Fotophiles, ready to explore more? Once you've hit the regular city haunts of Ballarat International Foto Biennale, it is time to venture out into the city's scenic surrounds.
You'll find more world-class photography set in landscapes of a different kind, from wineries to pottery studios. Just make sure you bring a trusty designated driver – or find yourself a quaint place to rest your head – as there's plenty of regional drops and country pubs to discover on the way.
Ballarat International Foto Biennale closes 19 October 2025. The regional shows and venues listed below are free to visit. For more information and to purchase a festival pass visit ballaratfoto.org
Check out Beyond Ballarat to discover more to see and do in the broader region.
Drive times below are approximate from Ballarat Central, please check Google Maps for the latest travel estimates and local conditions.
North to Creswick
Travel to the forested haven of Creswick, for walks, mountain biking and fresh art.
RACV Goldfields Resort – Creswick, 18-minute drive
Niijournal, Campbell Addy
Nature~ista , Leila Jeffreys and Maria Fernanda Cardoso
Hagoromo (Full Flower Moon), Hiromi Tango
Open daily, 10am–4pm
More to see and do nearby in Hepburn
South to Golden Plains
Explore gold rush townships dotted amongst rolling plains and make a beeline to a contemporary potter's studio.
Ross Creek Gallery – Smythes Creek, 15-minute drive
Markets, Kristin Diemer
Open Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm or by appointment
More to see and do in Golden Plains
West of Ballarat
These Open Program venues to the west of Ballarat make for the perfect pitstop on the way to the Pyrenees wine region.
Michael Unwin Wines – Windermere, 15-minute drive
W Ink, John Webb
Open Wed–Mon 12pm–5pm
321 Café Learmonth – Learmonth, 20-minute drive
Chromatic Silence, Anastasia Nixon
Open Wed–Thurs 9am–3pm | Fri 9am–4pm | Sat 9am–9pm | Sun 9am–4pm
Eastern Peake Vineyard – Coghills Creek, 25-minute drive
The trees endure, the land has memory, David Rosendale
Open Tue–Sat 11am–3pm
In the Pyrenees
This largely undiscovered wine region specialises in red wine grown in the volcanic hills northwest of Ballarat. Lean into the relaxed pace of the region and stay overnight in a tiny home or cottage, so you have more time for art touring and wine tastings.
Talbot Arts & Historical Musuem – Talbot, 43-minute drive
False Landscapes, Adele Locke
Open Wed–Thurs 9am–3pm | Fri 9am–4pm | Sat 9am–9pm | Sun 9am–4pm
Avoca Visitor Information Centre – Avoca, 52-minute drive
Visualising Tengger – god, land and people, Vincent Liew
Open Mon–Fri 10am–5pm | Sat–Sun 10am–1pm
Blue Pyrenees Estate – Avoca, 58-minute drive
Greece, late summer topographics, Ashley Perry
Open Mon–Sun 11am–5pm
Bigibila Wines –Moonambel, 1 hr 8 min drive
The Hidden, David Jones
Open Fri-Sun 11am-5pm
Taltarni Vineyard – Moonambel, 1 hr 11 min drive
Exchanges 2020-2025, Mimmalisa Trifilò and Werner Hammerstingl
Open Fri–Sun 10am–4pm
Dalwhinnie Wines – Moonambel, 1 hr 12 min drive
Mirror Mirror, Louise Gay
Open Fri–Mon 10am–4pm
More to see and do in the Pyrenees
Places to stay in the Pyrenees
