It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It was truly a winter wonderland. It is a must. It's very different to going at other times of the year. Lots of things to do, most included with the entry. You are allowed to bring own food, but there are quite a few places to eat and drink. Pass outs allowed. There are fire places/ barrels scattered around so you can stand around warm your hands. There whole place had a beautiful old world feel and charm, with people walking around in old style clothes and always happy to pose for photos. The souvenir shops are quite reasonably priced too. I would definitely recommend coming here. Kids, no kids, just a group of friends, everyone will love this magical place

Definitely a very unique and must visit attraction. I believe this place is very popular as there are so many people and students when we visited on a weekday! There are so many shops to go into and the place is truly like in the movies. Staff are even dressed in theme and are happy to take pictures. There are also horses! All of the decor and architecture are on point I don’t even know if they are recreated or actual buildings. We really had a fun day exploring this attraction. I would recommend spending around 4-5 hours here. Parking is free too and there are lots of gift shops.

Such a historical & informative place to visit! The staff were so helpful and gave us a great insight to what life was like back in the day. There was so much to see & do for both us adults & also the kids. The food was lovely with a wide range of variety and there was always something going on to keep you in entertained. Best thing to do/see in Ballarat by far!

What a fantastic place to see and immerse yourself into history. Third time I have visited and still I am one of the last ones out the gate. Not to be missed on anyone's trip/vacation or holiday. Loads of things to see and do for all ages.

Although the buildings were made in the 1970s, they are all well looked after. The staff dressed up in that era and responded like they were still in the era made the experience realistic. I agreed with earlier comment that the comment from the diggers tour guide felt a bit political but she maybe doing what she was told to do and say. After reading someone else's comment about New York bakery, we went to Hope Bakery. Their pies and desserts were very nice. Their apple crumble was the best we had ever had. We decided to pay extra for the "Trapped" guides tour. We really enjoyed the experience going under ground as it made it felt realistic. The tour guide was the descendent of one of the victims and it made the tour felt extra special as he had the real connection to the story. The shops were also reasonably priced. The activities such as gold panning, bowling and candle decorating were also enjoyable. Lots of free demonstrations throughout the day, which made the whole day went by so fast. We really enjoyed our first experience at Sovereign Hill. Highly recommended for everyone.

The best museum I was ever at. Really enjoyable, felt like you were back in those times. Loads to do there, we spent 6 hours there. We had a lovely lunch in the New York bakery. I would definitely go back again. Money well spent.

Sovereign Hill is a must see for anyone interested in History, its a wonderful place to bring the family, you can really pan for gold here, they drop specs in each day so you can discover them, food at the restaurants is top notch! A really good day out 😀

After living in Ballarat for four years and working embarrassingly enough never being to Sovereign Hill I decided to go while having friends down from Brisbane. Highlights were the candle making, bowling, shops, the not so magic show, the mine tour, and the horse ride, and of course learning the history of the place. The people dressed up walking up and down the streets were so lovely and pleasant. The two ladies minding the jewelry shop were also very pleasant. Some of the other staff could have been a bit more pleasant and the price of the tickets were a little steep. Overall it was a good experience.

This place was an absolute cracker. You think it’s going to be cheesy or lame but it’s actually really good. We did the night show as well and while I appreciate the indigenous culture of the area and their Dreamtime stories, I was confused by how it tied into the story of the gold fields as it didn’t seem to match the rest of the tour, seems they could do a second indigenous light show and give it more weight. The staff are fantastic and really love what they do. The shops are all great and it’s very interactive. The displays are very well put together even down to the detail inside the Masonic lodge in the hotel.

i haven't been back since i was 11yo and coming back with my kids was a treat. we enjoyed the mine tour, had to grab some hard boiled lollies, candle making was fun and despite being such a hot Summer's day; we had to try our luck and pan for gold. it was an enjoyable experience otherwise.👍

Great family day out! Weather was perfect, plenty to see do and learn. The cafe was affordable and an ideal place to relax from a day of tours and activities next to the dam with the ducks! It is easy to miss but worth it as the food prices are a lot lower than the traditional style stores on the themed main street. Amenities were clean and suitable.

Winter wonderlights were fantastic. Lovely atmosphere and quite a magical feeling. Lights were spectacular! Only reason I have liked and not loved was due to the lack of staffing (especially the one poor girl in the sweet shop with huge queue!) Event is 5-7pm, there are a LOT of people,so staffing should have been better. Best time was after 6:30pm when so many people had left and it was easier to walk around a last time. Would definitely return!

We had a fantastic day at Sovereign Hill today. We took our 8 and 4 year olds and both loved it. We went on the diggings tour and to the musket demonstration. Both guides were amazing! The history and the way they engaged the crowd was great. My 8 year old loved learning about it. We panned for gold and found quite a few little specks. We bought the $1 bottles for the kids to take the gold home in. We went on the horse carriage ride, which was the highlight of the day for the 4 year old. We tried candle dipping and bowling. We visited the lolly shop. Our 8 year old did the self guided mine tour. Both kids attending a school lesson in the old school house. It was really fun for them to write with pen and ink. To eat, we had Devonshire tea in the New York Bakery and had sausage rolls from Hope bakery for lunch. We had another coffee at the new American Cafe while the kids played at the playground. My favourite shop was the old Apothecary. It is so fascinating seeing all the old medical and pharmaceutical equipment. Toilets and amenities were great. There are plenty of guides around to help if you need it or to just have a chat about the history. We would most definitely visit again when the kids are older to see which activities they enjoy at different ages.

We recently took a cousin here that was visiting from Norway. He enjoyed it. It's nice, just seems much the same as it was when I was child. Not much has changed, not sure why I feel it has shrunk from last time I was there 5 years ago. It's a staple to take your overseas guests that love gold, history or the cowboy outback. I also enjoyed remembering the history of Ballarat, and watching the gold pour. The gentleman was funny and very knowledgeable, loved that he spoke of the history before the pouring too. There is a great cafe to buy lunch, coffee, drinks and also large outdoor areas for BYO. The coffee and fries were good. You can't leave without visiting the lolly shop. The lollies are a must, miss seeing how they are made. Sour grape, coca cola and strawberries and cream were yum! Maybe I've hidden them from the family 🤣😋

It is the best place to learn the history and experience the Australian gold rush in the past. There are a lot of activities that you can participate in to understand the work and life back in the date. It is better to spend half of the day here, ideally from the morning, check out programs and the schedules so that you can plan ahead time and route around the town. The staff is friendly and the facilities well maintained.

Well, this would have to be my five visit across 40 years and I’m loving it as much as I did the first time. I saw things I didn’t notice the last few times and understood more information on a wide rand of topics. There were 900 children in the centre on one of the days we were there. They made the atmosphere so fabulous. Their energy and enthusiasm was great. Plenty of room for everyone too I might add. A very special mention to 2 workers there. Anna who was in the Ladies shop was very informative and shared her experience and knowledge. Anna was so welcoming and kind. What an asset she is to the centre!! Brett over making a leather piece for a horse’s harness was very pleasant to chat with and knew his stuff. A quiet achiever. Also, The Bank Manager was fun to speak to and the Blacksmith Timothy was great to watch. Please keep up the great work of telling the story, Sovereign Hill people. We will be back again on day.

Great ‘live’ museum. It’d been decades since visiting and the place was still amazing. The atmosphere, staff, and service were great all throughout our visit. Costumes and the way staff greeted and spoke was very era-appropriate and like stepping back in time. Take your time when visiting. Plenty to see and do. It’s also a very large space to walk around. The morning opening time wasn’t overly busy, but it did get busy as the morning and afternoon went on. Very pleasant trip and experience altogether.

This place is pretty amazing. It’s like travelling back in time. The staff was friendly and the fact they are wearing period clothes is just next level. The raspberry drops are amazing and worth getting some. They had so many little places to explore and everything just felt cozy and nice. The mine section is really immersive, literally. Kids would definitely enjoy this as well as anyone interested in history. I went on a Wednesday and it wasn’t crowded at all

Exciting life time experience of mines tour. Many educative demonstrations on wheel making. Horse cart rides. Gold pour experience is just amazing. Gold digging is fun though time consuming. March past of soldiers is exciting. Overall a must visit place for lot of fun for kids and educative tour for adults.

We are back at Sovereign Hill after 15 years. This time we bring our kids along to feel the experience. The historic buildings plus staff dress on costumes of the Gold rush. There are restaurant and pies shop for lunch.

