name on the tour and made us all feel incredibly welcome. Interesting tour, delicious fresh juice, great gift shop and hilarious host. Thanks from the Morwell Magic boys and families!
Lauren Beckett — Google review
Absolutely fantastic, and a real hidden gem to go and visit! The owner was really friendly and made the tour very fun and special. Our dog was allowed into Orange World too which was great, and even sat with us on the tractor ride. Booking is essential, particularly during the holiday period. We spent about 1.5 hours here, and definitely recommended the orange cake at the end of the tour.
Kerbray — Google review
It was one of the best tour experience with the best tour guide (Mario) in Orange World by far!!! Though it was actually my first time visiting the spot and Mario was the only guide there. 😉
I was not really expecting much as we were just mainly looking for a place to drink fresh orange juice but when we arrived there, Mario was very welcoming and accommodating to offer us the train tour even though there were just 5 visitors at that moment. Before going for the ride, Mario gave us the most awesome freshly squeezed orange juice that I have ever tasted my whole life!
The tour was really an unexpected gem that we accidentally found. Coupled with the knowledge and entertainment that we had recieved from Mario, we had a blast! Please support locals and visit the place when your in the area.
JC III VILLAFLOR — Google review
We visited whilst on our houseboat holiday in the region. Where we moored was a 1.5km walk to orange world. Mario & Maria were very friendly & welcoming. We did the 10.30am train tour with Mario which was very informative & enjoyable with all of Mario's jokes included. You get a complimentary glass of freshly squeezed OJ & also pick your own mandarins from the tree included in the tour. A big thanks to Mario for specially picking a Cara Cara orange which weren't ready yet for us to taste & for me to give to my friend in Melbourne who had specially requested it. We had Maria's orange syrup cake after the tour which was delicious. We bought lots of the variety of small jars of marmalades & some choc dipped orange slices, orange chocolate block & remember to buy & take some freshly squeezed OJ home also as available for sale. We loved this tour & highly recommend it.
Great stroll along the river & reading about the history. Amazing to see the different water levels. Worth seeing.
Helen Clarke — Google review
Nice place if only you could get in it. But nice drive. Understandably flood damage.
B Hannam — Google review
Great to see it out of the water.
Aiden Tieu — Google review
Murray River irrigation works as part of the Chaffey trail.
H apples — Google review
Turned up when I boat was in the lock, never seen one in action, although only caught the end of the process. Still interesting. The park was oddly busy, well the car park had lots of people idling in their cars for some reason.
Mathew Barber — Google review
superb
JFS (sipenulispena) — Google review
It was good to see the lock in operation. To small boats went through it and we had to wait a little while but it was well worth it.
Kylie Harrison — Google review
It's an interesting spot. Some great information about the river, its wildlife, and the history of the lock. A nice walk. Lock Island is not dog friendly, but the area along the river is. Easy parking.
Belinda Shaw — Google review
Beautiful walking trail around the Island.
Good for kids.
Difficult for wheelchair after the dam.
samanata Dhakal — Google review
Easy access, you can walk across the lock which is something that cannot usually be done. The island is on the other side, not much to see there but it is part of a working lock so really a marvel of engineering.
Mark Ivess — Google review
Interesting to see how the lock works to let boats go up and down the river by changing the level of water in the lock.
Andy M — Google review
Just one of a dozen Fabulous places to visit near Mildura.
norm lee — Google review
Very nice area for a walk and plenty of info on the Murray River and all that it supports
Ricky Pinnington — Google review
4.5
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4.5
(377)
23 Hugh King Dr, Mildura VIC 3500, Australia
I'll never travel to Ballarat without this trip planner again
This whiskey and gin distillery is a top-notch experience! The diverse selection of whiskey and gins is a treat for the palate. The addition of amazing finger foods perfectly complements the rich flavors of the spirits. What sets this place apart is the exceptional customer service – staff attentively check in every five minutes, ensuring a personalized and enjoyable visit. A must-visit destination for those who appreciate both quality beverages and outstanding service.
Thank you 😊
Vahid Shahani — Google review
One of our friends introduced Fossey's Gin to us and we loved it so much that we decided to head to Mildura from Melbourne (600kms!) just to try all the rest of their Gins during Easter weekend.
Luckily for us- it was an absolute worthwhile trip...what an amazing experience! First of all good old 'all smiles' customer service, really yummy food and ofcourse the heavenly Gins...everything was just amazing. We bought so many Gins (we better don't put it here how many...) and did lunch plus dinner there that the owner Steve came over to say hello to us during dinner :) we were so touched with that gesture... Lovely family of Fossey's.
By the way they also do 2 amazing Whiskies- their single malt is really really good...highly recommended.
Luckily for us in Melbourne they are opening a store in the Lygon st soon(June/July 2022)..so for the 1000s of their fans here they will be able to experience the same Gins and Whiskies soon without having to travel 1200kms but Mildura experience will always be unique....the lovely setup they have there will stay unique and Mildura itself was such a lovely town that I would recommend everyone to visit there at least once :)
Raj Chhabra — Google review
Very nice place to stop into. Excellent atmosphere, nice food, very good selection of drinks. Sometime you like a standard martini though. Otherwise excellent. Buy some to take home.
Adam Perrett — Google review
Really busy hadn’t considered how close to Christmas it would be but staff helpful finding space for walk ins despite being fully booked. Sat in comfy lounge chairs. Staff amazing trainee looked after us and she was wonderful all staff very knowledgeable. We had a platter to nibble on, chicken, belly pork, duck spring roll, cauliflower and potatoes all excellent but duck and pork outstanding sauces are amazing more than just an add on. Large range of gins, spirits beers and wine plenty of choice for all tastes great experience
Tracy Davey — Google review
Such a great place to catch up with friends and family. Beautiful outdoor seating under gorgeous grape vines. The cauliflower florets were absolutely to die for. Super crunchy, slight curry flavour, just the way I like it. The cocktails were a generous size with good garnishing. I have been here plenty of times and I definitely will be back. The wait staff were so attentive and helpful, good knowledge of of the menu
The Duvals — Google review
Excellent experience. Highly recommended. Natasha and the gin-making expert (sorry I didn't ask her name) provided very informative gin making knowledge, and top customer service. Thank you!
Louise Wang — Google review
Great year round venue; outside in the shady front garden in summer and in front of the fire in cosy chairs in winter. So many delicious gins and nibble plates. The battered cauliflower is a must-order.
Jennie McKern — Google review
Fooseys is great. The atmosphere was cosy, warm and inviting. You can choose your drinks. I decided to try a flight of gins. Absolutely divine. Presented beautifully and each one was explained to me. Great place to sit back and chill. A must on your visit to Mildura.
MJ Wads — Google review
Beautifully decorated,lounge,garden area,set up so well. Staff were amazing,good service and local knowledge. Plenty of parking.
First time trying Fosseys gin,to many choices but im now a fan,very smooth gin variety to choose from & whiskeys
Sandra White — Google review
What a gorgeous spot! Lovely relaxed atmosphere and wonderfully welcoming staff…. special mention to a young man by the name of Tom! He was so helpful, nicely spoken and friendly.
We ordered their classic platter! What a treat it was! SO delicious! My husband LOVED the gin cocktails! We will certainly head back there on our next visit to Mildura. My only regret is that we didn’t find this place sooner!!! 🖤
Dot Rowett — Google review
What a find! Cherie, one of the owners, looked after our boisterous group and made great food and drink recommendations - everything was perfect! The amazing gin menu made selecting three on a tasting paddle a little difficult, but everyone was able to choose their three individually. Perfect! The group was more than happy and a few bottles were purchased to take home. Thanks Cherie and team, you made our visit exceptional 😀
Valerie Mercer — Google review
This place is awesome, love the atmosphere and what a great outdoor area.
Loved their gin's, had a couple of paddles and service was great and really friendly.
Also there food is really good as well, enjoyed the Cajun Squid and the Boozy Bird Burgers.
Definitely a must if in Mildura
Nigel — Google review
Always a nice spot!
Friendly, helpful staff.
We had perfect weather, so Sat in the courtyard and sipped at some of the amazing range of Gins & Whiskeys.
Spot on arvo! Thanks guys!
Sean Clifford — Google review
Haven't had the pleasure of visiting either venue in person but the team at Fossey's are so amazing and helpful while offering high quality, delicious spirits. I've had their whiskey in the past and can't wait to share the hot cross bun rum with the family this Easter. I had to do a taste test and it's delicious!
Very informative and well organised information centre. Staffs are very friendly and helpful.
sanjay — Google review
The staff were super friendly and informative. Full of knowledge on the area and all the best things to do. You should visit as soon as you get into town.
Rob — Google review
Big thankyou to the tall, young dark long haired lady that served us (sorry didnt get her name). Very imformative and went above and beyond to ensure we had a place to sleep on our spontaneous weekender away, which happened to coincide with the busiest weekend in Mildura where all accommodation was full, even in surrounding towns.
Craig Flanigan — Google review
Just after breakfast on our first day of touring, we always visit the Mildura Information Centre.
We have been to this terrific centre many times over the years and it always delivers.
The friendly staff go above and beyond to provide any information that you might be looking for. For example, I asked about the history of the world's longest bar (formerly at the Working Man's Club) and they found some information and photocopied it for me.
The displays here are well organised and spaced out so that you can walk around and appreciate Mildura and the surrounding regions focussing on key themes in a logical order.
There are lots of brochures about attractions, food and accommodation in Mildura and beyond. There are even brochures about other parts of Victoria and other states in Australia.
