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GETTING HERE

Ballarat is one of the largest inland cities in Australia with a population around 90,000.

Strategically located in the Central Highlands region of Victoria, Ballarat is approximately 110kms west of Melbourne.

Approximate travel time by car to Ballarat:

Melbourne 70 mins

Warrnambool 120 minutes

Geelong 60 minutes

Traralgon 180 minutes

Mildura 4 hours 30 minutes

Bendogo 90 minutes

Horsham

Interstate and international visitors can fly into Tullamarine or Avalon Airports

VLine offers multiple daily connections to Ballarat. The Ballarat Station is right at the hub of BIFB’09 Core Program activities. There’s no need to drive if you travel by train

ABOUT BALLARAT

The perfect destination for a day trip, short break or longer stay, Ballarat is just over an hour’s drive northwest of Melbourne.

Ballarat was born in the goldrush era. The city’s wonderful heritage of natural beauty, historic buildings, gardens and art reveals a fascinating and turbulent story.

Today, Ballarat’s elegant architecture, broad, tree-lined streets and cultivated European-style gardens are a legacy of the wealth of the era when this was the premier city of the Victorian goldfields.

The city’s three tourism precincts reflect different aspects of the city’s history and heritage. Eureka and Gold, Heritage and Arts & the Lake and Gardens precincts featuring iconic Sovereign Hill, an open-air living museum and Her Majesty’s Theatre Australia’s oldest continuously running live theatre.

The Art gallery of Ballarat is Australia’s oldest and largest regional gallery and for a greater insight into Ballarat’s turbulent past visit the Eureka Centre.

THE WEATHER

Ballarat is at an elevation of 450m so air temperature is generally 2º - 5º cooler than in Melbourne.

The mean average temperatures in August /September are minimum of around 5º C and maximum of around 15ºC.

September can be one of our wetter months, with an average rainfall of around 75mm and an average of 12 rainy days.

The sun rises around 6am and sets around 6pm

Visit the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre in Lydiard Street North [opposite the Art Gallery] for brochures on the Eureka Trail, Heritage Walking Trail and the Sturt St Sculpture and Coffee Walk.

Eureka Flag
One of Australia's most precious icons, the Eureka Flag is displayed in a purpose-designed gallery in the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.

Prime Ministers Avenue
A series of handcrafted bronze statues of every Prime Minister of Australia graces an avenue of the Botanical Gardens.

Blood On The Southern Cross
This sound and light spectacular is staged Monday to Saturday at Sovereign Hill (nightly during summer). A thrilling event that takes you back to the night of the Eureka uprising. Book for dinner and make an evening of it.

Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
Make a pilgrimage to this dramatic tribute to the sacrifice Australians made when captured by enemy forces. Ballarat's newest attraction is a memorial of national significance.