Year of the pig welcomed at Sovereign Hill
LUNA New Year is the focus at Sovereign Hill for two Sunday’s in mid-February.
Ballarat’s living museum is teaming up with the city’s Chinese Australian Cultural Society for experiences that celebrate Chinese miners during the goldrush.
Events are set for Sunday, 10 and 17 February.
On Sunday, 17 February only, visitors can participate in a traditional Chinese New Year celebration. Starting at 10.45am at the Chinese Camp, revellers can witness lions, drums and a traditional Chinese ceremony, before taking part in a special Lion Dance Workshop at 12.30pm.
On both Sundays at 1pm, the spectacular Chinese Dragon, Xin Loong, and Chinese lions will weave their way up Sovereign Hill’s Main Street for the annual Chinese New Year parade.
Visitors can also learn about the significance of the Chinese Year of the Pig, and see ribbon dancing, Tai Chi, and other Chinese cultural activities.
Along with all that visitors can also make paper pigs and lucky envelopes, have their name written in Chinese characters and watch a professional Chinese artist at work.
There’s also tours of the Chinese Camp run in English and Mandarin that will give insight into how Chinese people lived on the goldfields during the gold rush.
An Anti-Chinese League Performance at the Victoria Theatre will give insight into why some 19th century Europeans were determined to stop Chinese immigration in the 1850s. The performance re-creates a public meeting to ban Chinese people from the Ballarat goldfields.
Sovereign Hill has hosted an annual Chinese New Year program for more than 15 years.