Victoria’s Ballarat is best known as a gold rush town, but Australia’s largest inland city is also undergoing a gourmet metamorphosis, as Sheriden Rhodes discovers. Ballarat’s transformation from nineteenth century gold rush town to bustling cosmopolitan city has given it an urbane yet laid-back feel. Grab a seat at one of the lively sidewalk cafes, admire the artwork at one of the city galleries, or drop in for lunch at a number of eateries featuring local produce and cool climate wines to see the change for yourself.

Wine makers, chefs, restauranteurs, microbrewers, cafe owners, produce growers and others are revolutionising the city’s food and wine scene, which was rather lacklustre for some time.

With a rich and at times turbulent history, Ballarat is best known as the site of the Eureka Stockade and for the discovery of the world’s largest deposit of alluvial gold. The city that flies the blue and white Eureka flag with pride boasts a rich history, wealth and grace.

However, today the grand old city is playing catch up – and fast – giving visitors more reason to stay and explore after experiencing popular local attractions, including Sovereign Hill and The Eureka Centre. Yep, change is certainly in the air.

Craig’s Royal Hotel

If you’ve never visited Ballarat, or haven’t been back for a while, a good place to start is Craig’s Royal Hotel. Typical of the grand historic hotels of Europe, Ballarat’s oldest hotel has undergone a $6 million restoration. It’s been a labour of love for owners John and Mary Finning, who toured some of Europe’s most magnificent historic hotels and worked in collaboration with Heritage Victoria to ensure they got the renovation right.

Now featuring several bars, a cafe, a produce store and a five-star restaurant, as well as 41 elegant suites and rooms, the end result is inspiring and a worthy tribute to the hotel’s historic past.

Built in 1862 on the site of Bath’s Hotel, Ballarat’s first officially licensed pub, Craig’s has hosted poets, princes and prime ministers. Located on historic Lydiard Street, it sits opposite the magnificent Her Majesty’s Theatre, and close to the Regent Cinema, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat Town Hall and Sturt Street shops. Visit Craig's Royal Hotel or call (03) 5331 1377.

Markets and more

There are reminders of Ballarat’s past everywhere you turn thanks to the preservation of much of its historical grandeur and beauty. Down from Craig’s Hotel, another rundown old pub has been given a new lease of life as the Bended Elbow following a $3 million makeover. The hotel sells over 20 beers on tap including its own malty ale, Ballarat Gold Ale.

Turn into Sturt Street and stroll along lavishly embellished boulevards with almost 30 statues, monuments, fountains and bandstands, including a monument to the Titanic. Across the way is Camp Street, the city’s arts precinct, which is home to the Camp Street Market, held on the second Sunday of the month except in winter, selling fresh produce, wine, gourmet food, homewares and quality art and craft. It is also the start of the Eureka Trail – the route followed by police when they marched through the night to quell the Eureka uprising. On Sturt Street, pop into Cafe Bibo for a great slap-up brekkie, with an emphasis on local produce and good Grinders coffee. Call (03) 5331 1255.

Afterwards, head to Lake Wendouree and wander through the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, visiting the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, the Prime Ministers Avenue and the Stoddart and Thompson sculpture collection.

If you’re visiting on the last Saturday of the month be sure to check out the Ballarat Lakeside Farmers Market, where you can sample and buy from over 50 specialist boutique stalls featuring organic fruit, herbs, vegetables, smoked bacon, salamis and olive oil, quality coffee, fine wine and sweets.

Or, for a fantastic overview of the city, take a YAK-52 flight with Australian Jet Adventures based at Ballarat Airport. Visit Australian Jet Adventures or call (03) 5339 2769. The views over the town, Lake Wendouree and the countryside give you a greater appreciation of Victoria’s western district. From the plane you can see the Avenue of Honour and Arch of Victory. A total of 3332 elm and poplar trees stretching 22km were planted in honour of every local soldier who fought between 1917 and 1919, the longest avenue of honour in Australia.

Puddings and wine

Back in town, Cafe Companis, at the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, is a great spot for a leisurely lunch. Chef Peter Ford is a passionate advocate of local producers, many of whom turn up at the kitchen door with their excellent produce. Visit Peter Ford Catering or call (03) 5320 5798.