It's also a terrific place to buy postcards and other souvenirs.
If you are a new resident in the region, there's also loads of relevant information.
There's a cafe next to the centre if you want to stay a bit longer and grab a bite to eat.
In short, this place has everything!
We always enjoy stopping here and staying up-to-date with the latest information. Keep up the great work :-)
Leanne White — Google review
Alas coffee shop now closed - otherwise visitor center is a good spot for local info and public toilets. Convenient caravan parking nearby.
Tony Stevenson — Google review
Best visitor information centre I have been to. Lauren was super helpful. She found last minute accommodation for us, booked us on a tour, and gave us a lot of helpful information.
Jeanette Hughes — Google review
Staff very helpful and friendly
Karren Ferron — Google review
Meaghan was so helpful and friendly. She very patiently and enthusiastically showed us all the places that we could visit in Mildura and the surrounding areas. Thanks for doing such a spectacular job, Meaghan.
Arjun Bhugra — Google review
Good displays and information, access to a cafe and restrooms, conveniently located in the local community pool. Great parking even for large caravans.
Erik Vallejo — Google review
Very helpful staff. Thank you so much Tegan you really do go above and beyond.
wendy starr — Google review
Spacious and informative, well presented with friendly and helpful staff. Has a variety of gifts, souvenirs and local produce to buy. Plenty of free parking. Toilets, library and swimming pools are part of the complex.
Bev Caduff — Google review
Probably one of the best information centres I've been to, as it's part museum, plus it has the usual brochures and information you want, and a decent selection of gifts. It's also nicely laid out and displayed. The staff are friendly and helpful, and usually very knowledgeable, sometimes with some great tips that only a true local would know.
RobynLouise Thomas (robynlouise) — Google review
Nice information centre. Lots of information about surrounding areas in the state and near by. Staff are available and very helpful. Worth a stop.
Mark Ivess — Google review
It’s in the centre of the town.
Staffs are very friendly, informative and friendly.
I personally recommend to visit information centre before exploring as there are many nice places that we could not find through internet can find here.
They will even provide seperate map and guidelines, parking lots and other information about the place you want to visit.
There is little shop inside where we can find some gifts items and all.
samanata Dhakal — Google review
A nice visitor centre. Spoke with Lauren Lee there and she was extremely friendly and helpful with her giving all the information we enquired about, a great ambassador for Mildura...
Lee — Google review
Great centre. Loved the local food products & purchased them. Very disappointed that I then found the products have been marked up so much compared to other shop fronts ie fruit paste $7.95 compared to $5 and jam $9.80 compared to $7. We purchased more elsewhere. Please support you local producers!
Must stop at the Pub for lunch while you are there great food good price.
B Jack — Google review
This artwork looks amazing. The detail is incredible
David Oder — Google review
Loving the silo art trail. Wonderful art work of a local! Great info about the artist and how immersed himself in the history of the town and the people.
Rhiannon Jackson-Lematua — Google review
Very quiet town. Can camp next to pub. Solo art, old farming equipment and the large birds.
Ty Lynch — Google review
Beautiful silo art . Don't forget to stop and see the giant Mallee fowl statues in town.
Gillian Cameron — Google review
Cool little stop over with a few things to look at and stretch your legs
The Caravan of courage — Google review
Well worth visiting, this has to be one of my favourite Silo Art’s that I’ve visited so far! It’s my mission to see them all!!! I want to visit the music festival too!
Carl — Google review
More great artwork.
It makes you wonder how they get everything in proportion on such a large scale.🤔
Stephen Pauline — Google review
Good photo opportunities especially if you include the giant Mallee Fowls next door
Mark Lane — Google review
You need to be there to appreciate the work the artists had produced.
Wendy Ip — Google review
A fantastic work of art. Patchie is A great place to stay for a few days too. Great pub and pay $15.00 for a night at the pub for a powered site and water at the Caravan Park. So peaceful!
Chris Heinjus — Google review
One of the best on the silo at trail. The description of the subject matter is very good and very apt. If you are on 'The Trail' then I think it is a worth while visit despite the kms travelled to get here.
Russell Dunn — Google review
Beautiful stand alone Aussie Farmer. Surronded by a Cactus garden and iron fowl near by. Opposite a small milkbar and toliets.
R Harrison — Google review
So worth the drive out there. Stunning artwork and a great little town
Raeleen Donovan — Google review
This was where I started the trail. The post office opens at 10am on the Saturday. Grab a coffee, the blond shop keeper was so polite and made a killer cup of coffee. There's snake and all sorts of snacks. The colour full toilets across the road was amazingly clean. Be aware, Google does take you around the back for this silo.
Chandi Dinayadura — Google review
4.7
(370)
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4.5
(33)
Patchewollock VIC 3491, Australia
9
Lake Tyrrell
Nature & Parks
Bodies of Water
Lake Tyrrell is a locality in Victoria, Australia, located approximately 95 km from Robinvale, Victoria. The locality is named after the nearby Lake Tyrrell.
4.0
(42)
Victoria 3533, Australia
10
GrainCorp Lascelles Silo Art
Sights & Landmarks
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Another great style of artwork done by another artist to stop by and check out on your journey through town.
Peter Lowden — Google review
Great art at all the Silos. I But here the pub and Cafe are looking to serve you very nice pub food and friendly proprietor 😊
Charles Lethbridge — Google review
The most beautiful painting of your grandparents
Dennis Orgill — Google review
A part of the world that has been full of surprises. This was no exception.
Sunil Piers — Google review
Great paintings have to stand at the right position to get a full picture of what the artist has done.
Gary Harris — Google review
And another beauty along the silo Art trail. Renowned Melbourne Street Artist “Rone” has painted the images of a local couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman.
Mirjana Jesensek — Google review
Great spot for a photo same it's fading
kermit — Google review
The detail in the artwork is surprising, it isn't until you study them you see things like facial wrinkles, chest hair, lettering on a shirt button and other things.
Stephen Pauline — Google review
Nice not busy. The art is a little faded. But we were the only ones there and got some great photos.
Peter B. — Google review
Epic! Go Rone!
nicole johnston — Google review
great art work and not too far out ot the way.
Caroline Hubbard — Google review
I love Rones work and have followed his expos. This was a different sidd the quirky eerie rooms. This silo was definitely different to the others with the set up
R Harrison — Google review
So there's two, and the entrance is a tad confusing. Don't take the one right next to the train track, or the one next to the house next to the tracks. Take the one after opposite the park. I had a good sit and enjoyed my pie from the pub.
Chandi Dinayadura — Google review
Local couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman are depicted in this work by Melbourne artist Rone. Unfortunately the work is faded and poor Merrilyn isn't at all visible. Meals and accommodation available at the Minapre Hotel which also boasts a milk bar and coffee shop. Nearby is the Stockman's Hut Gallery which charges $5 admission and this includes complimentary tea or coffee. The gallery and grounds make up for the disappointment of the silo art.
Peter Lindsay — Google review
A bit difficult to make out as the colours are similar to the silo and depending on how much sunlight there is. Still worth going to and seeing it.
Absolutely lovely spot to camp for as long as you think you need. Very popular especially at peak times.
Ricky Pinnington — Google review
Free camping, clean toilets, hot showers, plenty of bins. Gorgeous view over the water. Close to town.
Chrystle Kemp — Google review
Wow beautiful surroundings, birds everywhere, plenty of unpowered sites and limited powered sites, lovely lake, clean toilets and showers. If you need exercise then you can walk around the lake 🏞😉
Mark Lane — Google review
Stayed 2 nights. Really nice place, free camping around the lake. Swimming and waterskiing. Short walk to the town. Had a nice meal at the community hotel.
Peter McDonald — Google review
What a fantastic find.
Lake Lascelles, is a great place not only for your fur friends, but the whole family. Lake Lascelles is in the town of Hopetoun, in the southern Mallee region.
The towns folk are the friendliest people only to happy to assist in any way.
Make sure it is on your bucket list.
Robert Hall — Google review
Beauty little free-camp spot by the lake and a walk out the back swamp tracks and motorbike. Fishing and boating. Top spot!!
Jaffasoft — Google review
Love this place. Peaceful with all amenities around. You can do some fishing as well but not sure what type of fish.
SafiyaTheBaby — Google review
This place is a gem for camping. It has a lot. A credit goes to the volunteers that look after the facilities. Powered sights $20.00 pn. Free camping. Donations for use of facilities showers, toilet, washing machine.
Barry Fisher — Google review
We had a great stay at Lake Lascelles
The free camping is fantastic
Philip Wilson — Google review
Our favorite camping spot, $20 power sites, & free unpower sites around lake, donation amenities, camp kitchen, washing machine also basic accommodation for hire. Fishing, canoeing, water skiing. Walk into town.
Judy Hartmann — Google review
Another, close to perfect camp-site. A powered site o the of the lake with nearby rustic (and clean) amenities. We met many new friend around the campfires we lit each night. Could have easily stayed here several more days.
Bruce Hamilton — Google review
Great place to spend your holidays. Hot showers, toilets, playground, firepit & bbq..
Suraya Em Jay — Google review
4.7
(196)
•
4.5
(33)
Hopetoun VIC 3396, Australia
12
GrainCorp Brim Silo Art
Sights & Landmarks
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Loved driving around in this area, impressive art.
Lars Kristiansson — Google review
Another great piece of artwork painted onto the silos. Plenty of parking if you like to stop for a cuppa or a snack.