It’s a great place, very suitable for the whole family to come and experience together. It completely restores the scenes of the past. The staff also wears the costumes of that era, which makes people more immersed in the experience. Especially Amy’s enthusiasm and detailed explanations made me have a great experience. Well, a very worthwhile attraction.

Absolutely 💯 fantastic day out. It's such a wonderful place to go back into the past of Victoria and the Eureka era. Hats off, and congratulations to all the staff who make this day memorable for the visitors. You all do an amazing job in engaging us with your stories role-play and general knowledge and assistance. My husband laughed so much and it was truly amazing to see him enjoy the day.

Spent the whole day here and didn't see everything. Excellent place full of period actors and reenactments. Great food, the chicken sandwich was delicious. The school teacher who also plays the coffee seller is lovely. The policeman is a proper funny character. The bars sell real beer. Just brilliant all round fun and entertainment.

A fantastic day exploring, well worth a visit if you are in Ballarat, AURA Sound & Light Spectacular which is a 90 minute show commencing after dark was definitely a highlight of the visit to Sovereign Hill. Tickets for the AURA show are separate to the admissions tickets and are best booked online for the date you intend to visit as there are limited spaces and it was very busy. Food and drink prices are on the high side but you are able to take your own or leave and come back in.

An incredible destination for both children and adults. I believe school-going kids can gain a wealth of knowledge about Australia's past. My three-year-old enjoyed exploring traditional gold extraction and an underground gold mining site. It was truly thrilling to venture into the darkness and uncover the history of mining. I will certainly revisit with my child as she grows older. Highly recommended. My only complaint is regarding the steep ticket price for adults—it shouldn't exceed $20-30.

Took our 9 yo granddaughter there yesterday. I can't recall going there as a kid but a great day and lots of things to keep the whole family entertained. Staff in period costumes were very obliging and outgoing. An excellent venue for young children to learn the areas roots and understanding of years gone by.

Fantastic walk around the lake. Takes about 90 minutes ( 6kms) to walk the circuit at an enjoyable rate, or maybe quicker it's up to you. Stop off for coffee or lunch at The Boathouse, or Piper on the Lake, situated either end of the lake.

One of the best place to visit, while in Ballarat , I felt it a great place to relax, lake itself looks great, good path away to walk and greenery grass to sit, and playground made specially of woods, that are designed to reflect little bit of ballarat itself. Enjoyed the scooter ride it was fun. Enjoyed our visit to Ballarat. Enjoyed the swans company, There were around over 100 black swans, fearless swan which are familiar with people,

Always a lovely spot, 6km running/walking/bike track around the lake, getting lights put in which will be great for safety at dusk and early mornings. Lots of bird life, great for kayaking, SUP or windsurfing and fishing. Lots of playgrounds and toilets around every side of the lake.

Nice lake with beautiful walking track. Beautiful botanical garden at one side of lake. Nice place for morning and evening walk.

Amazing lake with a sunny day. Took nearly an hour if you walk around the whole lake. You can kayak, canoe and swim there too. My peaceful place to be.

Really nice spot. We don't have lakes where we live and so found this to be really nice, the style of buildings in this area set a really lovely scene when looking out across the lake and bird life was abundant. We stopped to see at a few different points around the lake, the adventure playground, and some of the boat houses were great. This is also a great spot to go for a jog or just stroll along the walking tracks.

Beautiful and can easily spend a few hours with the kids in the playground and go across to the Botanical garden.

A beautiful spot for a walk, lots a great views to be had of the local bird life and historic buildings. There is a walking track right around the lake, which you can also ride a bike along to. Lots of places to stop and take in the views and capture some great moments. There are several playground around the lake with the main one on the west side near the Botanical Gardens. There are also old tram rides and paddle boat rides at certain time of the year. Small boats and fishing are also allowed on the lake. A great place to visit for the day.

The place where you can get connected with the nature sounds and enjoy with your love ones. I really like this lake. The wildlife and surrounding is fantastic. And yeah, Don't Forget the Dawn and Sunset its amazing.

What a wonderful place to sit & enjoy the sunshine! 😊✨😍 It's so peaceful & beautiful! 😌 Great location for picnics! ✨

A really beautiful walk around Lake Wendouree. Plenty of wildlife, viewpoints and a few points of interest around the lake. The walk itself is not far at all and the pathways are quite clear and suitable for pushchairs / wheelchairs. Dogs are allowed around the lake (on-leash) and there's a few cafes / restaurants for a coffee and snacks.

There was so much dog poo around the picnic tables near the playground. It was absolutely disgusting. There was sooo much that it's a bio biohazard. Ballarat people are gronks, pick up after your dog's!!!!

Beautiful gardens with lots to see. The greenhouse is filled with a seasonal display of the most beautiful colours. The prime ministers lane is quirky and the playground across the road is huge. Cafe also across the road with great views of the lake and the perfect hot chocolate. Toilets at the cafe and also in the gardens. Street parking.

One pleasant and refreshing surprise of a garden. Its beautifully maintained. Loved the sculptures and walk. A must visit

We thought this was a really nice surprise of a place to wander through. It's ideal because if you are a tourist (like us) you can also wonder across the road and visit Lake Wendouree and if travelling with kids the Adventure Playground is nearby too. What we loved was the statues throughout the gardens, including the walk featuring all the prime ministers. I believe there was a cafe nearby too however there's loads of lawn areas to stop and have a picnic.

It's one of the best Botanic gardens I have seen. The Avenue of Prime Ministers was wonderful. The greenhouse is probably the most beautiful I have encountered in some time, with the floral and colour arrangements, incredible for a relatively small greenhouse! And the giant American trees; wow! Well-worth a picnic and visit with Wendouree Lake alongside! Just a sparkling area, with the tramway museum, also a must-see!

Beautifully managed gardens, a credit to all staff involved with maintaining these gardens. Some areas were stunning with the autumn colours. A beautiful peaceful walk with so much to see. A must visit location if you are in Ballarat.

A beautiful botanic gardens covering a large area. Lots of thick soft grass to have a picnic on. It has a lovely greenhouse with beautiful flowers (photos included) that is free to visit, donations appreciated. There is a craft cottage with wares for sale, lots of history with the statues of the heads of all Australian Prime Ministers on display, a tram ride and a war memorial nearby. There is also Lake Wendouree and a big playground for kids nearby. Recommend a visit when in Ballarat.

Beautiful gardens with sweeping lawns and shady trees, a large lake and plenty of picnic spots. If you prefer seated dining Pipers Restaurant awaits you at the lakeside. Clean toilets are available and plenty of parking. The Begonia festival help every year in March is an absolute must with a variety of plants available for sale. Not to be missed.

Lovely visit and my little one enjoyed her time. Being a stroller if you want to walk the whole gardens. Check out the craft shops and conservatory. Fun jungle gym for big and little kids. Lots of black swans.

The place is wide and spacious. There are so many trees and a wide variety of plants in the garden. The greenhouse also has a lot of beautiful species on display. Even in winter when we visited, the place was fun to go to.

The gardens are meticulously maintained, and the variety of plants and flowers is astounding. The Rose Garden is a sensory paradise with its vibrant colors and sweet fragrances. Walking along the Prime Ministers Avenue, you’ll learn about Australia’s history while enjoying the shade of majestic trees. The Alfred Deakin Prime Ministers’ Fountain is a tranquil spot to unwind, and the swan-filled lake adds to the overall serenity. I could spend hours here, exploring the diverse plant collections and taking in the natural beauty. The gardens also offer a range of activities and events throughout the year, making it a fantastic destination for families and nature enthusiasts alike. I can’t recommend Ballarat Botanical Gardens enough – it’s a peaceful and educational escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you’re in Ballarat, do yourself a favor and pay a visit to this botanical paradise. You won’t be disappointed!

A delightful day all round. The Begonia Festival was truly a sight to see, beautiful. The Botanical Gardens themselves stand alone, and are well worth the traveling time from Melbourne. The trees in these gardens are old tall and majestic. Unfortunately l didn't think to take pics of them, but plenty of flowers. The Begonia Festival is held on the Labour Day long weekend and provided free for all to enjoy by the municipal of Ballarat. There's a lot to see in this lovely town so pack a picnic lunch as we did and make the most the day.

I visited the P.O.W. Memorial. to pay my respect. Wonderful experience. Beautiful setting. Memorable.

