Top things to do in Ballarat

Things to do in Ballarat come back to the goldfields: guided walks through laneways and historic hotels, a food and gin tasting tour, and day trips to goldfields towns such as Creswick and Bendigo. The city sits about 110 km north-west of Melbourne, close enough for a day out and with enough to fill a weekend. Start with food and drinks tours in Ballarat, Ballarat attractions or zoos and wildlife experiences around Ballarat, or read on for how the city fits together.

Gold rush history on foot in Ballarat

Gold was found at Poverty Point in August 1851, and the rush that followed built the city, then led to the Eureka Stockade uprising in 1854. A guided walk is the quickest way to match that story to the streets. The Ballarat City Guided Walking Tour and Hot Drink with Hidden Lanes leaves at 10.30am from outside Saint Paul's Anglican Church on Humffray Street South in Bakery Hill. A local storyteller takes a small group down secret laneways and into spaces most visitors never see, including the upper floor of Craig's Royal Hotel.

A hot drink at a historic grand hotel is part of the walk, and everyone goes home with a Ballarat art print. It suits first-time visitors who want the rebellion and gold rush stories before they decide where to spend the rest of the day.

Food and gin tours in Ballarat

Ballarat's food scene is easiest to understand by eating your way through it. The Ballarat Food and Gin Distillery Walking Tour starts in the main foyer of Ballarat Railway Station and winds through the laneways with tastings along the way: artisan gin, award-winning local cheese, wood-fired pizza at The Forge and handmade sweet treats, plus a gold rush-era underground bakery.

Time with chefs and distillers behind the scenes and a light lunch are included, so it works as a midday plan. More tastings and tables are collected on the Ballarat food and drinks page.

Wool, alpacas and farm animals at Creswick

The Creswick Wool Mill Tour and Farm Adventure is a 1-hour guided tour of the historic Creswick Woollen Mills at 18 Railway Parade, Creswick. Hosts walk through the wool-making process from shearing to finished woollen products, and heritage displays fill in the rest. Alpacas and sheep are close enough to meet, and there is a tea and coffee station on site. The venue lists wheelchair, vision-impaired and hearing-impaired friendly access.

For other animal and wildlife outings around the city, see the Ballarat zoos and aquariums page.

Bendigo history tours listed with Ballarat

Two Bendigo Guided Tours experiences are listed with Ballarat, and both start in Bendigo itself at the Bendigo Visitor Centre on Pall Mall, so they work best as their own day out rather than a quick add-on.

The Bendigo Guided Chinese Heritage Tour is a 3.5-hour Sunday-morning tour for a small group, with air-conditioned transport between sites. It starts at the 1850s Chinese Diggings, where you pan for gold in real gold-bearing paydirt, then covers the Chinese Joss House Temple, a 19th-century Chinese cemetery and the Golden Dragon Museum. Morning tea at Omari Cafe and free time in the Yi Yuan Chinese Gardens are included.

The Bendigo City Guided Historic Walking Tour is a 2-hour, 2.5 km walk past gold rush landmarks and grand architecture, including the rise of Quartz King George Lansell and a look inside the historic Shamrock Hotel.

Choosing a Ballarat tour

Pick by what you want to walk away with. History on foot suits the city walking tour, a tasting-led day suits the food and gin tour, and the wool mill suits anyone who wants animals and a hands-on look at how a mill works. The Bendigo tours go to a different city, so decide early whether you want to stay in Ballarat or travel.

Ballarat sights between the tours

Ballarat's wider attractions sit alongside the tours. Sovereign Hill, the recreated 1850s gold mining settlement that opened in 1970, is the city's biggest draw. The Art Gallery of Ballarat holds one of the country's oldest collections of early Australian art, and Lake Wendouree and the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, established in 1857, fill a gentler afternoon. Browse attractions in Ballarat for what Experience Oz has on offer.