Sovereign Hill is an outdoor museum that recreates Ballarat’s early years after the discovery of gold in 1851.
Ballarat is about 75 minutes drive or train ride north west of Melbourne. While Sovereign Hill is one of the main attractions Ballarat has much more to offer.
I took the Vline Country Train (www.vline.com.au) which leaves from the Melbourne city centre & is a great way to see the country side on the way to Ballarat.
Sovereign Hill offers a Gold Rush Special that includes a shuttle from the station to Sovereign Hill, 10% off admission & a free coach ride around Sovereign Hill.
Visiting Sovereign Hill is like taking a step back in time, the whole town is operating in the past. The staff are in period outfits, the only way around is on foot or via coach. The roads are not sealed, they even have a horse drawn water tanker that keeps the dust down on main street.
When you arrive there is an indoor static display that gives you some background to the history of the area including a short movie that tells the story of one miner.
The first stop after the intro is the gold panning which everyone can get into.
There are a bunch of buildings that show the variety of places the miners slept in from tents to huts - FYI watch out as some of the huts & houses have real people in them not models. I was looking in one hut when the lady turned around & smiled.
Take a few minutes to plan the rest of your day, there are heaps of active displays with several show times each day. Also if you want to get one of the dress up period photos on main street stop in early & book a time as this was a popular spot & got booked out early.
The gold pouring is cool, the candy making is fun to watch & taste, the candle making is amazing & the rug rats can get in on the act by decorating their own candles.
There are 2 mine tours to choose from, a full on guided one that takes you way underground to see some old workings & experience what it was like. This tour requires early booking & costs a few extra bucks. The other tour is self guided & near the gold panning. This tour controlled by motion sensors & a voice tells what to do, where to go & thankfully turns on the lights along the way.
While up the top end of town check out the old cabins & houses, the school, the undertakers, the fire station & go bowling 1850's style.
One of the highlights of the day for me was watching the wagon wheels being made. The wheel maker ( I didn't catch the technical term ) told some great stories while showing us how the hubs were made, then the spokes & how the wheels were assembled. The display is amazing as you watch a log of wood turn into a small barrel in seconds then see the holes for the spokes appear just as quickly. He explained how it all used to be down by hand & how machinery changed the process completely so that the average person could afford their own wagon. We also got to see a piece of 2x2 turned into a spoke in seconds along with its own 1850's shock absorber.
There is heaps more to see & do, I haven't even covered the metal work store or all the activities on main street from the shops, bakery, bar & theatre. Be sure to stop by a Blacksmiths & hear the many stories & tall tales they tell.
Most of the machinery in town is run via stream engines & belts & wheels. Most of the steam is produced from two large furnaces in the middle of town & they put out some serious heat.
Check out the website for details of other activities during the day & in the evening at Sovereign Hill & the Gold Museum across the street which is part of your entry ticket also.