Peter Lowden — Google review
Photo can be better if taken from a higher vantage point.
Cas — Google review
Lovely sepia tones set the stage of rural regions of Victoria and the rugged life it holds for the people who work and live it.
Fiona Vaughan — Google review
Sometimes simplicity is good - while the detail of this artwork was amazing the colours used that resembled the country around here made it even more impressive.
Eric Williams — Google review
The Original Silo Art piece which is easily accessed and viewed. A small parking area across the road is the best spot to pull in with parking for caravans and cars and several shady picnic shelters and tables available also.
Tony H — Google review
Beautiful silo art nice photo opportunity well worth a quick stop.
trevor dixon — Google review
Beautiful art, fantastic drive
Liz Loft — Google review
First silo art in Victoria. Make it a vital stopping off place. Great camping ground.
Allan Crane — Google review
Visit them all. Each is unique
Tony Wenz — Google review
These GrainCorp silos were built in 1939 and are now decommissioned.
Artist Guido van Helten’s, finished his artwork in 2016, depicting four female and male farmers of the Wimmera Mallee region.
The Brim Grain Silo's were the first to be painted, and its success inspired the establishment of the Silo Art Trail.
Garry Purcell — Google review
Was a great day going to see the art work.....we made it to 3 of them and wished we did the rest but will do on the next trip up....well worth a visit though.
David Cornell — Google review
Great silo art! Brim maybe a little out of your way, but with a little forethought it's easy to work into your trip plan.
Andrew Osborne — Google review
The father of all silo arts in Australia! This mighty silo art started the chain reaction of silo arts across Australia. It was painted by the Brisbane Street artist Guido van Helten in 2015. This is now one of the 6 silo arts in the 200km silo arts trail from Melbourne. I am so proud of our great artists, bringing out the souls of the very village they represent - the many many remote little towns and communities that adds so much depth, history and meaning to what the huge Australia continent is all about! Little little places where big crops grow, providing food to Australia and beyond! I just love getting out there, giving them whatever support aiming for a self sustaining Australia!
Great place to come on a drive and sit down and relax and have a bit to eat or just look at the great artwork painted onto the silos.
Peter Lowden — Google review
STUNNING this was my 2nd favourite silo art so far. Beautiful story and colours what a stand out.
R Harrison — Google review
The drive to get here is through farming areas with narrow roads. Slow down for any traffic. Look out for motorcycles. Many wind turbines to look at around this area. The painted silo's are very well done. Disused rail line behind silo's. Great for taking pics.
David Garcia — Google review
Worth the small detour off the 'main' road, the colours are vibrant, the art is breathtaking.
Kerryn Anderson — Google review
Our favourite of 3 silos visited. The drive through the towns is well worth it for architecture of buildings and what would have been bustling little towns in times gone by. Unfortunately not much happening nowadays which is sad. It needs more visitors!!
Melinda Tant — Google review
Great part of the art silo tour. Great to visit on your way to Mildura
Peter B. — Google review
We reached there at sunset and it was difficult to take photos. The Silo was huge and beautiful. No ticket is required.
Yin Yin Loh — Google review
My favourite silo art! I’ve seen some other ones but when I saw the Graincorp Sheep Hills Silo Art, I was overwhelmed with the scale of the silo and the colours were breathtaking. This artwork is great for photos too 📸 it was worth driving all the way from Melbourne!
Gahee Nam — Google review
Truly one of a kind artwork, the elders and the two children, the generations of people who own the land. A landmark to celebrate the land, the stars, the beauty and the beliefs. The artwork is respectful about the past, hopeful about the future and will transcend the generations to come. The color selection is awesome. What's even more wonderful, is the day expressions on the faces.
Manikandan Sigamani — Google review
Absolutely fantastic a worthwhile place for all people to visit amazing artwork and some great Victorian towns that got this country started.
Andrew Waterman — Google review
This silo was the last scheduled stop of our three day silo road trip.
The colours were stunning, the story behind the art amazing, this silo also has a visitor’s book, which we signed.
Plenty of parking space available and also the opportunity to stretch your legs between your silo stops.
Patrick Silveira — Google review
If you're out looking at Silo Art do not miss this wonderful experience. All the brochures hyperbole is actually accurate. Great for photographers of all skill levels.
John D — Google review
4.8
(619)
•
5.0
(43)
445 Sheep Hills-Minyip Rd, Sheep Hills VIC 3392, Australia
Large-scale mural of 2 figures painted on a pair of grain silos by artist Julia Volchkova.
Stayed a few days here. Lovely quiet spot by the river. Powered site and water $10.00 per night. Visited the Heritage listed Stick Shed in Murtoa. Lovely few days.
wendy h — Google review
Lovely art.
Read the literature available in the small shelter directly across from this silo and you will learn about other attractions this small town has to offer.
There is an art trail on the perpendicular street to this silo, which we walked along as well. That street also houses the local IGA and clean public toilets.
Patrick Silveira — Google review
Closer to Horsham and Murtao, it's the smallest of all the silo arts, but a more special one in retrospective. It's easier to draw on a blank canvas. But blending into the background color, coming up with such a realistic piece of art, is not an easy task. The faces in the painting are so relatable. It's well informed along the route and easier to find. It's a small town but a beautiful one.
I would suggest, starting from your trip from this one.
Manikandan Sigamani — Google review
Great painting. Also worth a look down the centre medium strip of the main street.
Gary Harris — Google review
Fascinating little town with a rich history. Definitely worth visiting, the art work is a bonus extra.
Sunil Piers — Google review
Wonderful at work but soon the paint will need a touch up soon. Worth a visit nevertheless.
David Asquith — Google review
We arrived at night. Would be nice if they have a light illumination or solar power lights for night viewers. 😊
Yin Yin Loh — Google review
Fantastic art work, it is fading a little but the Shire are looking into it. Fantastic information pavilion and book exchange across the road. Good parking . Well done to the Shire and community .
moni lee — Google review
Great Art Work, recommend 2 days to do the trail if coming up from Melbourne. I would have liked more signage, as not knowing the area at all, some had signs, some did not and were a bit of a challenge to find
Harley Davidson — Google review
Really nice, on a made road so easy access for motorcycles. Not hidden it is in the main street. Easy to park your bike or car in front of to get that shot or take a selfie. Not busy so you will have time to get your photo. Plenty of room for cars, bikes and or buses.
Tennille Kent — Google review
Not quite the same impact as others on the silo art trail, but none the less impressive. The overall detail to scale is amazing. Worth visiting if in the area.
Had morning tea at Pickers Mart. They have recently set up a cafe. Excellent coffee. Pleasant ambiance. Food looked very nice. We didn't eat. Still losing weight after Christmas. !!
The Mart is always interesting, and now they have a man who repairs clocks, also buys and sells.
Well worth a visit.
They have since stopped serving food and coffee.
Pauline Shirrefs — Google review
Some bloody amazing things, unfortunately the pricing is high end retail and not what you would expect from a picker market in the middle of nowhere.. we where hoping for some bargains and novelty pieces to bring home. But unfortunately it was all far to expensive.
Anthony Meehan — Google review
Been to many similar shops around the country, this is one of the best. A must visit in Stawell. On the highway, so very convenient. Everything well organised and good layout. Lots of interesting and quality items. I just move into the area, so will be back to get something for decorations.
B T — Google review
What a surprise this little place was. Often driven by for years and often said I must drop in. Well I did and three hours later and arm fulls of treasure I had to leave. But I will be back. Excellent service. As you walk around collecting stuff, staff come and ask if you would like them to take your stash to the counter while you continue collecting more. Very organised.
Donna Tucker — Google review
Absolutely fantastic range of all types of collectables some not so old. Jewellery range very nicely priced. Never surprised of what is here from each visit to the next . I have never gone away disappointed. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Groups are welcome here all aisles are set out for wheelchair and mobility walker access. Come and have a look you won't be disappointed
Alexander Campbell — Google review
This little (huge) gem of a place was packed full of amazing. I was so sad that we were their last sale EVER!
I would have been a regular down there being new to town and loving second hand goods.
Ebony Mills — Google review
Lots of little, interesting, individual stalls (sort of like a market) all together in a huge shed. With such a diverse range of products. Brand new, Secondhand, Antique, Homemade.
They even have a little Health food stall included with things like Gluten Free, Weight loss assistance, protein powders and bars etc, organic products, Vegan products (including cheeses) Can also write your own suggestions for products and they will try their best to source it for you.
Angelique Bordon — Google review
Friendly staff, huge stock to browse. A trip through time!
Lovely wines, great service, busy place but it was all good. Delicious charcuterie board with the wine tastings, we will be back! Live music too.... and cute dogs. Great range of wines, something for everyone. Perfect day out.
John K — Google review
Thanks to Jo who attended our tour group on Saturday 12th March. Great service, friendly staff and lovely wines.
Julie
Hops n Grapes Tours
Julie Stephens — Google review
Had a magnificent afternoon tasting their wines on the veranda on a sunny afternoon with a great cheese platter and Bo’s excellent music selection. Can’t rate it highly enough.
Geoff Halprin — Google review
Beautiful native setting for the tasting room.
Lovely use of timber throughout.
Very helpful new customer service girl, friendly but not pushy!
Wide choice of wine to taste!
