Explore Ballarat

SUMMER has arrived in Ballarat and there is plenty of fun to be had while escaping the heat.

Here are some recommendations for places to visit and things to see this January.

Ride back in time

Alongside the Botanical Gardens is the Ballarat Tramway Museum, where visitors can discover the place of trams in the town’s history.

Visitors can ride some of the old trams that were used in Ballarat throughout the 20th century until 1971.

The display hall contains photographs, historic films and tramway memorabilia, and the first tram to operate in Ballarat in 1887 can be viewed.

The museum is run by volunteers and is open Tuesdays from 10am to 3pm and weekends from 11am to 4pm.

Take a stroll in the gardens

At Ballarat’s Botanical Gardens visitors will find flowering plants, exotic trees, floral bedding displays and marble statues.

The gardens opened in 1858 and are one of the oldest of their kind in Victoria.

Uncover changing seasonal displays of hydrangeas, fuchsias and pelargoniums at Robert Clark Conservatory or have a picnic under the heritage-listed trees.

The site is about 40 hectares and is open from 7.30am to 9pm daily.

Uncover the past

Explore Ballarat’s rich history with a trip to the Arch of Victory, the largest commemorative arch in Australia.

Standing 16.5 meters tall, the arch was built through fundraising activities by the Lucas Girls and was opened by Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, in 1920.

At Lake Wendouree, visit the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial that was opened in 2004 to remember Australians who became prisoners of war during the wars of the twentieth century.

The memorial is a place for reflection, acknowledging the hardship and brutality experienced by prisoners of war.

Learn something new

The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is home to heritage collections and historic tales.

Located on Sturt Street, the building dates from 1859 and was restored in 2013.

It has been used over the years for balls, lectures, markets, a cinema, a library, concerts and cultural events.

The institute regularly holds educational talks and exhibitions, and day tours occur weekly at 2pm.

To make a booking visit the BMI website.

Escape into a new reality

Destination shop Collins Booksellers on Lydiard takes visitors back in time with its pressed tin roof, old-style bookcases, wooden floors, open fireplaces, heritage front counter and old-fashioned signage.

Books of all genres are on offer including fiction, non-fiction, and children’s and young adult.

The shop was awarded Collins’s best national store for customer satisfaction, community engagement and heritage bookstore-style merchandising.

The store is open Monday to Sunday.