Great place to visit and have a walk around, lots of bird life, flower gardens, it also has historical significance with plenty of statues, a Cafe is there for coffee or light meals. If you are in Ballarat you must visit. 5 Stars

Beautiful place to go with the family and have a picnic. Big playground for kids, tables to sit down and eat. Great spot to see some lovely birds as well. The public bathrooms are in good conditions.

An absolutely beautiful place, especially in lovely weather. I highly recommend a visit. There's plenty of available parking. Easy access to restrooms and water refills is a plus ☺️

Great to learn about the Prime Ministers. Excellent garden, great for quiet contemplation, walking in fresh air or Pokemon Go. Well presented and maintained. Great displays and famous for the Begonia festival. Great if you like trams, political history or nature.

Amazing close experience with the kangaroos. It was fun to pet them and feed them. Other exotic Australia animals and reptiles were very interesting too. You won't be disappointed. Entry fee is reasonable too. Highly recommended.

Begonia Festival. Variety of stalls and crafty things to do for kids. The maze was a great feature with finding items and testing local knowledge. Great family outing, heat was an issue, but water availability was able to be accessed for free. To top it off, I was able to buy some beautiful Begonia plants.

We went there as a group on the Tuesday after the Begonia festival and it was lovely. The staff/ gardeners did an excellent job. Thank you so much for presenting all the flowers and surrounds in such a delightful way

MUST SEE IN BALLART Beautiful, big, relaxing and colorful. This Botanic Gardens have the most beautiful flower collection from different types of Dhalias to the larger exhibition of begonias. The experience of the living nature of the flora and the fauna (bees, ladybugs, black swans and ducks) it's AMAZING. Highly recommend 👌🏻

I have been to few Botanical gardens but this location without a doubt was one of the most diverse gardens. It’s got a garden with glass house, a restaurant, a tiny island (Windmill Drive island), a boat hire, an adventure play ground for kids and guess what !!! and even a Tram museum with an actual tram that you can ride in. Near Edward VII pavilion is where you can find benches facing the river Wendouree. That gives you an opportunity to enjoy the scenery of river and birds. There also parking spots for cars. Have a small hike along river via Windmill drive and across the road you will reach entrance to the gardens. Good collection of different flora and fauna. With a beautiful sculpture house within the gardens. The team museum is close to adventure playground but make sure you book tickets. Kids and elderly friendly. Heaps of parking. Will definitely recommend for travellers.

Beautiful gardens to explore with a lovely pond full of fish, animal topiary & flower beds. We had a lovely walk & or kids enjoyed it too. It was a bit rainy, so we got warm drinks from piper's cafe over the road first. There was quite a few upgrades ongoing but it didn't detract from the stunning gardens.

Amazing place to walk and spend time! Great sense of Calm and peace. There's lots to see and savour. Greenery, flowers and lots more!

Such a lovely place to enjoy a few hours. The venue is a wonderful mix of heritage architecture and modern renovation. I came for the opening of the Trevor Smith exhibition and Light + Dark by Max Meldrum and his followers. Right in the middle of town and well worth a visit!

I went to the Art Gallery of Ballarat today on a Friday. It was not busy. Entry was free which is great. Only a few minutes walk from Ballarat railway station. The Gallery is very interesting with a lot of interesting arts. It's very clean and nice like a 5-star hotel. I loved and enjoyed all the arts that they displayed, really appreciate all the staff for taking care of the place so well and highly appreciate all the artists that provided their artwork there.

The McCartney photo exhibition was excellent, and a great reason to return to Ballarat and visit the gallery for the first time in around a decade. I've always enjoyed every time I've ever come here, seeing new sides to existing exhibits and enjoying what special events are hosted here. The modernisation of this incredible asset over the past couple of decades has been sensational, and a real sense of pride for the wider Ballarat area.

Beautiful old building right in the town centre. Entry is free and they have a lovely collection of paintings. Only a small number are on display at any one time, so I wouldn’t spend more than an hour there. Worth the visit.

Fun-filled day at Ballarat Art Gallery! 🚶‍♀️✨ The incredible artworks and vibrant exhibits had me mesmerized. 🎭💕 Such a fantastic experience, definitely a must-visit for art enthusiasts.

The gallery resides in a beautiful building that dates back to the town's gold rush boom years. Free entry to see a great collection of Australian and European art with some dating back to 1800 or earlier. There were also temporary exhibitions and modern art installations. Apparently only 2% of their art is able to be displayed there at any one time so it may be worth a follow up visit later on.

Beautiful experience inside The origin section, a room surrounded by antique paintings. The contrast of the between modern and old style is really interesting. It's quite small and far from other Ballart atractions (in publictransport) but it's worth it.

Very impressive. Great selection of art. Found it relaxing to wander throughout the gallery. Well maintained.

Some really amazing pieces of art. We also got to hear a talented woman play the piano!! Highly recommend coming here if you're in Ballarat.

The oldest and largest regional art gallery in Australia. A lot of modern art {and sone controversial pieces) but some fantastic pieces from the mid 1800s that really show the age of the gallery. Well worth a visit, even if its a quick walk through to fill in half hour.

I took part in a resin workshop with one of the exhibiting artists, which was really great. Then went round the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition...also great. Now inspired, stimulated and very happy with my day at the Gallery.

Great gallery with a variety of works on display, well placed in the city centre for a quick visit that’s quite satisfying even within 60 minutes

Went on a field trip with year 9 students. A guided tour given to cover topic of artists impressions of Climate Change. A very interesting capture by various artists. Also a quick look at how the history of the Gallery came about and stories behind some of the fantastic pictures and framework. The photo does not do justice to this wall piece. A must see for visitors.

Fantastic gallery. Staff friendly and knowledgeable. They have a general permanent gallery upstairs. Several individual exhibitions downstairs. Wheelchair accessible with lift and gentle ramps. Ellen is lovely, helpful, and very knowledgeable. Can't wait to visit Ballarat and see the gallery again.

During a day trip to Ballarat, I stopped by the Art Gallery of Ballarat and was delighted to find free entry. The gallery boasts a fantastic collection with a mix of permanent and temporary art pieces, offering a diverse and enriching experience. The availability of onsite facilities, including bathrooms and a popup cafe, added convenience to the visit. The staff were friendly and accommodating, contributing to a pleasant atmosphere. Additionally, the presence of a gift shop provided an opportunity to take a piece of the experience home. Overall, a wonderful visit to the Art Gallery of Ballarat with a wealth of artistic treasures to explore.

I love all art here, each one express different feelings, it's free 👏 the organisation and cleaning is so good 👍 as well the shop is incredible, creative and wonderful, thanks

Wonderful experience walking through this gallery. Came to view The Three Gums oil on canvas by Hans Heysen as it is such a beautiful painting, perfectly capturing the Australian landscape.

Perfect place to get a break from the outdoors. We enjoyed multiple exhibitions which are routinely updated and changed throughout the year. The young ones were able to make some art of their own and also interact with some of the interesting exhibitions. Recommend for a quick stop and also those looking to enjoy the artwork .

We love going back to Ballarat because there is always something fun to do and great spots to eat and drink 😍 This time, we had a beautiful day visiting: 🎨 @artgalleryofballarat for exhibitions at the oldest regional art gallery in Australia

My daughters had a blast yesterday! There was no time wasted since there were a lot of activities going around. My eldest daughter was specifically delighted with her glow in the dark tattoo. Shout out to the tattoo guy who did a great job! The dragon shows were fantastic. Even adults had a great time watching the show. Well done!👏🏼

We visited the park on an extremely cold day - I recommend layering up as the wind blows straight through you like ice and there is minimal undercover areas. Very limited lunch options and not enough seating. But the shows on the field are great and my kids enjoyed both the interactive phone app and finding the magical phrase.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 Vibe/atmosphere: 3.5/5 Value: 3/5 All the staff there were lovely. The castle is a decent drive away for us so we intended for it to be a full day's activity. Ironically it wasn't as big as we expected it to be, coupled with there being limited shows and activities. There are a few which you need to book in and pay for separately, buy not many. After exploring the grounds including the maze, the themed rooms and having some food to eat - we would've been done within 2 hours. It didn't seem like great value for money or enough to do to justify the trek there. Luckily we also found the wildlife park not too far away which was amazing and spent a good chunk of the day there to make the trip worthwhile. Glad to have visited once with our kids but won't be in a hurry to return.