Jen Abreu — Google review
Awesomeness personified top cellar door with scrumptious platters and great range of wines from whites to reds and bubbles as well Jo was a super host who knew her wines well done Taltarni
Stephen Hartley — Google review
Have never been to the swine area although I would love to go if I'm ever in Australia New Zealand and Tasmania. Bernard Porte makes exceptional lives whether it be in the US California French Southern profiles and as in your Winery
Paul Toepp — Google review
Fabulous winery, great atmosphere and lovely wine. The staff member who was working had been left short staffed but was incredible- she kept smiling throughout even though she was run off her feet. She was very knowledgeable and engaging and did an amazing job keeping everyone happy, pretty much by herself.
Sandy Bevan — Google review
What an unexpected fun afternoon we had at Taltarni Vineyard on Wednesday. We were planning on popping in for a bottle of Champagne, 2 hours later we left having enjoyed a very funny afternoon. It could have been used for a pilot for a comedy show! What made it special was Lilly their Sommelier. Can't thank you enough for the entertainment and your expertise. By the way did I mention the fantastic Wines Taltarni have! the Sparking Shiraz is to die for along with there red and white ! Can't wait to come back for a picnic on a Sunday and listen to your bands. Thanks again Lilly an absolute please meeting you! A great find Taltarni!
michelle vale — Google review
Had such a wonderful afternoon, awesome wines. Great facilities. Host Lily was insightful and a pleasure.
Michael Smith — Google review
It took far too long for us start our pre booked wine tasting. Once things started they were going well before we were once again forgotten and it seemed people who just walked in were served ahead of us. They were under staffed and lacked any personal service. The wines were generally good but we had much better experiences in more personable & picturesque wineries nearby
Michael Taylor — Google review
Came through a couple of months ago, without a booking, and was looked after beautifully. Was reminded to write a review after I opened a Mourvedre tonight. Service was great, and I regret I can't remember the name of the lady who served us, but she was a great representative for the region. Cheers!
Well this is not your usual winery where they only serve wine and pizza.
I was blown away that it was different. Pity it’s so far away but if whoever is reading this, it’s a great place to have lunch and try the local produce. But, YOU MUST BOOK IN ADVANCE.
Marie Gabri?lle — Google review
I am most impressed by Blue Pyrenees Estate. Recently, as a wine club member, I was hand-delivered a pack of old vintage wines in recognition of my birthday. This was a wonderful surprise. Highly recommended for its quality wines and personable service.
Peter Morison — Google review
We visit at least once a year for the wonderful platters and wine. They cater to all our dietaries (gluten free, pescatarian) with ease and their kids menu is small but really well done.
Anna BK — Google review
Great winery, lovely hosts! The tasting platters were fantastic and the wine was superb 👌😋
Amanda — Google review
Just had the most enjoyable lunch today at Blue Pyrenees Winery .
Linda the cellar door manager is friendly, knowledgeable and makes the best platters.
Sitting outside , under the verandah, listening to the cicadas, looking at the gum trees and blue sky together with the the delicious, generous platter and lovely wines , great desserts and coffee made for a great day. It’s your choice to dine outside, or inside in air conditioned comfort.
From bubbles, reds, rose’, and whites Blue Pyrenees Wines and Cellar Door Platters are the best.
Definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been.
Debra Adele — Google review
OMG Linda and her Staff were 5 🌟 Friendly and knowledgeable of the wines and history of winery
Very accommodating to us and our two girls ( fur babies ).
Such a relaxing atmosphere we will return ❤️ and of course the wines were 🤤.
Barbara White — Google review
Lovely winery to visit in the Victorian goldfields. Fabulous grazing plate that's generous meal for $38, accompanied by delicious wines.
Andrew Ogbourne — Google review
I was really looking forward to coming out here today. I had heard really great things from a friend. The venue is pretty and the set menu local food platter was nice and we paired it with a lovely Chardonnay. Unfortunately, the overall experience was not great though. We asked for a wine tasting and it was the worst one I have had. We were asked to move inside, which is fine, but the server promptly forgot about us. Our food sat outside in the sun with the flies while he reused our glasses for whites, reds and sparkling and could not recommend even one to have with our meal.
We then asked for more bread, which I had to ask for three times, it was over 20 mins before it came. We also asked for another bottle of wine but the server never came back.. they then cleared our glasses .. so had clearly forgotten us again. It was not that busy considering it was a set menu! Ended up leaving without buying anything to take away although we wanted to. Disappointed.
Courtney Underwood — Google review
The wine and the food are exceptional. Whether you are a red, white or sparkling fan. It's all very very good.
The share platter for two is always great and changes with the season.
The staff are friendly and welcoming.
Enjoy a day out in the Avoca area.
Sue Mcguinness — Google review
Awful experience at the winery today, the male attendant running the wine tastings offered ZERO explanation of any of the wines, no order or method to the tasting and had an unfriendly poor attitude in general. Despite many tables and plentiful space they were only capable of doing three tastings at a time! There was an hour wait on food and despite advertising a cheese or food platter to accompany a wine tasting they were unable to offer this service! Wont be recommending or coming back!
Emily Neville — Google review
A lovely setting. Dog friendly. The platters were very tasty. The wine we bought was reasonably priced. An enjoyable time 😊
Nancy De George — Google review
Very generous wine tasting and staff are friendly. Their Shiraz is reasonable price and food is good. Their outdoor setting is very pretty. I really enjoy this winery and highly recommend. :)
Sam — Google review
The wine is great, the setting is great, and the platter is the best I can remember ever eating
Sue McIndoe — Google review
As part of our Victorian regional escape we called into Blue Pyrenees Estate, our hosts Linda and Phil helped us enjoy a fantastic afternoon, we shared a wonderful platter with a hot and cold selection (bring your appetite!) then some lovely wine tastings, the sparkling Rose and Shiraz were just delicious, the staff here are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable who absolutely enjoy and take pride in their environment, thanks again for making Blue Pyrenees a "must" visit. We joined the wine club as well offering great discounts and will look forward to receiving our regular deliveries, Merry Christmas all, best wishes, Therese and Mick.
Michael Fisher — Google review
This place has the best value platter I have come across, absolutely amazing & a general all round excellent experience with a very nice assortment of wine to compliment.
Kelvin Stead — Google review
Thanks to table server, Leonie, our day for adventure paid off handsomely! First, an exotic and filling platter for two, teamed with crisp white wines, barista coffees AND a personalized mudmap for the scenic route home! WHAT A GREAT DAY......in the atmospheric Pyrenees!
Flossie Peitsch — Google review
A lovely place for lunch and amazing sparkling shiraz.
Interactive displays over 2 floors telling the story of the Chinese miners who came to the area.
Great little museum but with lots of items ang things to explore. You can have yourself with the traditional Chinese dress, pan gold, calligraphy and many more. The two ladies at the reception really nice and very helpful.
We were the only family visited this morning. Spent over an hour in there. Kids really enjoyed it. Highly recommended when visiting the area.
Pitori S — Google review
Interesting gold mining history of Australia to be explored here. Nice exhibition with some good interactive activities such as trying your hand at Chinese calligraphy and costume dress-up for photos :) Well worth a visit. However, a note to the staff/volunteers: kindly clean after hours, as the intrusive sound of a vacuum midway while we were there spoiled the tranquil mood. We could no longer hear the nice piped-in Chinese instrumental music playing and found it difficult to concentrate on reading the many informative plaques on display with all that noise! We’d just walked through, and could sincerely see no immediate need for it. Thank you
P W — Google review
A great way to spend indoors out of the rain and not expensive at all, and the volunteers that work there are knowledgeable and lovely people.
Leanne Gillings — Google review
Well designed exhibition, interesting history, and enough activities for adults and kids. The volunteers are especially lovely and we had a great chat. Thank you for keeping this place and this piece of history open to all!
Ben Woo — Google review
Ararat has a lot of history and this interactive museum is reasonably priced, staffed by friendly knowledgeable staff, well laid out and definitely worth a visit. Allow 2 hours, watch the movie to get the backstory and then be immersed in what the museum has to offer. History, mining, gold panning, Chinese culture and the part the Chinese played in founding Ararat. Before leaving make sure you go upstairs and check out the roof of this extraordinary building.
peter spooner — Google review
Cannot praise this place enough. From the lovely gentleman who greeted us at reception to the seemingly never ending superb displays throughout. It’s a must see. The small yet very manicured gardens are also a delight to stroll through. Bonus gift shop with reasonably priced items. I did spend a bit. It was worth it.
The Reviewer — Google review
I recently visited the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre and I must say it was a truly enlightening experience. The centre beautifully captures the rich history and cultural contributions of the Chinese community in Australia, particularly during the gold rush era.
The exhibits are thoughtfully curated, providing a comprehensive overview of the challenges and triumphs faced by the early Chinese immigrants. The artefacts, photographs, and multimedia presentations offer a vivid insight into their daily lives, work, and cultural practices.
The knowledgeable staff members were eager to share their expertise and were happy to answer any questions. Their passion for preserving and sharing this important part of Australian history was evident throughout the visit.
The highlight for me was the recreation of the historic mine site. It's a unique way to step back in time and get a feel for the conditions that the Chinese miners worked under.
The centre also offers educational programs and activities for both adults and children, making it a valuable resource for schools and families interested in learning about this crucial chapter in Australian history.
Arun Chandran — Google review
We had so much fun here, we were so glad we stopped! It was a spur of the moment decision when driving past. The staff were very friendly and happy to have a chat/explain things, so encouraging towards the children to try to pan for gold, and just genuinely kind ladies.
The museum was amazing, so well designed and educational. We will absolutely return here next time we pass through! The gift shop was very affordable too, we all got ourselves a lovely little treasure
Danielle Kindleyside — Google review
Highlight of our road trip to Ararat. The ladies at the counter were super friendly and went out of their way to enhance our museum experience by sharing knowledge. The place is really well maintained with nice little souvenirs at the gift shop.
