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The discovery of gold in central Victoria drew tens of thousands of people from around the world hoping to strike it lucky.
Tent settlements morphed into wealthy cities on the back of the boom. And while the Gold Rush has well and truly passed, there’s still plenty to draw enthusiastic visitors to the region. Beautifully preserved period architecture, immersive historical experiences, and fine food and wine are just some of the attractions that await you.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Victoria’s Goldfields region.
1. Step back in time in Ballarat
Buoyed by the unearthing of alluvial gold deposits in 1851, Ballarat became the biggest city in the Goldfields and is perhaps best known as the scene of the famous Eureka gold miners’ rebellion of 1854 (one of only a handful of armed uprisings in Australian history). Join Ballarat Heritage Tours on a 90-minute guided stroll along Lydiard Street (said to be the best-preserved Victorian-era streetscape outside of the United Kingdom) and past Ballarat train station (the Southern Hemisphere’s most intact 19th century railway precinct). You may also like to visit the Eureka Centre in Ballarat East to see the original flag flown by the rebelling miners.
2. Strike it lucky at Sovereign Hill
Costume-clad actors and traditional craftsmen bring the Ballarat diggings to life at Sovereign Hill — an engaging open-air museum and historical recreation. There are also plenty of hands-on opportunities for visitors. Go back to school and write lines with a quill, dress up in vintage garb for a sitting at the photographer’s studio, try your luck panning for gold, and navigate the maze of tunnels hidden below the museum on a mine tour. You’ll need a full day to do it all justice.
3. Stay at Craig’s Royal Hotel
While tents and makeshift buildings accommodated most visitors to the Goldfields in the 19th century, those with the means slept in style. The very grand and still operating Craig’s Royal Hotel (circa 1862) in Ballarat hosted many famous guests back in the day, including Prince Alfred (son of Queen Victoria), Mark Twain, Lord Kitchener, and Dame Nellie Melba. The hotel underwent a complete renovation in 2010, but the refurbished guest rooms retain their old world charm. Antique furniture, rich colours, gorgeous fabrics, and traditional wallpapers all add to the ambience.
4. Ride the Victorian Goldfields Railway
The Victorian Goldfields Railway is another bona fide way to travel back in time during your stay in the region. This volunteer-run tourist railway service — hauled by vintage steam and diesel locomotives — connects the towns of Castlemaine and Maldon. Catch the train from Castlemaine and enjoy a couple of hours browsing in the boutiques along Maldon’s main street. For the return trip, opt to travel in First Class on board the 1930s-era Macedon club car and enjoy a touch of luxury.
5. Enjoy a soak in mineral-rich waters
Gold wasn’t the only desirable commodity yielded by the landscape in central Victoria during the Rush. Bathing in the mineral-infused water that flows to the surface around Hepburn Springs and Daylesford was hugely popular for its reputed health benefits. Established in 1895, Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa continues to uphold the tradition and heats spring water for its relaxation pool to a divine 34 degrees Celsius. Enjoy a relaxed soak and avail yourself of the various spa treatments on offer.
6. Fossick for books in Clunes
The tiny town of Clunes lays claim to being the site of Victoria’s first gold strike, but these days it attracts a different kind of treasure hunter. Booklovers and booksellers converge here for the annual Clunes Booktown festival each March, which sees the main street transformed into a giant market for rare, collectable, new, and second-hand books. Don’t worry if you’re not in town for the festival, as Clunes stages a calendar of literary events year-round.
7. Admire Bendigo’s Victorian-era architecture
No stay in the Goldfields would be complete without exploring Bendigo, which boasts another large cache of glorious Victorian-era architecture. Pick up a self-guided heritage walking tour map from the Visitor Information Centre in the exquisite Old Post Office building and head off to explore. Note the stunning Bendigo Town Hall, parts of which date back to 1859. You can also climb on board one of the city’s famous Vintage Talking Trams for a hop on hop off tour of landmark buildings and key tourist sites.
8. Head underground on a mine tour
Situated right next to Bendigo’s CBD, the early-to-mid-20th-century Central Deborah Gold Mine offers a range of underground mine tours and provides a fascinating insight into the history of mining in Australia. You’ll be kitted out in overalls and a hard hat, before descending deep into the earth.
9. Return to the golden age of cinema
The Goldfields region is home to two of Victoria’s finest heritage movie theatres. Firstly, check out the charming Star Cinema in Eaglehawk (a suburb of Bendigo), which occupies the heritage Town Hall building and screens arthouse/classic films. From the restored period seating to the 1920s ticket booth, the Star is a fabulous throw-back to cinema’s heyday.
Over in Castlemaine, the Theatre Royal has been entertaining locals since 1854 and is the oldest continuously operating cinema on the Australian mainland. The Art Deco-era facade and interior are thanks to a 1930s makeover, and have been lovingly maintained ever since.
10. Sample some fine drops
Take the chance while visiting Bendigo to check out the esteemed Heathcote wine region — a 40-minute drive east of the city. Here, the ancient Cambrian soils give rise to superb reds, including shiraz (the area’s flagship drop), cabernet sauvignon, and grenache. Heathcote has around 50 operating wineries — 40 of them with cellar doors. So, pace yourself!
The writer travelled as a guest of Ballarat Heritage Tours.
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Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of top things to do in Victoria’s goldfields region? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Louise Reynolds made up her mind at the age of about four that she would one day travel the world — and has so far visited around 30 countries across five continents and the Pacific. A hopeless Francophile, she has a particular love for France, its language, and pretty much all things French. Louise’s favourite way to see the world is on foot and her boots have taken her walking on famous trails in Europe, South America, and New Zealand. She also has a passion for her home state of Victoria and loves exploring its diverse regions.