My son (7yrs) and I went to the Family Halloween day and it was excellent. The scavenger hunt and treat activities were very well organised and a great idea with the crowds. Great food trucks. An absolute legend is the woodwork gentleman at the Guild Shop - I asked him if he made darning mushrooms and he didn't know what they were - however, I described it and how it's used to darn socks and he just made one right there! It is absolutely beautiful and of high quality craftsmanship. He is very highly skilled and a lovely man. Thank you and my socks thank you too. I will be coming back for more darning mushrooms once my friends find out there is someone who can make them. Great day!

It was a fun day at the Annual Victorian Mediaeval Festival. We had hoped for better with the re-enactments and performances but still plenty to do and was pleasantly surprised at reasonable food prices. We had a nice day but feel one visit is enough for us. We didn't stay at the accommodation, but the units looked lovely. Easy parking, plenty of free parking available. Great day overall

Overall, we enjoyed our overnight stay at Kryal Castle. Positives: Friendly and passionate staff. Great playground and enjoyed roaming grounds after hours. Room was clean and sufficient. Arena shows were impressive. Accommodation/ admission price was reasonable. Negatives: Only thing we didn't like was the numerous Satanic symbols in shops. If you want to maintain a historic period with accuracy. Here is a suggestion. Add the Cross ✝️ to the wedding chapel to begin. Christianity was very relevant during that period. Perhaps have an actor dress as a monk who can express the challenges of monastery life during the dark ages. Recommend a visit with families.

We and 4 other families stayed overnight. The rooms are very simple, but it was magical for the kids to think they where sleeping in a castle. The activities throughout the day kept them entertained and they loved the experience. The potions making session and the magic beans are things that the kids and adults loved. I would recommend to anyone with kids to go. We had kids from 8 to 1 years old.

Attended a medieval fair and jousting competition and was able to wander the castle too. Lots to look at, to eat or drink, and the people were all friendly and so an enjoyable venue. Was worth the entry price and just sorry I'd not visited before. But was with family this time and that made it a very enjoyable family day, with fun exploring the fair stalls as well as the castle facilities. And a house witch deserved particular note for her very child-engaging experiments and explanations.

Did not stay the night so could not rate the rooms BUT Kryal Castle was wonderful. Delightfully surprised. Lots to do. Kept the whole family entertained. We did not get to everything. Will definitely be back.

Had a lot of fun. Fun for fantasy fans and for kids. Our kids especially enjoyed the knights and snow queen show. There was face painting, spell casting workshops, sword classes, axe throwing, shadow puppet show and more. A little park, a small maze, lots of fun photos. I wish the food was better, more medieval style but its your cheap and nasty sort of food. Other than that we had a lovely stay. Will go again.

Great day out for the kids, they absolutely love the theatre productions, the magic show, throwing axes, finding their guild, and of course the jousting. There probably wasn't as much to do there to fill our time as I was initially expecting, you definitely couldn't do 2 days there. Would have liked to see a restaurant or just more "proper" food options. The staff are fantastic and really get into the fun of the day and they make the experience what it is. I think there is a heap of room for growth and it would be worth investing into it! Thank you for a fun day!

It was incredible. Getting to stay in the castle was the best thing ever. The dragons were fun. The axe throwing was fun. The jousting was fantastic. Food and drink reasonable price and tasty. Recommended to anyone wanting to live out medieval fantasy, or a fun place for family.

Kryal castle well exceeded expectations! A very easy drive from Melbourne to start with. We booked the Royal family package (we have a 4 and 6 year old). Upon arriving (after taking in the view of the castle), greeted by Chester the Jester who was our guide for the day. He was wonderful, pleasant, funny and great with the kiddos! We got straight into Archery, which they loved. We met some pirates, did axe throwing, had faces painted, watched a pirate show and then fuelled up with lunch. We then took on the potion Making, more shows, continued our letter finding adventures, viewed all the bits and peices on the way and finished with a pirate sword fight. We were here all day and it was endless fun. I can't recommend this place enough. (Also the Royal package was exceptional) do yourself a favour and go!

We went for a day spend with our 2 and 3 year old. They had a fun day out although we felt there could have been more activities for kids. The playground, gruffalo, farm animals and horse fight was great fun.

We absolutely loved Kryal Castle. The staff were FANTASTIC and there were so many events and activities that we all loved. The pantomimes were amazingly fun and the tournament displays were so cool! My kids loved making potions and getting knight training. Honestly the best place we've been in ages. The rooms were fun to stay in and the wedding we attended was wonderful.

Visited Kryal Castle for the Fairies and Goblins event and had the best time! Staff were friendly and seem like they enjoy being there. Lots of unique and locally made/crafted gifts and enjoyment for both kids and adults. The horses probably my highlight, beautiful and incredibly well trained.

This is a great and uniq place. The kids had the time of their lives. So much fun stuff to do, all is well maintained and looks incredible. The staff here are the best part they are AWESOME, they do their roles to the top, and make the whole day worthwhile. The sword fighting guy was especially great and made our kid so happy. The shows are funny and entertaining. We highly highly recommend it.

First off... Absolutely amazing. The shows are brilliant the theme and feel are great. It's a bigger park than what I thought. Staff absolutely wonderful. Price to the park for myself and my daughter was $60, now this is where price gouging starts, if you want to do anything extra like shoot 12 arrows it will cost you $10. If you want tiny face paint $10, hair flower $15, sugar water $10, elf ears $15 (eBay $3). Food was expensive. I think they need to back down from gouging people and charging for things like shooting a couple of arrows. Don't get me wrong it was amazing but parents on a budget, bring your own food and drink buy elf ears online and bring them with you so the kids don't feel left out. Bottle of water $5. All staff were really nice and helpful full props for them. You can tell they don't like charging outrageous prices for things that you would think would be included in the $60 entry fee.

We did the day trip here and therefore cannot review on the stay. But our experience in the castle was awesome. It’s such a wonderful experience. From the moment you step in it feels like you have travelled back in time to the medieval times. A lot of aspects from dungeons and dragons, game of thrones, some elf and fae magic…this is a paradise for all book lovers and gamers. The jousting was fun, a little bit of story telling and lots of excitement. We loved the buildings, the staff in their themed costumes…it was fantastic. There are a lot of shops inside a, some of the shops were just not interesting it had the standard gift shop items, not much character to it, I think there is so much potential there if they can theme these shops and add merchandise to these themes. For example the witch’s house was perfect, we spent a good 175$ there… the armoury shop is another great example which was true to its theme…

I loved the details and the Jousting, it's a great place to host a wedding with a mediaeval theme. The entertainment was beautifully executed. The maze isn't difficult if you can see above the walls. The throne room, wizards workshop and torture dungeon are very well made. All in all, it's very worth it for the feeling of stepping back in time.

was a great Medieval Festival. felt pretty Legit, like going back in time. loved the Dungeon and the Maze and the Towers. good to see people having fun. car parking situation was attrocious. the Castle is Great

Went there just recently with the tiny people, can't recommend it enough. I highly suggest booking accommodation if available as you can access the castle after hours. Also make sure to book your kids in for the potion class, the lady that hosts it does a fantastic job, I hope she gets paid well for it!

Great day out for all. Maybe more staff in medieval costume to help visitors throughout the castle grounds. Evening shows, dinners etc would be good. Great arena for medieval band like Blackmores Knight would be an amazing place for their band. Renowned for their music in medieval costumes. Whole day out for families. Jousting, public dual, Gruffalo show in the theatre. Overall great experience.

Stayed 4 nights for our sons Medieval Wedding. What a magical day. Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend activities along with Kryals Murder Mystery Dinner. Food for the wedding and Murder Mystery was amazing, as was the staff serving both these nights.bWould definitely recommend this place to everyone looking for something just a little different. Thank you to all at Kryal Castle.

The castle itself was very well done and impressive! Not a problem with the staff but the lack of interactive entertainment was disappointing. And they fleece you of your $ once in there. Very little in the way of gluten free food options, and not even hot chips on offer. Considering what we paid to get in, and the distance we travelled to get there , not a great experience. 😕

A good day out for the family, however food options are disappointingly limited, and a lot was sold out anyway. Being able to sit and have a proper lunch would make a big difference to the experience. This place has endless potential which it unfortunately is not living up to. The jousting was the highlight of the day, the other shows were quite boring. Most of the shops are reasonably priced. A lot of junk trinkets in amongst some nice merchandise. Make sure you take a hat!

Magical and adventurous! My family and I have been to Kyral Castle multiple times now. The place is great to explore and engage with. The castle also throws extra events on long weekends and school holidays which adds something different for each visit. Highly recommend for a fun adventurous day.