Amber Lee — Google review
Dropped in here on one of our many travels as I have a love of the contributions of all who settled this country and made it what it is today. The Chinese miners and their story are beautifully represented here and it was enough to make me light some incense out front! The gift shop ig good too and I did buy some gear. This is not a family theme park but if history is your thing, then this is perfect.
BLACKNAIL Official — Google review
Brilliant place to visit, well done Ararat. Definitely a great education for all adults & children. Thank you to the enthusiastic volunteers.
Elaine Harris — Google review
Amazing place showing the local Chinese history that was built and is run by volunteers!
Darlene Fernandez — Google review
*Re-opened from 2nd June 2022*
A very well done and informative museum run by knowledgeable and helpful staff who were a real delight to interact with - they even helped us find some gold, to keep! The history of Ararat and it's founding was really interesting. I hope people do visit and support this valuable resource.
Guided tours of cells, wards & treatment areas in an old hospital & jail for the criminally insane.
Wow Rob was a great tour guide. The stories he told were interesting and hair raising as well. This place has lots if history. So well presented and well maintained. Rob asked if we wanted to see the 12 min DVD with some of the prisoners on and yes that was worth it. One prisoner or should I say patient believed he was Princess Margarets partner and waited for the queen to release him. He had to have his front teeth removed cos he had a habit of biting people! Sad that people were locked up like this but some were extremely dangerous. I am really can’t recommend this place enough
Shez H — Google review
Peter was our tour guide and he was great. Telling us historic facts and interesting stories that have happened at this place over the years. Our tour had quite a few people in it, and am glad we were able to get on it, it would have been better, I feel, with less people. I would like to have more time to read all the stories of the inmates. Otherwise, it was certainly a good way to spend a couple of hours in Ararat.
Marta Tesoro — Google review
We have always driven past on our way to Melbourne.....good timing it was open and the tours started a little earlier school holidays.....we had Harry as the best guide, very knowledgeable and informative about the history of J ward, to think it was still functioning until 1991!!!
A must to see and visit! Highly recommended 👌
Kerrie Lee — Google review
What a great place! Harry was our guide and it was only us 2. He took us around everywhere and answered questions with enthusiasm and gusto.
Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Very fascinating, humbling and intense!
Matt Power — Google review
We enjoyed our visit, loved learning and hearing about its history. Highly recommend a visit! We did however find ourselves torn between listening to the tour guides awesome stories or reading all the other stories (or get left behind :)). Would come back, maybe a self-guided tour would also be a nice alternative to pace ourselves?
Arni M — Google review
I selected to do a guided tour rather than wonder around on my own. It was really great and well worth the money, especially since all ticket sales go towards maintaining the place. I was lucky to be the only one there on Sunday afternoon, so I got the VIP experience with Harry.
I found him to be very knowledgeable and more than happy to answer any questions I had. Harry had plenty of stories to tell and even his very own personal link to JWard. I got to wander around the jail section by myself for 15mins at one point but the highlight was getting to go up into the guard tower.
I recommend doing a guided tour as you'll get to see sections of the place that you'll not be able to see wandering around on your own.
Bek G — Google review
A great tourist destination. A must see. All the upkeep is from the admission fee. Something like this should have help from the government. We'd like to thank Alan for his time. He makes a great tour guide and all in his own time. All staff are super friendly. This has some great history. Highly recommend. I don't think there has been anyone disappointed I have spoken to that has been here. Keep up the good work. 10/10
Jon Grimshaw — Google review
Defiantly worth a visit. Volunteer run Heritage listed Alan my tour guide was excellent still enthusiastic after years of giving the same tour Everything you see is as it was The lobotomy room and hangman's area were interesting as was the stories of the inmates - some very dangerous people were confined here and working conditions must have been challenging Allow about 2 hours all up plenty of parking Toilet facilities on site (No cafe)
david lucas — Google review
Excellent tour. We had Peter, he was very polite and informative, he answered all our questions and provided excellent knowledge of the gaol/hospital during the 2hr tour. Very old and well maintained buildings and grounds. Well worth a visit
Alan H — Google review
The entire family absolutely loved the tour...our guide was amazing... highly recommend.
Andrew Robbins — Google review
Fantastic journey through an historical part of our history. Our guide Sandra has incredible knowledge and explains it in plain English.
Larry Small — Google review
Absolutely enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide, Alan was so knowledgeable of all the dates and happenings while it was a hospital and a gaol. Some of the stories were fabulous shame there were children in the tour we could have had more in depth stories! Still can't believe this was only closed in 1991. A big tick for all the volunteers well done
Stephanie Hughes — Google review
Extremely awesome place, we went on Friday and were the only ones there so had our tour to ourselves for 2 hours, guide was extremely friendly and had amazing knowledge of the place and we saw areas that had not seen before. Fantastic experience. Would definitely go back again.
Jordyn Alexander — Google review
We loved our tour. What an interesting and enlightening place. Sandra is welcoming and friendly. Her love of J Ward history is very evident. Her knowledge is fabulous. Thank you for volunteering.
Joy Cooper — Google review
Great place to visit as both tourist and a local. Our tour guide was very friendly and very knowledgeable and kept us entertained for the full hour and a half.
No restrictions on taking photos or touching items in the building which is great.
Good for children but be aware that it was a jail and asylum so there are mature topics discussed regarding the history.
Nat G — Google review
Lovely staff. Very knowledgeable tour guide. The tour was worth the one and half hours that we spent. Recommended for anybody and for any age group. A must visit for history enthusiasts.
We did the 6 hour tour on the 2nd July with Jasmine & there were 11 people on the tour. It was so fascinating being able to communicate with the spirits, got some great responses when using the equipment from the spirits. Jasmine was an awesome guide taking us round to different buildings that we hadn't been on the shorter tour. Using the equipment to communicate was great. Will plan to do another 6 hour paranormal investigation soon. Well worth coming to Aradale.
Jared — Google review
We went on the extended 4 hour tour last night. I personally think the large group was too big for this type of tour. Not only was it our group, but there were several on the property at the same time, which made it extremely hard to hear, see, or get into the vibe. Our guide, who was very knowledgeable about Aradale just didn't have the tools to capture the audience and convey the stories.... something that will come with more experience. The 4 hours became very repetitive and due to covid was mostly outdoors. A few suggestions for those who are about to embark on a tour..... wear enclosed shoes, take plenty of water (even a small insulated bag with some) along with a snack, and..... the most important item to take... BUG SPRAY. The mosquitoes were horrendous!
Lyn Clarke — Google review
We did the extended 4 hour tour. Our guide provided excellent history and humour to the experience. It was sometimes difficult to hear her due to the size of the group, so maybe limiting numbers would be a better idea, however overall a creepy and interesting experience.
Lisa Carboni — Google review
My friends and I attended the 2 hour ghost tour, and our tour guide Sage was excellent. She has extensive knowledge when it comes to the asylum. The tour was informative.
If you are looking for more of a scare, they also have a paranormal investigation tour, which looks really good.
Sarah Ellard — Google review
This is an amazing piece of Victorian history. The guides were passionate and knowledgeable and the tales they told were engaging and entertaining. What a shame that this estate is not being maintained. Why is it not heritage listed. So much potential going to waste.
Anne Hamilton — Google review
We returned to Aradale for the 2nd time for the 6 hour paranormal investigation because we enjoyed our visit so much last time. Travelling all the way from Adelaide.
This time we were fortunate enough to have Sage as our guide and omg!! She was amazing and so knowledgeable. It’s so obvious to see how passionate she is about her job.
As my friend and I have investigated quite a lot, she left us to do our thing and was just there if we needed her, which we did many times, just because the place is an absolute maze and we surely would have gotten ourselves lost without her help.
This place is so active! It’s the only place we have investigated where we have had to turn the music box off because it was being activated so often and was becoming annoying 😆
If you love the paranormal and are fascinated with abandoned asylums, do yourself a favour and visit Aradale! You will not regret it! Or maybe you will…… 👻
Thank you so much Sage!! You were fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed spending the night on Mad Man’s Hill with you. We can only hope we are lucky enough to get you again when we visit for the third time!
Leah Jackson — Google review
Great experience, the host was very theatrical and entertaining. I loved hearing about the stories of the patients, whether true or not it didn't phase me it's more about the experience. I think two hours is plenty!
Stella Gonzalez — Google review
Great experience for ghost hunters.
Did the Friday night 2 hour ghost tour with Dahlia and learned the history of the place as we went between buildings and even visited the morgue. The following night we attended the 6 hour investigation with Jasmine and Scooby. All 3 of these guides were awesome, scooby was in particular amazing. We certainly managed to communicate with spirits with their ghost equipment. They even let us roam areas to hunt by ourselves. Would love to go back and investigate again and do the 4 hour ghost tour.
Andrew Chapman — Google review
Brilliant. From arrival to departure you become absorbed in your far from welcoming environment. There were on a few occasions I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I'm a sceptic! The tour guide absolutely suited his role, although I think a bit of captain jack sparrow might have creeped in. Anyway, a great tour and highly recommended. Well worth the drive up and spending the night in Ararat. Sleeping on the other hand...that took a bit of time...
