Great to be back in Ballarat

NOW that restrictions have begun to ease and the so called “Ring of Steel” has fallen, visitors from metropolitan Melbourne are being warmly welcomed at Ballarat’s unique attractions and small businesses.

Whether you’re a Ballarat local or coming from out of town, there’s a range of exciting things happening from new businesses opening, iconic sites and venues commencing operations and innovative events taking place.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat is one of the city’s best attractions and one of such which will be able to welcome visitors through as of this weekend.

Gallery director Louise Tegart said she was relieved to announce the reopening of the site set for Saturday, 14 November and the continuation of many of the exhibits.

“Visitors are the heart and soul of the Gallery,” she said.

“We put our visitors at the very centre of what we do and we are very keen to have them back again to enjoy our beautiful gallery.

“We are particularly pleased that we are able to open this weekend, as we expect that visitors from Melbourne will be keen to come out into the region and enjoy what we have to offer.”

In addition to considering your options when planning a day out in Ballarat, where possible, pre-booking tickets is an essential and helpful to many of the businesses and sites around town.

Attractions

As Ballarat’s iconic attraction trio are revived back to life, tourists are once again able venture to the sites that help keep Ballarat on the map. While visiting the Ballarat Wildlife Park, Kryal Castle and Sovereign Hill will be exciting to many, booking tickets prior to entry will be essential.

Hospitality Scene

From specialty coffee to award winning food and wine, the plethora of family owned cafes and venues will be happy to see metro-customers return. With eat spots like Fika, Little Bird, Mitchell Harris and Yellow Espresso dotted along the main strip and a little further out at Bodega, Drive Café and The Local, there’s a breakfast, lunch or dinner spot for everyone.

Music and Events

While large scale concerts may still be a thing of the future, small live music events have begun popping up around the city at venues such as The Eastern and Piano Bar in a COVID-safe way. Online and social media events including Be_Hear/Now are also continuing in a big way to keep the music lovers and makers at bay.

Recreation

With the reopening of pools, playgrounds and gyms underway, there’s plenty of ways to enjoy the warmer weather while stay fit and healthy. For adventurers, there’s a multitude of hiking and trail paths in and around the city such as the Yarrowee and Mt Buninyong, ready to be explored.

Gardens and Markets

While Ballarat’s Botanical Gardens are beautiful year-round, spring time is the perfect time to visit and see the flowers at their peak bloom. However, if shopping is more your taste, the monthly Bridge Mall Farmers Market and fortnightly Ballarat Market at Zoo Drive also provide a wide range of unique produce and goods to showcase the best of the region.

Galleries

In addition to the Ballarat Gallery once again offering ticketed sessions to regional and metropolitan visitors, the Soldiers Hill Gallery and the Makers Studio will be open to the public as well as a new exhibit currently found along Unicorn Lane.