We liked the visit much more than we thought. The place was small but well laid out, with decent activities to keep the kids engaged. Mine loved the maze and archery activities. We also enjoyed the performance included in our visit - it was fun and well scripted and acted. The place was not far from Bendigo so we went in town for lunch.

The only thing that bothered me was that there was no map or schedule provided, nor did they inform you of the events taking place there. It takes a long time to download the app they offer, and when I did, I discovered that I had to pay for it, so it was almost time for me to leave. The children enjoyed it aside from that, and the rolle player was fantastic!

It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It was truly a winter wonderland. It is a must. It's very different to going at other times of the year. Lots of things to do, most included with the entry. You are allowed to bring own food, but there are quite a few places to eat and drink. Pass outs allowed. There are fire places/ barrels scattered around so you can stand around warm your hands. There whole place had a beautiful old world feel and charm, with people walking around in old style clothes and always happy to pose for photos. The souvenir shops are quite reasonably priced too. I would definitely recommend coming here. Kids, no kids, just a group of friends, everyone will love this magical place

Definitely a very unique and must visit attraction. I believe this place is very popular as there are so many people and students when we visited on a weekday! There are so many shops to go into and the place is truly like in the movies. Staff are even dressed in theme and are happy to take pictures. There are also horses! All of the decor and architecture are on point I don’t even know if they are recreated or actual buildings. We really had a fun day exploring this attraction. I would recommend spending around 4-5 hours here. Parking is free too and there are lots of gift shops.

Such a historical & informative place to visit! The staff were so helpful and gave us a great insight to what life was like back in the day. There was so much to see & do for both us adults & also the kids. The food was lovely with a wide range of variety and there was always something going on to keep you in entertained. Best thing to do/see in Ballarat by far!

What a fantastic place to see and immerse yourself into history. Third time I have visited and still I am one of the last ones out the gate. Not to be missed on anyone's trip/vacation or holiday. Loads of things to see and do for all ages.

Although the buildings were made in the 1970s, they are all well looked after. The staff dressed up in that era and responded like they were still in the era made the experience realistic. I agreed with earlier comment that the comment from the diggers tour guide felt a bit political but she maybe doing what she was told to do and say. After reading someone else's comment about New York bakery, we went to Hope Bakery. Their pies and desserts were very nice. Their apple crumble was the best we had ever had. We decided to pay extra for the "Trapped" guides tour. We really enjoyed the experience going under ground as it made it felt realistic. The tour guide was the descendent of one of the victims and it made the tour felt extra special as he had the real connection to the story. The shops were also reasonably priced. The activities such as gold panning, bowling and candle decorating were also enjoyable. Lots of free demonstrations throughout the day, which made the whole day went by so fast. We really enjoyed our first experience at Sovereign Hill. Highly recommended for everyone.

The best museum I was ever at. Really enjoyable, felt like you were back in those times. Loads to do there, we spent 6 hours there. We had a lovely lunch in the New York bakery. I would definitely go back again. Money well spent.

Sovereign Hill is a must see for anyone interested in History, its a wonderful place to bring the family, you can really pan for gold here, they drop specs in each day so you can discover them, food at the restaurants is top notch! A really good day out 😀

After living in Ballarat for four years and working embarrassingly enough never being to Sovereign Hill I decided to go while having friends down from Brisbane. Highlights were the candle making, bowling, shops, the not so magic show, the mine tour, and the horse ride, and of course learning the history of the place. The people dressed up walking up and down the streets were so lovely and pleasant. The two ladies minding the jewelry shop were also very pleasant. Some of the other staff could have been a bit more pleasant and the price of the tickets were a little steep. Overall it was a good experience.

This place was an absolute cracker. You think it’s going to be cheesy or lame but it’s actually really good. We did the night show as well and while I appreciate the indigenous culture of the area and their Dreamtime stories, I was confused by how it tied into the story of the gold fields as it didn’t seem to match the rest of the tour, seems they could do a second indigenous light show and give it more weight. The staff are fantastic and really love what they do. The shops are all great and it’s very interactive. The displays are very well put together even down to the detail inside the Masonic lodge in the hotel.

i haven't been back since i was 11yo and coming back with my kids was a treat. we enjoyed the mine tour, had to grab some hard boiled lollies, candle making was fun and despite being such a hot Summer's day; we had to try our luck and pan for gold. it was an enjoyable experience otherwise.👍

Great family day out! Weather was perfect, plenty to see do and learn. The cafe was affordable and an ideal place to relax from a day of tours and activities next to the dam with the ducks! It is easy to miss but worth it as the food prices are a lot lower than the traditional style stores on the themed main street. Amenities were clean and suitable.

Winter wonderlights were fantastic. Lovely atmosphere and quite a magical feeling. Lights were spectacular! Only reason I have liked and not loved was due to the lack of staffing (especially the one poor girl in the sweet shop with huge queue!) Event is 5-7pm, there are a LOT of people,so staffing should have been better. Best time was after 6:30pm when so many people had left and it was easier to walk around a last time. Would definitely return!

We had a fantastic day at Sovereign Hill today. We took our 8 and 4 year olds and both loved it. We went on the diggings tour and to the musket demonstration. Both guides were amazing! The history and the way they engaged the crowd was great. My 8 year old loved learning about it. We panned for gold and found quite a few little specks. We bought the $1 bottles for the kids to take the gold home in. We went on the horse carriage ride, which was the highlight of the day for the 4 year old. We tried candle dipping and bowling. We visited the lolly shop. Our 8 year old did the self guided mine tour. Both kids attending a school lesson in the old school house. It was really fun for them to write with pen and ink. To eat, we had Devonshire tea in the New York Bakery and had sausage rolls from Hope bakery for lunch. We had another coffee at the new American Cafe while the kids played at the playground. My favourite shop was the old Apothecary. It is so fascinating seeing all the old medical and pharmaceutical equipment. Toilets and amenities were great. There are plenty of guides around to help if you need it or to just have a chat about the history. We would most definitely visit again when the kids are older to see which activities they enjoy at different ages.

We recently took a cousin here that was visiting from Norway. He enjoyed it. It's nice, just seems much the same as it was when I was child. Not much has changed, not sure why I feel it has shrunk from last time I was there 5 years ago. It's a staple to take your overseas guests that love gold, history or the cowboy outback. I also enjoyed remembering the history of Ballarat, and watching the gold pour. The gentleman was funny and very knowledgeable, loved that he spoke of the history before the pouring too. There is a great cafe to buy lunch, coffee, drinks and also large outdoor areas for BYO. The coffee and fries were good. You can't leave without visiting the lolly shop. The lollies are a must, miss seeing how they are made. Sour grape, coca cola and strawberries and cream were yum! Maybe I've hidden them from the family 🤣😋

It is the best place to learn the history and experience the Australian gold rush in the past. There are a lot of activities that you can participate in to understand the work and life back in the date. It is better to spend half of the day here, ideally from the morning, check out programs and the schedules so that you can plan ahead time and route around the town. The staff is friendly and the facilities well maintained.

Well, this would have to be my five visit across 40 years and I’m loving it as much as I did the first time. I saw things I didn’t notice the last few times and understood more information on a wide rand of topics. There were 900 children in the centre on one of the days we were there. They made the atmosphere so fabulous. Their energy and enthusiasm was great. Plenty of room for everyone too I might add. A very special mention to 2 workers there. Anna who was in the Ladies shop was very informative and shared her experience and knowledge. Anna was so welcoming and kind. What an asset she is to the centre!! Brett over making a leather piece for a horse’s harness was very pleasant to chat with and knew his stuff. A quiet achiever. Also, The Bank Manager was fun to speak to and the Blacksmith Timothy was great to watch. Please keep up the great work of telling the story, Sovereign Hill people. We will be back again on day.

Great ‘live’ museum. It’d been decades since visiting and the place was still amazing. The atmosphere, staff, and service were great all throughout our visit. Costumes and the way staff greeted and spoke was very era-appropriate and like stepping back in time. Take your time when visiting. Plenty to see and do. It’s also a very large space to walk around. The morning opening time wasn’t overly busy, but it did get busy as the morning and afternoon went on. Very pleasant trip and experience altogether.