Nick Egglington — Google review
Last night (Saturday 14/05/22) I did the Ballarat Walking Tour with our guide Damian. He was an incredible storyteller, his wit and passion made it that much better. The heritage buildings were beautiful to see and history behind them made it that much more interesting. We were lucky to have good weather and a FULL MOON. 🌚 It went for 2 hours but I wish it went longer, I could have listened to his stories all night. Even if you're a sceptic/non-believer, still 10/10 recommend and recommend Damian as your guide! He also wore this beautiful coat.
Elly Williams — Google review
We took the 4hr ghost tour with host Riley who was exceptionally knowledgeable and despite having a large than average group, kept good time allowing us to experience a very wide area of Aradale throughout the night.
We will definitely be coming back again
Keith Baker — Google review
Amazing place so much history and sadness, Nathaniel is an amazing and knowledgeable tour guide and took us in all of the hot spot areas! A few strange things happened to some of us in the group, whispers heard and some of us feeling light headed and dizzy. Highly recommend, definately will be back for the paranormal tour! A photo of a face in the window from the tour ??
emily aiello — Google review
My partner and I did the 6hr investigation tour.. we are now planning to go back with my parents very shortly. Our guide Di was absolutely awesome, so full of info and history and she really helped calm my nerves with her laid back and humorous nature, nothing short of amazing. Plus it was a nearly full moon, so the atmosphere was that bit spookier. Highly recommend going, even if you're a sceptic! 😅
UnicornLord — Google review
Unfortunately we (and a few others) followed Google Maps and ended up at the wrong entrance. However the tour guide was very understanding and shortly after 8pm we were all accounted for and began the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and extremely entertaining.
Very interesting stories were told and its quite chilling to be walking through this beautiful old building knowing that it had such a gruesome purpose. Highly recommend!
Madelaine Tabone — Google review
We did the 2 hour tour on Saturday with Lady Luna as our guide. She was full of knowledge and had a great sense of humour had some great stories about the asylum. Definitely recommend doing this ghost tour and now looking at doing an extended tour next time.
Ankie Katta — Google review
We did the 11pm ghost tour and it was truly something else. Our tour guide Sage was absolutely awesome and really set the scene for what we could expect. Some unspeakable acts took place here and it was both interesting and terrifying to learn about them standing in the actual lunatic asylum at midnight, in the dark! Definitely scary, but also fun. Highly recommend!
Luisa Modesti — Google review
Its a creepy old building that you get to visit at night, whilst being told some horrific stories of how the patients were treated.
Whats not to love?
Our guide 'Sage' was fantastic, very knowledgeable and entertaining.
Chantal Bromley — Google review
We came down from Queensland and could only get in the 2 hour tour sadly but it was an awesome night. Our tour guide Sage was amazing and really knew how to tell the stories in a way that really made you feel for the people who were committed there. She also made sure everyone felt comfortable and included. Top notch tour guide! We will definitely be back in the next 12 months for the 4 hour tour.
Tamika Matheson — Google review
Jasmine was an amazing host and really went above and beyond in her role as our tour guide loved every minute of the experience and she knows so much about the grounds and it's colourful past the buildings are truly amazing and I will be recommending it to all my friends and family thank you for the amazing tour
Cj Reff — Google review
If you want to go to a chilling, eerie and visit an intact part of brutal history, this is the tour. We had seen many you tube paranormal videos on the asylum, and it was definitely the place with many stories, haunting feelings and very memorable experience. Our guide Daria (I hope that’s right) was very in touch with the spirit world, and told many stories that are unexplained, and was a wealth of knowledge of the history of Aradale.
We have many photos of orbs, and an unexplained experience either a fan spinning at high revolutions in doors on a still night, which stopped on our guides request, and started again when she said we were not here to hurt anyone, and that they could continue playing.
My partner had an overwhelming sudden sickness in one part, and definitely felt the presence we were not alone, with unexplained noises and movement. We are certainly back for the full paranormal investigation tour.
What an amazing place, tour and sad part of our history with terrible treatments.
wolf drumming — Google review
Four of us booked the 6 hour paranormal investigation and were lucky enough to have Jasmine as our guide!! This was spooky, so fun and so informative. We had a BALL and can’t wait to come back. THANKS JASMINE!! 👻
Niki M — Google review
Wow what an incredible night. The Aradale ghost tour was one suprise after another. Extra fun to experience the ghostly energy in the morgue.
Di was a fantastic tour guide. Very informative, lots of fun and genuine in her approach.
Highly recommend 👌
Claire Chancellor — Google review
We done the 11.30 pm Saturday tour with Lithium . We were the only 2 on the tour so we got some extras . We learnt so much about the history and treatment of the patients. It would of been a living hell when it turns out the drs are the real lunatics the way they treated their patients was criminal and barbaric. We had a great tour thoroughly enjoyed ourselves got lil spooky at times I felt a very cold wind go past me and my partner felt something brush his leg . But a great big shout out to Lithium who done an amazing tour and when it was over the whole team at aradale helped us out and went above and beyond for us when our car wouldn't start. Thank you again for all your help and hospitality . We will definitely be back to do the 6 hour paranormal activity tour can't wait to see you all again thank you again Lithium your awsome and we appreciate you .
This place is really worth a look. Aside from the well reviewed food (which we didn't have) the station has been beautifully restored - hard to believe it only cost $1.6 million - probably would cost that much for a feasibility study in Melbourne and the detail is fantastic.
Grant Campbell — Google review
After receiving state funding from Heritage Victoria the magnificent Maryborough Station underwent a 4‐year three-stage restoration of the façade, the slate roof and clock tower and glazed lantern covering the main carriageway platform completed in 2012. It is a tribute to the Victorian Railways, Architectural Works Department completed in 1890 as an outstanding example to the school of Victorian railway architecture developing a regional rather than national or international modern style. It is one of the finest examples in the country of Queen-Anne architecture which displays many hallmarks of the Anglo‐Dutch style which is enlivened at the roofline with gables and an asymmetrically placed clock tower.
During the 1970’s much of the original facade ornamentation, the orbs, pedestals and ball-caps and rendered octagonal chimney crowns were sadly removed. These were carefully re-cast and reinstated as part of the restoration programme. The exterior was re-rendered using Adelaide ‘Brightonlite’ yellow-ocher oxide cement render. The residents of Maryborough were delighted with the result and applauded its face-lift and remarked “this is how it was meant to be” and how they could remember the way the station looked originally.
An outstanding feature of Maryborough Station is its long platform covered by a continuous glazed lantern at the apex. This is said to be the longest single platform outside the Melbourne region and measures 1010 meters including the rail motor sidings. Today, Maryborough Station operates an art gallery emporium, a fully licensed restaurant in the grand dining hall (thanks Lloyd) and VLine post and freight services for passenger and goods trains. Maryborough Station is an exceptional country Victorian attraction and well worth the visit. Thank you and all the best, Chris Wilmar
Chris Wilmar Architect — Google review
On our way home to Mount Gambier today we stopped in to Marlborough station hoping for coffee and early feed....OMG we were not disappointed...
The best cooked breakfast I have ever experienced....every mouthful delicious and well presented...chai late..prefect...
What lovely friendly staff.....amazing atmosphere....do your self a favour if travelling and looking for a good feed...worth the stop....
Garth Davis — Google review
Friendly service.
Great coffee.
Sandra Haebich — Google review
4.8
(4)
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4.5
(72)
Maryborough VIC 3465, Australia
24
Main St
Sights & Landmarks
Historic Walking Areas
4.5
(126)
Maldon VIC 3463, Australia
25
Talbot Farmers Market EVERY 3rd SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
Farmers' market
Shopping
Farmers Markets
Wow, what a fantastic market! And SOOO much bigger than I expected. Plus, the layout means you get a lovely meander through Talbot. Bring cash, the mobile reception for tap and go isn't fantastic.
Alissa Holder — Google review
Good sized market. Good location as it is in the main street in town. Jad a wide range of good from some fruit and veges, home made goods and some trash and treasure (brick and brack). Parking available around in the side streets. Well worth a visit.
Christine Brandt — Google review
Next market day 17th September 2023
//Excellent market. Good array of stalls from veggies, food, pies, community BBQ with sausages, hamburgers so reasonably priced, to the most delicious tomato sauce, preserves, jams and bric a brac to raise money for the community. You'll find this store outside the local post office and down another street.
Then there's the best flaxseed oil from Stony Creek organics, the olives are delicious at very fair prices for certified organic, excellent honey and the best healing balms from a stall in the 'yard sale area'. It's a bit hidden but we'll worth looking. There was only one veggie store the day I went so I was a bit disappointed. I was also hoping to find a butcher there or supplier of local grassfed or organic meats. Loved the eggs from navigator region and the yummy pea shoots they sell. There's heaps to explore
Museum is also open to have a look. The architecture is beautiful and the town is quaint. There are amenities of toilets, drinking fountain, playground and BBQs and seating area available.
Lovely day out and after stop off at Clunes historic town to purchase handmade woolen socks and products.
Will definitely be back again. Thank you♥️
Please give a thumbs up if you got value from my review 👍
Christy J — Google review
Being Easter it was a bit quieter than other times I've been there which was good as it was easy to walk around with the grandson in the pusher. Not all the usual vendors were there. Understanding it was Easter I don't blame them for not being there. The egg and bacon roll was beautiful though. Al good Jim.
dodge and plymouth parts australia — Google review
What an amazing market to go too. Lots of stalls with a lot of them having fresh produce. It's a credit to all who make this market happen
Rodney Brown — Google review
☀️ Absolutely adore the Talbot market! The charming little town captivates with its quaint streets closed off for a stroll through homemade treasures and lovely people. The abundance of plants, delicious food, and handmade goodies make it a delightful experience. Plus, the scenic drive from Ballarat adds to the overall charm. Undoubtedly one of the best markets near Ballarat! (Also, the stroop waffle lady is my absolute favorite. Her stroop waffles are the best!)
