Tarneit Day Trips: Best of Ballarat
We're always looking to share with you amazing things to do, or ideas for Tarneit day trips. Because Tarneit is a gateway to a whole range of fantastic things to see, enjoy, and explore.
For instance, at Orchard, you're a mere hour away from one of Victoria’s most beautiful historical townships, the City of Ballarat. This former Gold Rush town is replete with all the charm of the period and is brimming with interesting things to do and see for people of all ages.
Go for a day or stay for a weekend – whichever you choose, you’re sure to have a wonderful time. Here are our picks for the best of Ballarat!
Ballarat Wildlife Park
Situated on 37 acres of natural bushland, this family business aims to give visitors the best interactive experience possible of some of Australia’s most unique animals, including a variety of exotic reptiles, roaming kangaroos, and more – even crocodiles and eagles! Daily activities include guided tours at 11am, animal shows, and the chance to meet the Keepers.
Ballarat Wildlife Park, 250 Fussell St, Ballarat East
Visit their website.
Ballarat Botanical Gardens
Located on the western shore of picturesque Lake Wendouree, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens is divided into four distinct zones and stands as one of Australia’s most significant cool climate gardens. Regular events like the Ballarat Begonia festival ensure that these beautiful Gardens remain a popular location year round, not to mention a site of great heritage and recreational significance.
Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, Ballarat
Visit their website.
Sovereign Hill & the Gold Museum
These two attractions stand across the road from one another, providing related yet distinct insights into Ballarat’s deep history of gold and growth. Sovereign Hill’s open-air museum is a recreation of historical Ballarat ten years after gold’s discovery there and is home to spectacular recreations including Blood on the Southern Cross and other activities. The Gold Museum meanwhile is a curated affair showcasing an impressive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits and priceless artefacts.
Sovereign Hill & Gold Museum, Bradshaw Street, Ballarat
Visit their website.
Ballarat White Night
Melbourne's most celebrated arts festival returns to the streets of Ballarat with an extraordinary program of events and installations to entertain and inspire till deep into the night... and the following morning! There will be something for everyone as you explore the beautiful streets and laneways to see this historic town in an entirely new light. Happening Saturday March 17, from 7pm until 2am.
Ballarat White Night, Various locations, Ballarat.
Visit their website.
Ballarat Heritage Weekend
Image: Australian Traveller
Ballarat’s town centre is worth a trip on its own. Its historic streetscapes reflect its big brother Melbourne’s grid, and are home to a great many signature buildings: the Former National Mutual Life Insurance Building, Ballarat Railway Station, The Ballarat Mining Exchange, and more. Every year they’re celebrated with Ballarat Heritage Weekend, held on Mother’s Day weekend with many free activities to enjoy. This year’s occasion takes place 26 & 27 May and if previous years are anything to go by the whole family will love it.
Ballarat Heritage Weekend, Various Locations, Ballarat
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Kryal Castle
Just outside Ballarat lies a world of myth and adventure at Kryal Castle. Experience the thundering drama of Jousting, the mysteries of Magic in the Wizard’s Workroom, or lose yourself in the lavishly themed passageways and dimly lit chambers of the Dragon’s Labyrinth. This is but a glimpse of attractions that await you in this glorious recreation of a mediaeval castle – stay overnight in its Castle Suites and see it all!
Kryal Castle, 121 Forbes Rd, Leigh Creek
Visit their website.
So there you have it! One of the nation’s most exquisitely preserved and historically significant towns is just a short drive away. Pack the car and set your course – after all, there’s gold out there in the west...