This place is pretty amazing. It’s like travelling back in time. The staff was friendly and the fact they are wearing period clothes is just next level. The raspberry drops are amazing and worth getting some. They had so many little places to explore and everything just felt cozy and nice. The mine section is really immersive, literally. Kids would definitely enjoy this as well as anyone interested in history. I went on a Wednesday and it wasn’t crowded at all

Exciting life time experience of mines tour. Many educative demonstrations on wheel making. Horse cart rides. Gold pour experience is just amazing. Gold digging is fun though time consuming. March past of soldiers is exciting. Overall a must visit place for lot of fun for kids and educative tour for adults.

We are back at Sovereign Hill after 15 years. This time we bring our kids along to feel the experience. The historic buildings plus staff dress on costumes of the Gold rush. There are restaurant and pies shop for lunch.

It’s a great place, very suitable for the whole family to come and experience together. It completely restores the scenes of the past. The staff also wears the costumes of that era, which makes people more immersed in the experience. Especially Amy’s enthusiasm and detailed explanations made me have a great experience. Well, a very worthwhile attraction.

Absolutely 💯 fantastic day out. It's such a wonderful place to go back into the past of Victoria and the Eureka era. Hats off, and congratulations to all the staff who make this day memorable for the visitors. You all do an amazing job in engaging us with your stories role-play and general knowledge and assistance. My husband laughed so much and it was truly amazing to see him enjoy the day.

Spent the whole day here and didn't see everything. Excellent place full of period actors and reenactments. Great food, the chicken sandwich was delicious. The school teacher who also plays the coffee seller is lovely. The policeman is a proper funny character. The bars sell real beer. Just brilliant all round fun and entertainment.

A fantastic day exploring, well worth a visit if you are in Ballarat, AURA Sound & Light Spectacular which is a 90 minute show commencing after dark was definitely a highlight of the visit to Sovereign Hill. Tickets for the AURA show are separate to the admissions tickets and are best booked online for the date you intend to visit as there are limited spaces and it was very busy. Food and drink prices are on the high side but you are able to take your own or leave and come back in.

An incredible destination for both children and adults. I believe school-going kids can gain a wealth of knowledge about Australia's past. My three-year-old enjoyed exploring traditional gold extraction and an underground gold mining site. It was truly thrilling to venture into the darkness and uncover the history of mining. I will certainly revisit with my child as she grows older. Highly recommended. My only complaint is regarding the steep ticket price for adults—it shouldn't exceed $20-30.

Took our 9 yo granddaughter there yesterday. I can't recall going there as a kid but a great day and lots of things to keep the whole family entertained. Staff in period costumes were very obliging and outgoing. An excellent venue for young children to learn the areas roots and understanding of years gone by.

Little museum about the Eureka Stockade. Great to learn about history of Ballarat other than gold mining. There’s a lake and a nice playground outside the museum. Also a nice cafe within the museum if you want a bite.

Really nice place to visit with the kids! Learn all about an important part of Australia’s history at the museum and then head to Lilly’s for lunch which has a great view of the gardens outside. Play some board games while you wait for your food to arrive and after filling your tummy, perfect time to check out the playground which has lots of sensory elements for the little ones to explore.

Very interesting, had never heard of this, so glad we went. It's a great place with beautiful grounds. Cafe is really good. If you're interested in history you should call in. Staff in reception are very welcoming and helpful.

I dropped into the Eureka Centre as I'd heard so much about it and I wanted to share it with some school clients. Absolutely worthwhile visiting. At only $6 for a child entry fee, it's excellent value for money. There is plenty to see, with stunningly laid out it has plenty of interactive / educational displays. Viewing the original Eureka flag was quite special to me as a Melbournite. The story that goes along with it is equally interesting. The centre also has a theatre where presentations are given as well. There is a coffee shop available on site, although it wasn't open at the time I was there. THere is a gift shop which has some beautiful items for purchase, especially for tourists. Located just as you drive into Ballarat from the east, it's surrounded by green grass, a playground, toilets nearby and plenty of parking. There are picnic tables and seats and a shelter. This is a must visit when visiting Ballarat. Sovereign Hill is one thing but this is far more intimate, personal and contained into one facility. Highly recommend.

Gorgeous day in the park! Cafe understaffed, food trucks as advertised, weren't there. Luckily we took what we needed for the day. Ballarat City Council, step it up. Ballarat weather can be a disaster but on these gorgeous days, support local.

The original Eureka flag is on display and is the star attraction here. Well worth seeing and learning what this Australian history represents. Mostly presented via dated touch screens with some what too much reading. Newer video presentation(s) would be a genuine and worthy improvement.

A bit light on for stories, but otherwise excellent. The flag itself is a must see. Well presented. I wish they would bring back some sort of live show on eureka stockade battle

Very good historical museum. Plenty of original artifacts, context around the events of the Eureka stockade, acknowledgement of the appropriation of the symbols (without judgement) and very friendly and helpful staff.

We recently visited on our way to Tasmania and found it quite educational. I'd not taken much notice of the Eureka Stockade story I must confess, but now look at the flag (for example), with different eyes. The education that the flag, was SO much MORE than just a flag associated with some Union...The realisation that it represented the beginning of people, in a vast range of "employment" positions, (from menial to management and everywhere in between) being recognised and treated firstly as human beings, and secondly, and equally importantly, treated more fairly in an earning capacity, rather than slave trade, or a means to someone else's financial gain at the detriment to the individual...well worth the visit.

Insightful collection with a variety of items related to the Eureka Stockade. Staff were friedly. Offers concession tickets for students.

Great part of our history. All nations together . As it should be now. We are one not divided. I'm glad I visited this museum.

The Eureka Stockade has often been referred to as the birthplace of Australian democracy and every visitor will understand why as they learn the details of the 1854 battle. A worthwhile visit, even just to see the original Eureka flag in the flesh. Souvenir shop attached and new exhibits are changed every couple of months. Locals of Greater Ballarat area even receive a cheeky discount 😉

Excellent friendly front office counter staff. Learnt a lot of history here that I was not aware of. Awesome documentation and digital explanation of history. Great cafe too

We spent a day in Ballarat and visited the Centre. It was interesting and enjoyable learning about the history of the Eureka Stockade. A pivotal part of Australia's history. Staff are friendly and knowledgable and cafe serves great coffee! A definite must see.

Very educational and definitely worth the visit as it's apart of Australia history

I was honoured that I got see the Eureka original flag & to be standing on the location where the Rebellion took place. The centre has alot of information on the men & women who risked their lives in the fight for miner's rights & stories of the Eureka Rebellion. So when you are in Ballarat go & see a part of Australian history.

Well laid out and an interested place to read about the Eureka Stockade. Seeing the original flag was a highlight.

A must stop when staying or travelling through Ballarat. Under $10 entry to the Eureka Stockade museum, $6 for concession. It's a self walk museum with interactive displays. To actually see the original Eureka Stockade flag is worth the entry price in itself. I love Australian history, and Ballarat has so much of it. Well laid out, easy to get around, I only needed 40 mins to go in and out. Cafe (open to public) was quite large & really busy when l was there. I actually enjoyed the outside area as much. The monuments, flags, and parkland are beautiful. I'm glad l stopped to visit.

Awesome tribute to all our Men and Women who represented Australia in all wars.

I love the location of it-near the lake!

I visited here again to pay respects to family members who were Ex POW from WWII. An incredible place for reflection. A heart wrenching tribute to the brave men and women of our country who suffered so much for our future.

Quite an amazing war memorial. I think there were over 35,000 Australian prisoners of war since the Boer war, and all their names are on this monument. Definitely worth a visit.

Very extensive displays and factual stories, extremely impressive, must see.

Stunning, haunting, so beautiful and peaceful, the grounds are well kept, quite a nice place to visit and show respect.

Well worth visiting, reflecting on the unfathomable sacrifice made to achieve a peaceful society. Memorial is well constructed, well presented and respectful.

Very sombre place. Never forget our founders sacrifices.

A marvellous memorial honouring the 36,000 men and women who’ve served time as prisoners of the many wars of our history. A special thank you to the incredible locals who left a basket full of poppies to place on the wall. This was unexpected but very appreciated and allowed us to honour our great-grandfather personally.

Love this spot! Beautiful ❤️

This is a very touching and also spectacular monument to the numerous Australian soldiers and servicemen that served during multiple wars, it's well maintained and situated not far from the nearby lake.

Exemplary specialised memorial covering the Boer War, WW1, WW2, and Korean War. Be sure the check the Addendum section at the end for names that are still being added. Very pleased to see a separate stone commemorating the Montevideo Maru, and of course my uncle's name. Lark Force and the 2/22nd Battalion, I salute you!