Tiesha V — Google review
What a beautiful village 14 k's out of Maryborough Vic. Gardens maintained by Volunteers. A nice place for an overnight stop in a B&B. You'd have to drive to Maryborough for dinner.
Dorothy Harris — Google review
Congratulations to the hardworking folk who coordinate this important monthly event. The lure of the market is clear from the large crowd it draws.
Unfortunately, apart from an excellent jerky stall, there were no butchers at this Sunday's market. Also, no dairy offerings.
Alcohol was well presented with several gin makers and vineyards. It was a very hot day, but none of the makers had bothered to get a bag of ice to better showcase their estimable wares. Plain silly. We bought lots despite this.
Chandlers were their in superabundance. Great, if scented candles are your thing.
A stall selling sausages was a favourite, despite their rolls being fit only for Bunnings weekends. The saddleback sausages, though, were truly excellent.
Long may this market prosper.
Ximenez — Google review
A fantastic market. Great fresh produce, vegetables, fruit, beautiful crummed mushrooms, bread, honey etc. Great variety of market stalls. A lot of different fresh cooked food to buy for lunch or a snacks. If your looking for a nice weekend away this would make a perfect stop on the Sunday. Or if your in the area do yourself a favor & drop in. On every 3rd Sunday of each month. Check out their wed sight for updates or changes. The photos are a very very small offering of what is truly there. Sorry didn't get more.
Matt Hutch — Google review
I drove to Talbot 'cause l'd heard it was a great Market . I thought it might be foreshortened 'cause of Covid BUT no ... a wonderfully eccentric mix of stalls . What added to the Buzz was the friendliness . I chatted with a great mix of humans ... My Dog loved it too ❤ l took home Sausage , Honey + Books .
JamesHarry Ward — Google review
Rain was still falling when we arrived at the Farmers Market around Sunday mid-day last week. Many stallholders invited us into their shelters extolling their wares, we gladly spent up big time! It was a joy to be out in the country fresh air and relatively free of Covid restrictions.
A beautiful botanic Gardens for this lovely country town. Great playground for the kids. Bridges over a little creek, lots of flowers and beautiful big trees. Large areas under shade with also big open areas. Nice location too, though next to the train line... Kids love it, but it is slightly loud (think you'd get used to it though) - and fur next to The Mill precinct. Would definitely spend more time at the gardens next time we visit!
Kara Robinson — Google review
Nice garden. Great for picnic or just for a walk or being chill.
Having free car park in the front and along the side of the garden.
Having a lake, small playground and benches.
Can visit the Mill Castlemaine also - just opposite across the road.
If you are in the area and have some time to spare, can come and chill around!
Trang Nguyen — Google review
With the reduction in size from original - it looks more like a park than Botanical Gardens. The elms & oaks are impressive as you walk clockwise but the Shire should pump more into maintenance. Lake Johanna (who is she?) is mottled with green algae & on the other side - some of Oaks are showing signs of stress. Weedy tufts of dry grass everywhere. Nevertheless - couple of garden beds are fringed with parsley & add a nice floral touch as does the wisteria covered arbour. Playground will keep kids happy & the duckies are a delight to watch.
Melb Traveller — Google review
Very nice botanical garden with all sorts of flowers,trees,shrubs etc
Lake in the area,streams and small bridges crossings.
Great for walking,running,bringing dogs for a walk.
leaw pang kiat — Google review
Beautiful gardens. Nice place for a walk or a picnic.
The Caravan of courage — Google review
Awesome and quiet place. Good for a morning walk and run. You would feel the energy and fresh air. Lot of ducks in the water. If you wish to enjoy nature, this is the place for you. Had a nice cold breeze morning walk. Parking is not a problem. Available from 3 sides of the garden. Finding the place on the maps can be tricky. The gps location is not correct on the map. Just google The Mill and its right opposite The Mill.
Ash Wardhan — Google review
Absolutely beautiful place.
Could spend the day there, will definitely be going back
Kat Reid — Google review
Great place you can tell the people working here put in alot of effort and knowledge looking after these gardens.good place for people to walk if they need flat ground
Se Ren — Google review
The gardens surrounding Lake Joanna offer an opportunity to forget about life for a little while and surround yourself with nature. It was also good weather when I went so it was a lovely experience.
A lap around the lake is nice for a short walk, though you could spend hours doing laps for exercise, or enjoying a picnic in the gardens. The flowers were beautiful and blooming when I visited in mid-september.
Nathan f — Google review
Awesome place for a picnic or BBQ. Nice walks ,beautiful Roses
Gypsyjohn Panda — Google review
Beautiful Botanical Gardens that has the most gorgeous variety of Trees, definitely one for the day trip
Robyn Carey — Google review
Over 800 beautiful trees with walking paths winding through. Very peaceful surroundings.
Milton Brownrigg — Google review
Beautifully maintained gardens perfect for a morning or weekend stroll, picnic or barbecue. Plenty of birdlife to observe, plus the occasional kangaroo over in the reserve. Contact the local council to book the rotunda or tea rooms for a function.
Joel Pearson — Google review
Google maps sent me to the hospital and no way through to the gardens. Back-tracked and made the turn before.
Pleasant walk round, late autumn, with fallen leaves. Beautiful.
joomeng quek — Google review
Great place to spend time with kids and family.
Hakki Turupcu — Google review
4.7
(653)
•
4.5
(273)
Botanical Gardens, 2 Walker St, Castlemaine VIC 3450, Australia
27
The Bromley Collection Museum @ The Old Castlemaine Gaol - Gallery & Events
Upmarket brekkie and lunch, plus dinner on Fridays, in a relaxed space with rustic wooden tables.
An ABSOLUTE MUST SEE if visiting Castlemaine - or a sufficient reason on its own to visit the town. David Bromley's collection is AMAZING. It is even more stunning in this truly unique space. Just GO!
Jennifer Barron — Google review
Loved this goal. Can access most parts. $10 per person. Can get guided tours & ghost tours. Plenty of information inside.
Michaela Co — Google review
Sensational, surreal, sexy, spooky and surprising, the Bromley Collection Museum at the Old Castlemaine Gaol is a must visit for all art aficionados. Kudos to David and Yuge for creating this whimsical wonderland. I had an amazing experience and can’t wait to return for more!
Z L — Google review
Good place nice views...an amazing to be on a sunny day...staff is very friendly, it's built in a prison castle so can go for prison tour as well.
I would like to see more food options there
Maninder Singh — Google review
We visited a couple of weeks ago after being told about David Bromley's collection at the Daylesford Gallery. This is definitely a must do if you are in the area, such an amazing use of this historic site combined with such wonderful art work. If only the walls could talk, the work gone into restoring this building and grounds is a credit to all involved.
Jacqui Rawlings — Google review
37 years since I visited the Old Castlemaine Gaol and upon walking inside I was surprised by the transformation and the warmth it has created. The art works and sculptures are a visual delight. The outdoor areas and gardens are calm and peaceful adorned with fabulous bronze sculptures and planter pots. Amazed by what Bromley & Co have created and the time, thought and effort that has gone into creating each space within the building and the outside areas. Thank you for sharing your collection and for breathing new life into the house on the hill.
Debra Maclean — Google review
Dreadful signage. Didn't know where to enter or buy tickets from! Just happened to be someone who looked like a cook from the cafe' wandering passed us & saw that we looked a little lost & told us to buy our tickets from the girls in the cafe'. Seems to be more aimed at patronage for the cafe' & evening entertainment or functions. A bit sad really, as it has amazing heritage & should still be run as a regular tourist attraction. Inside was mostly amazing, but sad to see so much either locked up, the jail cells were being used as storage rooms, blocked off or set up for something else. Very disappointing in many ways, it has so much potentionalin the gaol itself. It wasn't always obvious where & where not you could go. You get an eery sense of what it would have been like as a prisoner (to a degree) back then (mid 1800's etc.). The prisoners main exercise yard was lovely, considering (with fruit trees planted there). Took lots of photo's. I am always amazed at the architecture of these gorgeous buildings. Still worth a look.
Claire Birchall — Google review
Didn't enjoy it at all, advertised as castlemaine old gaol but all you get to see is art in all the cells and outdoor areas. Should have signs that it is an art gallery inside of a gaol. If you are expecting to see cells set up and any other gaol rooms set up don't bother going. You are unable to go up stairs either as they are blocked off. Before people buy tickets you should be telling them it is an art gallery not what the goal was like. The way it is now is how they make their money by not telling people what is inside.
Very very dissappointed and would not recommend visiting
Joy Murcott — Google review
Was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this- the combination of eclectic art and prison building is amazing! Worth the $20 entry and sure to become a regional attraction
Sandy Parker — Google review
Love what Bromley has done to the place. Having visited the gaol on school camps in the 2000’s, was sad to see the site closed for such a long time. But now - wow, easily one of the most unique art galleries in the world.
Donald Yip — Google review
The art, sculptures, garden were incredible and the old Gaol amazing. I’ll remember this place forever.
Denise Staverman — Google review
Impressive collection and sympathetic use of the Old Castlemaine Gaol. According to Google David Bromley (famous artist) purchased the building in 2018. He and his wife have transformed it into a great visitor attraction which I recommend visiting.
