Ballarat And Surrounds Including Begonia Festival

Day 1 L, D

Home - Ballarat
Following your flight into Melbourne, join your AAJ crew as we travel to Ballarat, Victoria’s largest inland city, and visit the oldest and largest gallery in regional Australia, Ballarat Art Gallery. See its extensive history of Australian art from the colonial period to today, before settling into our accommodation for the next five nights.

Day 2 B, L, D

Ballarat - Ararat - Ballarat
Today we visit the town of Ararat where our first stop will be J Ward at Ararat’s Old Gaol and Lunatic Asylum which dates back to 1859 as a goldfields prison. Gain some insights into prison life and the history of the criminals imprisoned through stories provided on your guided tour. After lunch we will discover the story around the birth of the City and the struggles and difficulties faced by the miners on the Victorian Goldfields at the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre.

Day 3 B, D

Ballarat - Sovereign Hill
Spend the day immersed in the 1850s at Sovereign Hill, a goldfields town with shops, a theatre, schools, factories and underground mines to explore. Take time to purchase your own morning tea and lunch while discovering this museum brought to life by costumed characters and working exhibits. This evening be enthralled by the sound and light show.

Day 4 B, L, D

Ballarat - Daylesford - Hepburn Springs
Today we visit some unique destinations. We’ll visit the Cricket Willow and see the masters create the cricket bat from bud to bat, indulge the chocoholic within at the Chocolate Mill and explore Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. A visit to the Creswick Woollen Mills concludes a diverse day of touring.

Day 5 B, D

Ballarat - Begonia Festival
This morning we’ll take the time to become better acquainted with the City of Ballarat on a guided town tour. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at the Ballarat Begonia Festival. Now in its 69th year the festival will be jam packed with entertainment, free activities and all the fun of the fair. Wander through the brilliant floral displays, gather those important gardening tips, explore all the stalls and purchase your own lunch from one of the many food outlets. Return to our motel for dinner.

Day 6 B, L

Ballarat - Eureka Centre - Home
After a leisurely start to the day, your tour to Ballarat will be complete with a visit to the Eureka Centre. The centre is located on the site of the 1854 Eureka Stockade and home to the remains of the original Eureka Flag. After lunch transfer to the Melbourne Airport for your flight home.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner