Start your day with a visit to the colourful characters at Ballarat Wildlife Park. Meet friendly free-roaming kangaroos and see koalas, wombats, dingoes, emus and 'Crunch' the five metre crocodile.
Head to award-winning Sovereign Hill. The much-loved outdoor museum offers a detailed glimpse into nineteenth century life. Try your luck panning for gold, stroll down the faithfully recreated Main Street, take a tour of the underground mines and catch a live performance. Make sure you indulge in a bag of iconic raspberry drops from the ye olde sweet shop. You'll find plenty of lunch options at Sovereign Hill, but it's hard to go past the delectable pastries from the New York Bakery. To complete the picture of the importance of gold to Ballarat and Victoria, head next door to the Gold Museum where you'll be further immersed in the golden history that defines the city.
Settle in at one of the city's fine restaurants or romantic wine bars. Cosy up by the fire at Mitchell Harris Wines for a pre-dinner drink, then head to Lola at The Provincial Hotel or Underbar for modern fine dining. For something a bit more casual head to Hop Temple where you can tuck into some warming ales and hearty eats.