Lisa — Google review
A very colorful place, caused a lot of emotions, but I will say that I was impressed. Incredible amount of sculptures and art objects. The pictures were quite depressing, which created an atmosphere of isolation. In general, the museum is very interesting and large with patios. I think this is one of the most impressive places in the city.
The only thing was that there was not enough information about the place and history, I would like that they would give out a brochure or there was a website with history.
Sena Lane — Google review
As we are ex prison officers my wife and I had a bit of a walk around out side knowing that the gaol was closed. Turns out we were in the right place at the right time and we happened to be at the main door when it was opened. We mentioned that we use to do and we were from WA and the young lads let us have a walk around inside. We felt very privileged to get the opportunity to have a walk around such a historic landmark. Many thanks, this will be a huge memory for us.
Cheers guys.
Graham Allen — Google review
The Old Gaol has brilliant views over Castlemaine.
Unfortunately, the exhibit was closed and we only saw the outside artwork.
Geoffrey Johnstone — Google review
A must see!!! From the outside the gaol looks to be an interesting place to check out. Once you go inside… it is amazing!!!! The art works collected inside from numerous well known artists is incredible. The art is displayed within the old gaol, which for me, lightened the atmosphere. The art provided a layer of inspiration, over the history of the gaol and it was interesting to learn about different artists on display. Well done for preserving the space and allowing the history to come through, definitely lightening the mood of the dire conditions of the historic gaol.
Casual cottages with fireplaces in a low-key farmstay featuring trout fishing & dining.
We had an amazing experience. The kids and our dog loved exploring the property and getting to know the resident team of dogs, horses and chickens. Kids will never forget their first fishing experience. Robert is font of knowledge who provided us with a behind the scenes insight into trout farming and the many foods that Tuki makes. Lunch and dinner is delicious. We definitely plan on returning.
Minh Trinh — Google review
Been there many times over decades.
Better developed facilities and management each time when visiting.
Easy to catch fish from there which good news to young kids.
“the host is super nice”
Clean washroom.
Weak mobile signal, not their fault.
Lenny Cheng — Google review
Great relaxing setting, great produce to platter experience but trout from a river tastes much better. A salad with the fish was missing. Nice wines and craft beers. Lamb pie was minced meat, bakery style not home made, chunky meat pie. Definitely recommend it for the experience and setting, not as much the food.
Els Tielemans — Google review
We took our family here today only to have our 9 year old told off, singled out and belittled by what I assume was the old bloke owner for losing a fish that took him 2 hrs to catch . We took on his criticism and agreed to use a new technique to catch fish but this wasn’t enough he wanted to continue arguing getting more aggressive so rather then him taking a swim with his precious fish we decided to leave . The other staff were welcoming and nice but I’d suggest avoiding this place and I hope he had a nice trout dinner with the catch we left behind for him
Rhys Taylor — Google review
The venue is beautiful, stunning view from the seating area and ponds very close walk to fish in. Had a great time fishing with our children. Food was very nice too.
Older staff were unfortunately very unwelcoming and rude. It felt like we had intruded by been there. Younger staff were lovely and helpful. Shame as it is such a beautiful venue.
Allison Volke — Google review
Finally our family was able to get our first experience in trout fishing. Overall was a good experience. Receptionist had a bit of a problem in giving us a table for lunch, as we hadn't booked it. But it was not mentioned at the time we called them. Any way with a little bit of a grim face, she allowed us to have lunch there. (She even said we can write a bad review for that)
Fishing experience was awesome. Food was also quite nice. I t was one such place, where you enter thinking, I will write a bad review tomorrow. But the place was awesome , so eventually not able to do that .
Aravind Kurup — Google review
Enjoyed a mini break in one of the beautiful stone cottages.
Perfect views, warm open fire, great food and exactly what I needed - peaceful surroundings.. Thanks Jan and Robert
dee james — Google review
Beware the elderly, male Karen, and probably senile waiter will verbally abuse you while ordering, serve differently to what you ordered and charge for more than you were served! Honestly never had such a bad experience in my life. Oh and you won't catch any fish in the winter. The view was nice, that's why it still gets 1 star.
Eleanor Joan — Google review
Absolutely 10/10 perfect if you’re looking for a relaxing, quiet, off the grid, & charming place to stay in amongst some of Victoria’s greatest food and wine offerings. Don’t expect 5 star hotel, expect breathtaking views from your cabin where sunrise & sunset blow you away. Expect a comfortable cottage with character. The restaurant views are no different. The food is quality living off the land type home cooking that fills the belly nicely. Put your phone away and relax as you walk around the farm taking in the magic of rural beauty. It is located an easy drive away from an array of quality dining in the region. The owners Robert and Jan are very friendly and welcoming. Bring snacks and whatever you need to get properly immersed in the surroundings. The perfect place to base yourself to reset.
Matt Johns — Google review
The older lady( I believe the owner) very unwelcoming and rude!!!
Felt as we were not meant to be there!!
Food overpriced and bland, potatoes dry, sauce hardly there, fish had no seasoning.
Steak full of fat, hardly any meat!!
Menu is priced as a main meal, but served as shared meal, uneven serving sizes.
Waited on meal for over an hour.
Best part of the meal was the chips, which we can get them at Maccas, on every corner.
Rest rooms very dirty !!!
This was my first and definitely last time visit!!
Don’t waste your time going !!!
Jayjay Peterson — Google review
I love this place. So typically Aussie, friendly and inviting. We caught our trout and had a bang up lunch. Robert the owner looked after us like gold and was the perfect farmhouse host. I would recommend anyone to visit, explore, fish and feast. All ages welcome.
James Cameron — Google review
A wonderful place. Very friendly staffs and helpful. Fishing was fun for the kids and the eat your own catch were yummy. Homely meal by the fire in winter. Can’t get any better than that!
User — Google review
The fishing is fun, easy for the kids. The food beyond amazing, hand made sausage rolls were a delight. The venue very unique and worth the drive. We booked for 14 people and were well catered for.
The male owner was unusually upset that my 14 month old had scrunched a single paper printed menu sheet, I apologized and offered to pay, however he went on about it for so long and loud that others noticed and turned to look at me. He stood over us at the dim lit table, then snatched it from my childs hand, continued on about how terrible it was until I started crying.
Until that point it had been a wonderful experience.
Kerry K — Google review
EXTREMELY expensive.
I think these people might be taking the piss. It’s great, but the fish is over 5 times the price of one you’d catch anywhere else. This is a trout farm, so you’re literally looking / catching what you eat.
Question is, do you really need to spend that much to catch a fish in a pond only to eat it for 5 times the price?
Lovely people but this place is an absolute rort.
Go elsewhere.
William Cuming — Google review
Loved my day here! We caught a lot of trout and had them for dinner! Staff was friendly and very helpful. And the dog there was the cutest!
(also one staff member complimented my shirt, made my day :D)
Tom Griffiths — Google review
Should update your website when you’re open on long weekends. Good Friday said closed, Saturday open, Easter Sunday closed, which made sense. Arrive to be told they’re not open til Wednesday. People travel a long way for this stuff, relying on website data and it’s easy to update it.
Patrick McKenzie-McHarg — Google review
A gorgeous warm homely place for lunch in all 4 seasons. I love thé fish and lamb dishes, warm wood fire place and friendly honest hospitality.
Coming here every year for 20 years. And hope to return many more.
Watching the lambs gambol is part of the joy.
Stephen Borger — Google review
Awesome morning out at the trout farm. Nice scenery. Wonderful trout catching experience. Topped by the very awesome Rib Eye cooked to perfection 👌🤝
We did a wine tasting and grazing board at Eastern Peake and it was incredible. The grazing board was made with local produce, and the wines were divine. The lovely woman that served us was very knowledgeable and offered an additional tasting of another red which was so generous. Highly recommend and will definitely be back on our next trip to Ballarat!
Julia Kay — Google review
Exceptional wines. Wine tasting with share plates, a great way to spend an afternoon.
Ross Morgan — Google review
Absolutely lovely lady looked after us with a tasting. Could not have been more helpful and friendly. The Pinot amazing!
jane stevens — Google review
Wonderful location, great view (with hills and sheep), and charcuterie and stew were delicious. Great wine tasting, loved the Pinot Noir and the Shiraz, and the Grenache and Pinot Gris too. Thank you Jackie!
Deborah Cox — Google review
Delicious wine & a wonderful cellar door experience. Jackie is lovely, knowledgeable & attentive. What a beautiful setting amongst the volcanic peaks of Western Victoria. Easily accessible from Ballarat or even Melb. Highly recommend.
emily dynon — Google review
Beautiful tasting room with a vast view. Fine wine a plenty and fine, friendly and informative assistance.
Graham Rodda — Google review
We went the long way to Halls Gap to make sure we could drop in at Eastern Peake, and I am extremely glad we did! A quiet Tuesday tasting with one of the owners. It was a very personal experience, learning about the wines of Eastern Peake and the region. We had a great chat and got to taste some sensational vino! The wines are of very high quality, I had to buy 3 bottles but I wanted so much more! Highly recommended, a must if you like great wines and are in the area! Thank you Eastern Peake
Jerrem Davies — Google review
I love the wine, even Owen's other wine named Latta, it's absolutely amazing. This Winery is beautiful located. 🤍
Sarah G — Google review
Nice view, cracking wine, worth a visit when staying in the Ballarat region.
A M W — Google review
4.9
(28)
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4.5
(11)
67 Pickfords Rd, Coghills Creek VIC 3364, Australia