Another successful local chef is Amanda Hayes from Tiggies Puddings. Her family business based in the nearby township of Buninyong took off (literally) when Malaysian Airlines served her puddings onboard to business class passengers.

Qantas Catering then asked Tiggies to supply trains travelling daily from Adelaide to Perth, and the business has grown from strength to strength ever since.

The range includes the original Tiggies plum pudding, date and orange, fig and ginger, plus a new adult range of handmade chocolate puddings. Visit Tiggies or call (03) 5337 6044.

Locals Jane Lesock and husband Paul have also found success with Mount Beckworth Wines, particularly with their award-winning unwooded chardonnay. Pay a visit to the cellar door just outside the gold mining township of Clunes to meet the winemaker himself and for great views over Mount Beckworth.

Jane and Paul, who came to Ballarat for its cool climate conditions, believe the city is coming of age, particularly when it comes to food and wine. Jane said the local vineyards, while small in number, are well established and fast developing a following for their cool-climate chardonnay, pinot and sparkling wines. Mount Beckworth wines are primarily sold locally in restaurants and cafes in Ballarat, Clunes and Daylesford. Visit Beckworth Wines or call (03) 5343 4207.

Just opposite the University of Ballarat city campus, the Phoenix Brewery has a history all of its own. Rising from the ashes, the Phoenix Brewery emerged generations after its establishment in 1857 by owner Simon Coghlan’s great-great-grandfather.

With 150 years of local brewing tradition in the family, Simon is keen to start serving a homegrown beer and production is on the cards.

The funky restaurant-cum-wine bar would be equally at home in inner city Melbourne or Sydney, offering an extensive wine list, modern Australian cuisine, and a tapas menu featuring offerings such as twice cooked pork belly on pickled red cabbage or panfried ewe’s milk saganaki.

Grab a glass of pinot gris as the afternoon sun plays on the historic buildings along Camp Street and gaze out the wall-sized gabled windows to experience the best of both Ballarat’s past and its equally promising future. Visit Phoenix Brewery or call (03) 5333 2686.

For more information on what you can get up to in Ballarat click here.

Getting there

If you want to do a road trip to Ballarat, then check out NRMA’s Travel Planner. It can help map your route, lists attractions along the way and lets you book accommodation.

Another option is to fly to Melbourne and hire a car – Ballarat is only 110km away. NRMA Members get a 3% discount on all Virgin Blue flights and there are no credit card and phone booking fees. You can then rent a car through Hertz rental car, a campervan through Britz, or a motorhome through Maui and enjoy a range of offers and discounts. For details visit Car & Campervan Rental or call 13 11 22.

You can also catch a new train service from Melbourne to Ballarat. The ‘Goldrush Special’ runs daily from Southern Cross Station at 9.08am, Monday–Saturday, and 9.28am, Sunday. It returns 4pm, Monday–Friday, and 4.10pm, Saturday–Sunday. You can then catch a connecting coach service between Ballarat Station and Sovereign Hill. For more details call 13 61 96. 

Things to do

Pan for gold at the Red Hill Gully Creek at Sovereign Hill and immerse yourself in Ballarat’s heady gold rush days. Stay on and catch Blood on the Southern Cross – a sound and light spectacular that brings to life the story of the 1854 Eureka Uprising. Learn about the Eureka rebellion at The Eureka Centre. It’s on the site of the fatal battle and leads you through the causes, the event on December 3, 1854 and the aftermath.  Stroll around Lake Wendouree, once famous as the venue for rowing during the Melbourne Olympics. You just might run into champion marathon runner Steve Moneghetti doing a lap or two. Stop for coffee and cake at Pipers on the Parade, housed in a historic pavillion overlooking the water. Wander through the Robert Clark Horticultural Centre at Ballarat Botanical Gardens, home to Ballarat’s famous begonias in early autumn, with changing displays during the year.  Grab a Heritage Walking Tour guide from the Visitor Information Centre and explore well-preserved historic buildings such as The Regent Theatre, the George Hotel, and the Mining Exchange along Sturt, Lydiard and Camp streets.