Thrifty Travel: Visit Ballarat on a budget

Money might be a bit tighter right now but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a well-earned break.

Read on to find out how you can get more bang for your buck in Ballarat…

GETTING AROUND

• You can travel by V/Line train to Ballarat from anywhere in Victoria for around $10 or less.
• Once you’re here, catch a bus from the Ballarat Train Station to Sovereign Hill (bus 21), the Ballarat Wildlife Park (bus 20), Eureka Centre (bus 15), and the Ballarat Botanical Gardens (bus 10 or 11).
• Neuron e-scooters are available for hire all year round and are perfect for quick trips around the city.

THINGS TO DO

• Entry is free at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, with free guided tours at 11am daily.
• Take an Eerie Tours Ghost Tour of the Ballarat CBD (or Ballarat Old Cemetery, if you dare!).
• Pick up a secondhand treasure at the Ballarat Vintage and Collectables Market, with over 80 stalls to browse and it’s open seven days a week from 10am-6pm. You’ll find the market a couple of minutes’ drive outside of Ballarat on the M8.
• Take a guided back-of-house tour of Sovereign Hill‘s Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections. There’s different tours to choose from including the Chinese Collection, Treasures of the Collection, and Fashion & Textiles.
• Check out the indoor (and free) display at the Robert Clark Conservatory in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.
• Grab a coffee from Pipers By The Lake and take a stroll around Ballarat Farmers’ Market on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
• Visit the Ballarat Tramway Museum and go for a ride on a vintage tram.
• Hit the streets on one of Ballarat’s free self-guided walking tours.
• Visit the Eureka Centre and admire one of Australia’s most compelling historic artefacts – the Eureka flag. Entry is free for Ballarat residents on provision of photo ID.
• Sign up for a free tour of the Ballarat Town Hall every Wednesday and Friday at 2pm. Or take a tour of the historic Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute every Tuesday at 2pm.
• Discover some of Ballarat’s quirky cafes, antique shops, history tales, beautiful scenery and buildings on Hidden Lanes’ slow travel self-guided walking tour.

PLACES TO EAT

Here’s some of our favourite places to fill our belly for under $20:

• 1816 Bakehouse (16-18 Armstrong St Nth)
• Cobb’s Coffee (2 Lydiard St Sth)
• Carboni’s Next Door (150 Eureka St)
• Lydiard General (313 Lydiard St Nth)
• Kazan Central Asian Kitchen (202 Albert St)
• Saigon Allee (30 Armstrong St Nth)
• Shep St Sandos (8 Shepperd St)
• Saigon Noodle House (10 Armstrong St Nth)
• Kosaten (30 Sturt St)
• For a sweet treat, head to Il Piccolo Gelato (217 Sturt St) or The Little Cupcake (223 Eureka St)

WHERE TO STAY

• RACV members stay for less at Creswick’s RACV Goldfields Resort.
• Join the Quest Online Advantage program to get 10% off your stay at Quest Ballarat Station and Quest Ballarat.
• Become a BIG4 Holiday Perks+ member to get 10% off your stay at (up to $50) at BIG4 Ballarat Windmill Holiday Park and NRMA Ballarat Holiday Park.
• Stay at NRMA Ballarat Holiday Park midweek and save up to 15% with a minimum stay of two nights (T&Cs apply).
• Make the most of freedom camping at Lake Burrumbeet, Creswick’s Slaty Creek, Haddon Lions Park, Smythesdale Gardens Reserve, Happy Valley Crossing Reserve, and Enfield’s Surface Point.

Note: These offers are accurate as of June 2024. Please check with individual businesses to ensure each offer is still valid.