New locals pass offers free entry to Sovereign Hill

RESIDENTS from local postcodes who attend Sovereign Hill’s Winter Wonderlights can have 12 months of free entry to the outdoor museum with a locals pass.

They can convert a Winter Wonderlights ticket, which costs $69.50 for an adult, to a locals pass during their visit.

The pass is also available for purchase before winter wonderlights at the Sovereign Hill front entrance where residents can upgrade an existing ticket.

The pass offers free entry to the outdoor museum for a year and is available to residents from postcodes 3350, 3351, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3355, 3356, 3357, 3358, 3363, and 3364.

Proof of residence is required.

“This is really our way of reaching out to the community, there are out champions are out most loyal visitors,” Sovereign Hill Museums Association chief executive officer Sara Quon said.

“We really want Ballarat locals to feel like Sovereign Hill belongs to them to pop in after school or create traditions.”

Winter Wonderlights is set to run across three weeks in July with light projections, live music and entertainment, and fake snow falls across Main Street.

Fires, carols, festive food and drinks, hands on activities, and the chance to meet St Nicholas will also be on offer.

Last year’s event attracted more than 90,000 visitors.

“There’s so many things that have been refreshed at Sovereign Hill over the last years,” Ms Quon said.

“Each year Winter Wonderlights has new and different elements to it so there’s always something new and interesting going on.”

The locals pass differs from the Sovereign Hill annual pass, which is $125 for an adult, and also includes the ability to pre-book entry online, a 50 per cent discount on admission for two guests per visit, a 20 per cent discount on AURA tickets and a 10 per cent discount on the Sovereign Hill Hotel and selected retail purchase.

The locals pass is supported by the City of Ballarat. For more information, head to the Sovereign Hill website.