What to do and see in Ballarat, Victoria: The Best Things to do Good for Couples

Discover Ballarat's Dark Side. Bloody Ballarat Tours invite you to an evening of Murder, Mystery and Mayhem from the city's dark past. Conducted through the heart of historic downtown Ballarat, this tour experience is a must for lovers of true crime, Australian history and those fascinated by the darker side of human nature. Tours: 8:00 pm, Friday-Saturday. Duration: 2 Hours. Price: $30.00 Adult, $25.00 Concession.

We conduct small group personalised Nature, Sightseeing/heritage and Wine tours and experiences of Victoria, Australia. The regions of Victoria that our tours go are; Goldfields, Grampians, Great Ocean Road, Daylesford & Spa country, Pyrenees & Southern Grampians Wine regions, Murray, Wimmera/Mallee, South west coast of the Southern Ocean, and Victorian volcanic plains. Our tours are the ideal way for couples, small groups and individual travellers to experience the many regions of Victoria. Our tours are single day and multi day tours, so we would have a tour that suits you. Golden Nugget Discovery Tours are a recognised Green Travel Leader and a member of Ecotourism Australia, so our tours are Ecotourism Certified, Carbon Offset and environmentally /Sustainable managed.

Discover the City Build by Gold on this fully guided walking tour of historic downtown Ballarat. Explore grand Victorian era streetscapes of opulent architecture and become captivated by the history behind the facades. True tales of rebellion, tragedy and triumph, fortunes won and lost, along with the city's highest achievers and world famous visitors. Tours: 11:00 am and 2:00 pm- Saturday- Sunday and Public Holidays Tour Duration:1.5-2 Hours Price: Adult:$25.00, Concession:$20.00, Child$15.00, Family$65.00. Bookings: ballarat-heritage-tours.business.site

An interesting and dynamic regional gallery where there is always lots to see. Upstairs, the gallery collection is definitely worth a visit, as the Gallery holds one of the best regional collections in the country and is always looking for interesting, thought-provoking ways of displaying it. Downstairs there are temporary exhibitions, with at least four open at any one time.

At Sovereign Hill, the story of an important time and place in Australian History, and the people who lived it, lives on. An internationally acclaimed tourist attraction, Sovereign Hill prides itself on its close attention to detail found in every aspect of this living, outdoor museum. Sovereign Hill is a glimpse of the vigour and excitement of life on Australia’s 1850s goldfields. Visitors can find real gold in the creek – gold pans are provided and it’s ‘finders keepers’, see $150,000 worth of molten gold poured into a gleaming bar, and take in the rich program of activities, shows and demonstrations. On Main Street there are working shops, hotels and a theatre – all based on original Ballarat businesses. Visitors are able to watch goldfields tradespeople in action and take a ride around the township in a horse-drawn coach. For the brave hearted, journey underground on a gold mine tour.

Lake Wendouree, part of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, is an artifically created and maintained shallow urban lake.

Famous for its Australian wildlife and up-close animal experiences, Ballarat Wildlife Park is just 90 minutes’ drive west from Melbourne. There’s around 100 free-roaming kangaroos waiting to be hand-fed as well as other Australian animals including koalas, wombats, little penguins, dingoes and Tasmanian devils. An impressive reptile house is home to ‘Crunch’ the 5-metre-long super croc, snakes, frogs and lizards. Around the park visitors will also see tree kangaroos, giant tortoises, emus, Sumatran tigers and much more. ‘Animal Encounter’ experiences offer a rare opportunity to pat a koala, cuddle a wombat or even have a snake wrapped over one's shoulders! Encounters include a professional photo as a memento of the experience. Ballarat Wildlife Park is open every day 9 am - 5 pm (close Christmas Day).

This market buzzes with activity. Situated in the CBD (Ballarat Bridge Mall) you will find a authentic Farmers Market, over 50 quality producers and growers plus a whole lot more. Live music and kids entertainment are just the beginning. This market is great for the whole family and is not to be missed if you are in the Goldfields region. Entry is always free and there is ample parking.