Parading into the year of the rabbit

MAKE this Lunar New Year one that bursts with colour, movement, and flavour.

Delivered in partnership with the Chinese Australian Cultural Society Ballarat, Sovereign Hill’s program for the Chinese New Year period is in full swing until Sunday, 29 January.

Deputy CEO Katrina Nitschke said visitors can expect a joyful celebration of rituals, connection, and nourishment to bring in the Year of the Rabbit.

“We have cultural performances, lion dancing, dragon parades and glorious food like dumplings and noodles; it’s a way we can look through the lens of a different culture for a while,” she said.

Also on the program are demonstrations of Chinese dancing, tai chi, music, and lanterns, much of which has been driven by staff of Chinese origin alongside the society.

Ms Nitschke said Lunar New Year is a significant part of the living museum’s calendar and is a time to acknowledge Ballarat’s early multiculturalism.

“We’re a place that reflects a time when people came from around the world seeking a better life in Australia, and every so often, we take a moment to look at it.

“There was tension, curiosity, love, lust, greed, and connection; a story of humanity… that has really shaped Australia,” she said.

“This story of coming together from different cultures, and finding a way to live together, still happens today, and our role is to make visible Australia’s history in a way that’s relevant and meaningful.”