Lovely atmosphere here. My Dad is on the list of prisoners here. Thankyou so much..

I have been to Ballarat a few times and finally got to see the tram museum. The crew is very knowledgeable and will tell you everything you wanna know about their trams. Would rate it as one of the must-go tourist attraction spot in Ballarat. $8 entry fee including a tram ride. It only opens on Tuesdays and on the weekends though so make sure you go there at the right time. Really enjoyed my visit overall.

Excellent Tram Museum and excellent Volunteers. Entry is $8 for Concession. This is my first time I ever go there to look at the Tram Display.

Perfect tram and great display for tram history. Hover onto the Geelong tram and see how cool it is to turn the chairs around.

If you’re in (or passing by) Ballarat, the Ballarat Tramway Museum is well worth looking at! The volunteers are very friendly and are great to talk to. Unfortunately at the time of my visit the track was under renovation, so I can’t review the team ride they normally offer! I was however, treated to a tour of their workshop which was just as good. Perfect for tram enthusiasts of all ages, including big kids like me who love sitting in the driver’s seat and pretending they’re driving a tram through Ballarat!

Very clean, well maintained trams make this place well worth the visit. The staff are great too.

Excellent museum for just $10 entry! We had a great time sitting on the old fashion trams that run for about 1.2km along a small part of lake wendouree. Run by volunteers who are passionate and friendly, highly recommend & so glad that they kept this piece of Ballarat history!

Amazing place to visit. Volunteers have so much knowledge and a very wide variety of Historical trams on display

I highly recommend this super interesting, family friendly museum. I was expecting a small, poorly lit room with some information boards. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Lots of trams to explore, information and stories, kind and knowledgable volunteers. You could easily spend a couple of hours here, even with young children.

The museum was great and to see the work involved in restoring the trams is amazing and a big big thank you to the volunteers to keep this going you are all amazing

Cute little museum of vintage trams! For $10 (adults), you get access to the museum + a tram ride along Lake Wendouree. Our tram driver Chris was knowledgeable and engaging. He took us on a short ride on the Tram 28, which is over 100 years old. He made sure to keep the adults and kids entertained which was nice. Well worth every penny.

We had a great time at the Ballarat Train Museum. We had a free ride on a tram is so relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view. The tram driver is very experienced we had a smooth ride. A big thanks to the driver’s and conductor’s. Arthur the conductor’s his very informative and gave Mark’s a private tour of the shed where they restoring other trams and view the special tram for special occasions.

An incredibly well staffed and volunteer based initiative. Every detail of VIC trams in Ballarat and elsewhere has been lovingly and carefully documented for posterity! Great knowledgeable people manning the areas and the entry is a pittance for a great museum, video, displays, and an included tram ride! Almost all trams are boardable so you can experience yesteryear. Refurbishments of the trams are top-notch and historically accurate! Within/Near the beautiful Botanical gardens and right on Lake Wendouree. A must-see and stop, in beautiful Ballarat!

Neat old trams and building renos looks great. Really nice restoration jobs on them. Far cry from the wrecks they were when I was beind the handles. One of the volunteers was rather snippy at me though. (If you don't want people in the open trams, put a sign or chain up)

This experience is worth provided it comes only for $10 per person. Good small museum of yesteryear Victorian Trams. You can hop on some and get a piece of the days gone by, through the pics. The entry price also includes a short tram ride which is nostalgic of the bygone years. The staff at the ticket counter and tram are courteous. Particularly John. He is friendly and quite a gentleman. Highly recommend BTM.

Great museum with some good history. Volunteers are very friendly and happy to assist. Tram ride was good fun too and driver was very informative. Thank you.

Went for a day trip to Ballarat and really enjoyed the tram museum and the tram ride. The volunteers working there were just amazing, so kind, so lovely!

A beautiful museum rich in historical knowledge! I loved every moment of exploring here, as a complete newbie to tram knowledge, the info here was just enough for me to gain a good understanding but not an overload. So many models have been kept in great condition - the free tram ride on the old route was especially enjoyable. The one that was left “untouched” and with the old magazines placed there made me especially poignant about the history which these trams saw before their current retirement here. The staff (all volunteers) were so friendly and I wish I was able to spend more time here but schedule was tight. There is a small entry fee that covers all the activities, and a cafe. It was really quiet on the day I went but it deserves more attention! Truly a must visit if you’re into historical topics.

I am rapt that I finally visited the new museum and was highly impressed with the quality of restoration and presentation of the displays. I reckon the $10 fee is good value as it includes entry and tram ride of about 20 minutes. I am pleased that I was able to assist in 1971 as foundation member (#3) to create the current facility over the decades since.

Beautiful and old place, cheaper and wonderful to learn about trams, I love it, $10 includes a small trip in the park and the lake Wendouree, excellent service, kind people, clean toilets.

The staffs are very friendly. We stopped here first while visiting Ballarat and also on another time while driving to Adelaide from Melbourne. The first time we were there for general infos about Ballarat and around, and the staffs were just awesome. The next time, it was more of a rest stop for us, and the staffs provided my kids with coloring papers so thay were engaged, while we were stretching our legs.

Good place to start for getting around the area.very informative overall. Though we did find that they were lacking info on some notable places. For instance, the Mechanics Institute was mentioned but they weren't sure of opening times(All day, every day) and that there are tours available. Anyway, still a good place to start.

Definitely put this on your list if you are travelling and sight seeing in and around Ballarat. We received so many brochures and maps with a huge list of things to do and see. Such a beautiful old building, inside and out.

Wonderful place very helpful has maps to help. Has toilets.

Amazing staff… such as myself but other then that if you need information this is the place to go!

Went to visit on a Wednesday afternoon. The weather was not the best, but the locals were friendly and welcoming. Everyone was enjoying a nice walk, coffee and taking photos. Very relaxing place to visit. Tips for parking, drive to the nearest station, all day free parking there. 10 minutes walk to town, which is not bad at all!!!

Great staff, Laurace, who wants to now a bit about how long I'm planning to stay, if I have children with me, etc. Then she showed me things to do suitable for my visit.

Wonderful service.. Marrie did excellent researching..knowing a lot of local information...

Very useful information can be obtained from here. The staff is very helpful!

Currently, the Ballarat Information Centre is temporarily moved to the next building (The Phoenix), please refer to the pictures for your reference. The centre remains on the main stress and easy to access for tourists with limited parking right in front of the existing building. Basically, you can expect to receive a local map in paper and booklet regarding the local events, attractions, accommodation and food recommendations. So far there are no special discounts available for local accommodations from the information centre. ** only apply to a certain city

Dropped in today for some local info. The building is amazing and there is lots of info there. Matthew that we spoke to there was great 👍 Knew his stuff and was very approachable. Thanks Matthew 🙏

Great service very informative staff member

Very helpful staff! Thank you for taking your time with us!

In this day and age and given the millions spent there recently, the station has no disabled access between the platforms. Platform 2 is used for most Melbourne departures and has no Toilet facilities disabled or otherwise. The signage tells you to leave the station, go out to Lydiard street, cross and re-enter the station, regardless of the weather. Currently the only access is a very steep and old set of steps.

One of the last great Victorian (as in Queen Victoria) railway stations built in 1862. The Refreshment Room still retains a lot of its grandeur despite its garish soft drink fridges and fast food. The original panelling is there. Other features to note is the original wooden platform overpass/stairs (though an alternative is due for disabled passengers). And the original clocks, still in situ, sadly not working and sans the metal destination boards which the station master would pull down with a hook, retracting the previous board. Ingenious! Railway stations are marvellous 🙂

Though we did not spend much time here, we were utterly charmed by the 1880’s colonial architecture. Home to modern, well-stocked vending machines and adequate facilities. If you need to make a phone call, the pay phones are now free! A must see for anyone catching the train to Ballarat.

So quaint - yet serviceable! Quick and tasty coffee! A bit too hot though.

its showing its age, but it just makes me like it evn more with that huge grand staircase right smack in the middle. Staff everywhere & willing to help. Thers everything here café, toilets & taxi 🚕 rank out the front. Nilly forgot thers also a brand new bus stop next door & all the city 🚌 busses stop there...

Ballarat station looks similar like Geelong station with the old ambiences, felt like I went back to the 1900's plus more technology 😁😁😁😁

Always loved this place. You never fill unwelcome, honestly. The only negative is how cold it is

Thats funny we only go to the station to use the loos for my wife. Open most of the time and handy.

