Lake Wendouree, a large artificial lake used for rowing events at the 1956 Olympics, is a natural focal point for the town. A popular running and cycling track encircles it, old timber boat sheds line the shore, and there's plenty of bird life. Beside the lake are restaurants, the botanic gardens and a tourist tramway.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.46 MILES
You’ll need to set aside at least half a day to visit this fascinating re-creation of Ballarat's 1860s gold-mining township. The site was mined in the…
1.52 MILES
Established in 1884 and moved to its current location in 1890, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest provincial gallery in Australia. The…
Red Duck Brewery & Kilderkin Distillery
1.81 MILES
These guys have been brewing craft beer since 2005 – way before it was cool – and continue today with ever-changing, inventive seasonal brews to…
2.94 MILES
Standing on the commemorative site of the Eureka Rebellion, this modern museum focuses on the momentous 1854 Battle of the Eureka Stockade. Multimedia…
22.52 MILES
Surrounded by pretty, flower-filled gardens, the 19th-century Holy Cross Convent on Wombat Hill now functions as an art gallery. Its Bad Habits Café and a…
0.65 MILES
On the western side of the lake, Ballarat's beautiful and serene gardens were first planted in 1858. The 40 hectares include immaculately maintained rose…
1.6 MILES
Read all about it here at Ballarat's Mechanics Institute (c 1859), where you can browse every single edition of the Ballarat Courier newspaper since the…
25.7 MILES
One of the historic gardens and nurseries managed by the conservation-focused Diggers Garden and Environment Trust, this flower-filled garden in Blackwood…
Nearby Victoria attractions
0.65 MILES
On the western side of the lake, Ballarat's beautiful and serene gardens were first planted in 1858. The 40 hectares include immaculately maintained rose…
0.7 MILES
Here you can take a ride on a vintage tram from the museum's depot along a 1.3km section of tramline around Lake Wendouree. Horse-drawn trams started…
1.52 MILES
Established in 1884 and moved to its current location in 1890, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest provincial gallery in Australia. The…
4. Ballaarat Mechanics Institute
1.6 MILES
Read all about it here at Ballarat's Mechanics Institute (c 1859), where you can browse every single edition of the Ballarat Courier newspaper since the…
1.61 MILES
Putting Ballarat's ornate architecture to good use, this contemporary gallery is set up inside an 1870s Masonic temple with a colonnaded facade. It's a…
1.63 MILES
This city monument commemorates the discovery of gold at Poverty Point in 1851, which marked the beginning of the gold rush in Ballarat.
7. Red Duck Brewery & Kilderkin Distillery
1.81 MILES
These guys have been brewing craft beer since 2005 – way before it was cool – and continue today with ever-changing, inventive seasonal brews to…
2.43 MILES
Sitting on an old mine across the road from Sovereign Hill, the family-friendly Gold Museum features multimedia exhibits, nuggets found in the area and…