Ballarat

Ballarat is approximately 105 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. Ballarat is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in Victoria and the fifth most populated inland city in Australia.

Ballarat was the site of the Eureka Rebellion, the only armed civil uprising in Australian history, which took place on 3 December 1854 at the Eureka Mining Lead. It is the commercial capital of the Central Highlands and the largest city in the Goldfields region of Victoria – a significant tourist destination. Ballarat is known for its history, culture and its well preserved Victorian era heritage.

By the 1970s, Ballarat began to officially recognise its substantial heritage and the first heritage controls were recommended to ensure its preservation. With the opening of Sovereign Hill, the city made a rapid shift to become a major cultural tourist destination.