Nice station with a nice historic look

The garden beds around the multi-storey car park is an eye sore. So many weeds and looking very untidy. Not to mention the garden beds around the station are looking deplorable as well. Something needs to be done!

Beautiful ancient structure with an easy access to the station with a drop off area. Bus station located right outside the railway station which makes commuting very easy and convenient. Bricks, arches, wooden bridge and steel columns add a character to the whole place.

Small and beautiful structure , reminds you about the past days and takes you back in the memory lane. everything is antique and beautiful about. try to visit if you are near Melbourne area. 10aus is the train ticket cost.

Old fashioned nostalgic train stop. For the disabled it can be awkward with only stairs to cross the platforms, but there are plans to put a lift in. Just imagine it's been a while in planning because of the heritage status of the site

Station is historic with many interesting features. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

A beautiful and well run station, originally designed as for a capital city, (they thought it was going to be until Canberra was realised) Interesting architecture from 1880s provides eye catching angles and photogenic nooks

We went there to meet some family coming in from Melbourne. Finding a park spot was near impossible, not very good for a couple of country bumpkins like us, not knowing where to park.

Wonderful, tranquil place. If you love birds this is the place for you. There is also a new maze-collect all 3 tokens in the maze and get a prize at the kiosk! Eating areas are lovely and clean and the walks are elevated through the bushland. Price also includes food to feed the rainbow trout! A fascinating variety of birds and parrots. Loved it! 😍

Went to Bird World on a whim with my friend on the weekend. I have lived in Ballarat all my life but have never been! Bird World completely exceeded my expectations. The staff were so friendly and kind, the landscape and boardwalk felt like being on a holiday at a resort! The wide range of birds was incredible to see up close and interact with. As well as countless extra activities for people to enjoy at the park in case that wasn’t enough! How lovely to give out free trinkets and prizes for people completing the fun maze - something to take home and remember for the special day. My friend and I couldn't believe the wonderful and fun time we had at Bird World. Will be back again when in need for a peaceful, relaxing yet entertaining day out in nature!!!

Kids really enjoyed this place. The staff are lovely and the kids enjoyed running around the maze to collect the prize at the end. They also give you food to feed the fish (I loved seeing them grab the food) the open Avery was a little boring. The parrots and cockatoos in the cages would have a chat and the galah even spoke in sentences. Nice walk around, dinosaur display and yummy treats at the cafe.

Beautiful cute place to visit.. there is a cute cafe.. staff is very friendly. They are super supportive.. there is a small maze.. they have set a challenge, if you win, you will receive a small cute prize.. entry fee is reasonable..love this place..we enjoyed lot even it was a rainy day😊

Love this place. So peaceful and quiet. Best place for family. We visit this place quite often and there are so many things coming up every time. A mini golf on the cards very soon as well. Highly recommend

I thought this place was pretty cool. It's a bit small, but they pack fair bit inside. Small maze which in itself is not that exciting. But if you do the stamp hunt you get free items from reception, namely little figurines and other trinkets. Nice surprise. Then there's all the bird cages which was nice, but for us it was made cooler cause the bird keeper came out and gave us some almonds to feed the cockatoos. That was quite cool especially for our 3yo son. The water features are surprisingly very well created, and not what I was expecting at all. And something unique I've never seen elsewhere is that they give out fish food to feed their rainbow fish. Also a medium sized aviary you wallthirugh, but didn't seem like a heap of birds in it, compared to something like the Melbourne zoo aviary. Overall peasant visit after visiifng sovereign Hill all day

A nice place to watch and listen to bird life. Large walk in avery and waterfall to feed fish. There's a small but mildly challenging maze, a fossil dog and a mini golf course (CURRENTLY BEING MADE). Walk way is surrounded by lovely bush and greenery. There is a variety of caged parrots that were quite beautiful, as well as some larger talkative ones. It was a warm day so a lot of the birds were quietly nestled away in shade, so I recommend a cooler day. On entry there are small gifts you can purchase as well as a simple cafe. Entry fee is $15 for concession and $17 for full price. Children were cheaper.

Absolutely wonderful for kids. There is a large netted space you can walk through where birds can fly around in an almost natural environment. Mostly native Australian species with a few exotic parakeets and parrots + some native non parrot species.

We stumbled across this place on our travels, and we definitely weren't disappointed. It was very well priced, with well priced and affordable gifts/souvenirs and beautiful ornaments to take home, unlike other wildlife parks we have been to. The coffee and cakes were amazing, too, with a beautiful, cosy atmosphere. I would definitely recommend giving this place a visit and taking in the hospitality.

A beautiful open park to see a wide range of birds, both in cages and in open aviaries. A cute maze for the kids with a prize on finding the stamps, a dinosaur dig and some dinosaur replicas. Really loved our time here exploring and chatting to some of the cockatoos. You can also feed the ducks and carp in the pond which my boys loved.

Ballarat Bird World was amazing! You get to see all ranges of birds, and they love to see happy guests. Highly recommend to visit and it's not expensive to enter.

Entry fee doesn't reflect the quality of the place. Run down somewhat neglected. Great variety of parrots.

Great quiet place and reasonable. Not big but has quite a few birds. Some talk as well. Adding some great pics. Fish feeding area as well and kids enjoyed the maze hunt too.

Enjoyed my visit to the Ballarat Bird world on a weekday visit. Relaxing atmosphere, plenty of parking, sweet gift shop and cafe. Activities for children and lovely small lake where you can feed the trout. There is a large aviary and varying sizes of cages. Australian and international birds. These have been rescued or donated to the sanctuary by owners who can no longer care for them. The owners are currently building some larger cages. There are also wild birds that will come in for seed provided. Well worth a visit, especially to support their work in maintaining this sanctuary as the birds would not otherwise have a home. Enjoyed talking with the staff, keep up the good work guys 😊

I was actually really disappointed with this place. The birds were beautiful and flew to the fronts to interact but many of them have plucked at themselves and were shivering. Seeing them in just the row of smaller aviarys was sad. There is so much room for improvement! It could be amazing on the size of land they have. The "maze" was very small and over in less than 2 minutes. The mini golf was "under construction" The "animatronic dinosaur display" was just one large dinosaur (not animatronic, just had a sound come out of speakers nearby when u walked near) and 2 small dinosaurs (also didnt move. One made a noise the other didnt) The fish feed was cool, my son loved it and the fossil sandpit did make him interested. The boardwalk did have a grit painted on it to help with grip, but no signs at all about being slippery when wet. My elderly mother had one foot slightly off the grit to take a photo and slipped over and fell right on her back. When we mentioned to the lady at the desk she just said "thats why we have the grit" she didnt even ask if mum was ok. Didnt offer an incident report. Nothing. There should be signage. Thankfully she is only bruised and a bit sore. It could have been alot worse if someone wasnt as fit and healthy as my mother. I would not recommend this place for someone with small kids or anyone with any mobility issues! And $17 per adult when theres no mini golf available. Only 3 dinosaur statues (2 that make sound) and birds in cages was not worth it for our family.

Beautiful church. It is very welcoming, and the stories on the stained-glass windows are top class storytelling

We enjoyed a fabulous Candlelight Concert from the very talented string quartet, entertaining us with the music of Queen. Brilliant!

Beautiful, words can’t do no justice to the architecture.

Lots of people on good Friday service well done to all very enjoyable and happy to see so many

Love this cathedral with the stained glass windows. Quiet and cosy. The only church that has evening mass on Sunday, my favourite time to end the week. Plenty of parking 😊

Loved the music, but thought the cost of the tickets, was a bit too expensive for the average person.

Historic building, location, convenient times for masses and friendly parishioners, priest, cardinal and staff.

It's surreal. The place is so peaceful and clean

Beautiful cathedral, lovely services, welcoming congregants.

Sang here twice in the last few weeks, breathtaking acoustics

Brilliant work by all of the artists, a joy to experience such talent. The candles were lovely, just mostly on one level on the stage which was a bit high to give the right atsmophere. Very well run.

Beautiful cathedral.. the mass is fantastic. Gives you a feeling of focus and being inspired by just walking into the church.

Fantastic, invictus quartet's performance was amazing.

A wonderful evening experiencing the awesome music 0f Queen performed by enthusiastic and very talented musicians. You can never have to much Queen in your life .

Absolutely fabulous. Invictus Quartet were amazingly beautiful. Worth every cent.

It was a beautiful cultured experience.