Ballarat Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
regional city in Victoria, Australia
About Ballarat
The traditional owners of the land are the Wadawurrung people. Ballarat was named in 1837 by the Scottish settler Archibald Yuille who established the first settlement, a sheep run called Ballaarat, with the name derived from local Wathaurong Aboriginal words for the area,balla arat, thought to mean "resting place". The present spelling was officially adopted by the City of Ballarat in 1996. It is one of the most significant Victorian-era boomtowns in Australia. Just months after Victoria was granted separation from New South Wales, the Victorian gold rush transformed Ballarat from a small sheep station to a major settlement. Gold was discovered at Poverty Point on 18 August 1851 and news quickly spread of rich alluvial fields where gold could easily be extracted. Within months, approximat
Top Attractions in Ballarat
Explore the best things to see and do in Ballarat:
- ★Art Gallery of Ballarat
- ★Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
- ★Ballarat Antique Fair
- ★Ballarat Botanical Gardens
- ★Ballarat Heritage Weekend
- ★Ballarat Tramway Museum
- ★Ballarat Wildlife Park
- ★Begonia Festival
Where to Eat in Ballarat
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Ballarat Curry House
- 🍴Coliseum Walk
- 🍴Crazy Asian
- 🍴Da Vinci's
- 🍴Dino's on Sturt
- 🍴Eureka Bistro
Where to Stay in Ballarat
- 🏨Comfort Inn City Views
- 🏨Craig's Royal Hotel
- 🏨George Hotel
- 🏨Heritage on Lydiard
- 🏨Mercure Ballarat
- 🏨Mid City Motel
Ballarat Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: