The 28 best free attractions in Ballarat

A beautifully maintained and peaceful spot! Ballarat Botanical Gardens is nicely arranged and was already showing signs of vibrant life as it gets ready for the spring bloom. The avenue of former Prime Ministers' statues adds a historical touch. Plenty of black swans and coots from the nearby lake add to the charm. Great for a relaxed, scenic walk. 🌿🦢🌼

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens are an absolute gem and one of the city’s greatest treasures. The Gardens are perfectly situated by the edge of Lake Wendouree. They are beautifully maintained, offering a peaceful retreat with stunning seasonal displays. The Begonia Conservatory is always a highlight— especially during the Begonia Festival —showcasing world-class floral arrangements that brighten the entire space. What makes the gardens truly special is the mix of heritage and natural beauty. The grand old trees, statues, and historic Prime Ministers Avenue give a sense of history, while the wide lawns and vibrant flowerbeds invite you to simply relax, picnic, or stroll at your own pace. It’s also very family-friendly, with plenty of open space for kids to run around, and the nearby lake paths are ideal for walking or cycling. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens are a must-see — peaceful, picturesque, and a wonderful way to spend a few hours immersed in nature.🌹

We spent the whole day here and had so much fun. Such a beautiful spot. And the kids enjoyed it too. We made a competition about how many statues we could find. Large wooden playground as well and plenty of parking. Good amount of toilet blocks spread out around the area.

A very nicely set out Botanical Gardens. Well maintained. There is a lake nearby as well as a tourist tram. The Avenue of the Former Prime Ministers Statues along the main path in the gardens was interesting to see. It is a peaceful place to have a walk through or to sit and rest. Well worth a look to see.

Ballarat Botanical Gardens is a beautiful, peaceful escape by Lake Wendouree. The gardens blend history, art, and nature perfectly, featuring grand trees, colourful flowerbeds, and the famous Prime Ministers Avenue. The glasshouse and fernery are must-sees, while the lakeside paths are ideal for walks and picnics. It’s well-maintained, family-friendly, and offers seasonal beauty year-round. A true gem showcasing Ballarat’s charm and heritage relaxing, educational, and inspiring all at once.

The Sequoia avenue is well worth the visit. It gives you an appreciation of these magnificent trees. The glasshouse is beautiful to look at and has a lovely display inside. The markets on a Sunday were fun too.

First time visiting in August and the gardens were beautiful, even in Winter. Would love to go back in Spring sometime and see all the flowers in bloom.

I went there today. The best thing about this gallery is location which is close to station and shopping areas. Some of the collections were amazing and visiting it is completely free of charge. Just one show these days is a paid one. There were works from a ballarat based artist which were superb. The gallery also had a gift shop to purchase souvenirs as well as a cafe for relaxing. The washrooms were very clean. The staff was really nice. Overall it was a good experience.

We liked this gallery as it was quiet and well-maintained. It wasn’t a big place, they offered about five different exhibitions, from classic paintings to modern art. They also had a small shop and a cafe on the ground floor, which was nice and cozy.

A well maintained art gallery with beautiful paintings. The guided tour was also very interesting and informative. There were some nice books in the store downstairs as well.

The gallery resides in a beautiful building that dates back to the town's gold rush boom years. Free entry to see a great collection of Australian and European art with some dating back to 1800 or earlier. There were also temporary exhibitions and modern art installations. Apparently only 2% of their art is able to be displayed there at any one time so it may be worth a follow up visit later on.

I went to the Art Gallery of Ballarat today on a Friday. It was not busy. Entry was free which is great. Only a few minutes walk from Ballarat railway station. The Gallery is very interesting with a lot of interesting arts. It's very clean and nice like a 5-star hotel. I loved and enjoyed all the arts that they displayed, really appreciate all the staff for taking care of the place so well and highly appreciate all the artists that provided their artwork there.

Beautiful art gallery with interesting and thoughtful art. Place was packed last Sunday despite the rain, the Vintage Car Show, part of Ballarat's Heritage Festival. It was free entry on that day. We had a walk through downstairs but couldn't handle the crowd so didn't make it upstairs. Will be back.

The building is absolutely lovely! It's so nice to see that it was purpose built, and continues to house many creative works of art. Highly recommend a visit if you are in Ballarat.

Visiting the zoo was such an amazing experience! It was a little under an hour and a half from Melbourne, but totally worth the drive if you have the time. The kangaroos roam free, and we even got to see a baby kangaroo up close. The koalas were adorable, and the tree kangaroo encounter was incredible. He was so gentle and soft. We called right at 9 AM to book both the koala and tree kangaroo encounters, and I definitely recommend doing the same since spots fill up quickly. The tree kangaroo experience especially felt extra special and is a little less available than the koala encounter (which was also awesome!). There was so much to see, and the huge crocodile named Crunch was unforgettable. Feeding the emu was another unique highlight, and honestly, I could’ve spent all day just hanging out and petting the kangaroos. Such a special place and I’d absolutely recommend it!

Such a great place for kids and families! We had the best time getting up close with the animals, feeding kangaroos, holding a koala, and even cuddling a wombat. The park is really clean and easy to explore in just half a day. We also loved the keeper talks, especially the crocodile and reptile ones. And to our surprise, they even have penguins here, so you don’t need to go all the way to Phillip Island to see them! Highly recommend this experience.

Absolutely wonderful, genuinely wish I could give this place more stars. Beautiful habitats, animals are clearly very well looked after. Had an absolute blast feeding the free-roaming emus and kangaroos, and the reptile and tiger presentations I attended were amazing. The staff are clearly passionate about the animals they care for and it shows. Didn’t get a lot of photos because I was too busy enjoying myself, but the park is absolutely gorgeous! Will definitely be returning!

Nice place to see Aussie animals. Able to pay additional for additional experience like tiger feeding but expensive. Some good feeding time experience with explanation with the Keepers. Kangaroos are over fed and food thrown on the ground as there is little interaction. Overall a decent visit but not worth the 2hr drive from Melbourne and back.

The Park - Ballarat Wildlife Park Ballarat's wildlife history is defined by the Ballarat Wildlife Park, founded in 1985 by Greg Parker to promote wildlife conservation and environmental education through visitor interactions. The park has grown into a major tourist attraction, housing a vast collection of Australian and international animals, including over 100 free-roaming kangaroos, and is known for its up-close encounters, hands-on experiences like feeding kangaroos and wombats, and conservation programs for endangered species such as Sumatran tigers. Key Aspects of Ballarat's Wildlife History: Establishment: Founded in 1985 by Greg Parker out of a passion for wildlife conservation. Purpose: To provide an educational and interactive environment where people can connect with Australia's native animals. Key Features: The park features free-roaming kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and crocodiles, as well as a range of reptiles, and even Sumatran tigers. Conservation Efforts: The park actively engages in conservation programs, breeding critically endangered animals like Tasmanian Devils and Sumatran tigers. Education and Interaction: Known for its hands-on experiences and educational talks by keepers, providing insights into animal behaviour and the importance of conservation. Growth: Since its opening, the park has expanded its animal collections and is recognized as one of Victoria's premier wildlife experiences. Recent Milestones: In February 2025, the Ballarat Wildlife Park celebrated its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of wildlife conservation and public engagement.

Great park. Sure its not as big as Melbourne zoo but we easily filled in 4 hours at the park. Good range of animals and the kangaroos are so friendly. Animals look well treated as well. I definitely recommend going here.

Ballarat Wildlife Park offers an immersive experience where kangaroos hop freely, koalas nestle in eucalyptus trees, and the reptile house hums with quiet intensity. The earthy scent of native bushland mixes with fresh hay, and birdsong echoes gently across the grounds. A visit that feels authentically Australian. Recommended, especially with little ones.

We hosted our son’s 3rd Birthday party at the Ballarat Tramway Museum and had a blast! The private room was warm, clean and large enough for all our party guests. Everyone (young and old) had so much fun exploring the museum and on the tram ride. The team members working were lovely, and the shop well stocked with nice gifts. We will definitely go back again! ☺️

It was our first time visiting the Ballarat Tramway Museum, and we had a great experience as a group of four. For my wife and me, it was our first time riding a historic tram like this — although the journey was short, it was really enjoyable. While our parents thought old trams were nothing special, for us it was something totally new and exciting! Riding along the lake while taking in the beautiful scenery made it even better. We also took the chance to visit the Ballarat Botanical Gardens nearby. Highly recommended!

Worth a visit. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Nice museum layout + kids enjoyed tram ride.

An interesting place with a lot of history about trams. The kids’ play and drawing area was a nice touch, and they really enjoyed dressing up as ticket collectors. The tram service was good, though not particularly exciting. I did feel the ticket prices were a bit on the higher side for what was on offer. Still, it’s worth a visit if you’re into trams, probably an hour or two would be enough to explore everything.

Great experience at the tramway museum topped off with a tram ride along the lake. Lots of displays to look at along with information displays.

The Ballarat Tram Museum is a fascinating glimpse into the city’s rich transport heritage. Located in the historic South Depot beside Lake Wendouree, it showcases beautifully restored trams that once ran through Ballarat’s streets. Visitors can explore vintage vehicles, photographs, and memorabilia, and even enjoy a heritage tram ride around the lake. Run by passionate volunteers, the museum offers an engaging experience for all ages — blending nostalgia, history, and hands-on learning in one charming destination.

Went on a daytrip today to the Ballarat Tramway Museum, Ballarat Botanical Gardens and Lake Wendouree. Your tram museum entrance fee includes a ride in a vintage tram along Lake Wendouree and there is a tram stop on the short line (just the one) where you can alight to walk across to the Botanical Gardens. You can travel as often on the tram as you like so if your a fanatic you can ride it all day long - ting ting. Once again it's a museum that relies solely on volunteers to keep it going so support retaining your history by visiting!

This is one of the main park in Ballarat. I really love going for a walk here. It helped me calm myself down.

Victoria Park in Ballarat is a gem of open space and serenity. The vast grounds stretch out beneath towering, shady avenues of mature elms and oaks, their leaves whispering in the breeze. The scent of eucalyptus and freshly cut grass lingers in the air, especially near the well-kept sports ovals and cricket nets. Birdsong echoes across the parklands, blending with the distant thud of footballs and the laughter of children. Whether you're walking, cycling, or just soaking in the calm, there's a quiet dignity to this place that invites you to slow down and breathe. A true community treasure.

Great location for music concert. We took the train to Wendouree, strolled through the Botanic Gardens and then the concert to save the expense of the $50 (for 2) shuttle.

Inspired by Trees full of ancient knowledge and wisdom. Original designs C.R.W ©️

Victoria Park is used occasionally for live music performances. The setup is very well organised with loads of space and many food / drink options. As a live music space I rate Victoria Park 5 stars. No idea how it performs as a local sporting venue.

Absolutely an amazing park. Your can literally spend all day here. Very well fenced, great for picnic, plenty of shade, clean toilets. It also had couple of sand area for kids to play. There was also a very water 💦 playing area but it was closed. It would be great if they displayed the opening times for the water area. Plenty of parking available outside and close to the playground.

A very wide open park which is absolutely great for taking the dog for a walk / run off-leash! There are a few tracks throughout the park for walks/runs, and a few points of interesting within the park. The children's play area is at one side, alongside a small golf course. Most of the park is wheelchair friendly. Highly recommended for dog owners to take their pup!

I love how your mobile can track you anywhere! 🤣 Even while sitting at a table to "unhealthy - ishly" have an icecream nearby with a friend - now that was delicious! So, always remember to turn off your mobiles location - if needed 🙄 👣 🍦👣 🙄 Oh and I hope all are having a lovely day (8th March 2025!) at Lake Wendouree for the "Botanical Gardens Begonia Festival" and the long-weekends Labour Day. Enjoy the "dogem-cars" too! 🏝 🚙 🏝 🍨

Good playground for kids. My only gripe was how dirty(thick dust) the playground was. The kids were filthy once they played on it & had to have a bath once we got home.

A little family time on this beautiful sunny Sunday. There was so much to see we didn't know where to start .this is the best time of year at Lake wendouree. The place was ALIVE .the paddle boats were fun too . Finnished off with a delicious ice cream on the lake 😋 .

The Apex Adventure Playground at Lake Wendouree is a fantastic spot for kids and families. There’s a wide range of play equipment to suit different ages, lots of space to explore, and the lakeside location makes it extra enjoyable with lovely views and picnic areas nearby. It can get quite busy at times, and parking can be a little tricky on weekends, but overall it’s a well-maintained and fun playground that keeps kids entertained for hours. Definitely worth a visit when you’re around Lake Wendouree!

Great playground catering for very young through to bigger kids. Lots of equipment and areas for kids to get lost in, inducing parental heart attacks! (It's the timber mazes that do it). Kids all there seemed to love it, and lovely setting on the banks of Lake Wendouree. Recommend.

Great park to bring children, such a large playground. It is not fenced so you definitely need to keep an extra close eye on them. It’s so close to the lake and has such a variety of birds to watch. I enjoyed watching many black swans swim around the lake and the various other water birds in the area. The bridges by the lake were lovely but the paths do get a bit muddy/slippery after rain. Lots of parking too and has public bbqs and toilets.

Greta park for the kids. Plenty of equipment with varying degrees of difficulty. Plenty of shaded seating around the park as well as amenities across the road. A nice little cafe close by for a coffee or lunch.

I rode the track from Ballarat to Creswick and back. It is a pleasant ride on a mountain bike, through some lovely bush, with enough challenges to keep it interesting. Signage, however, is very poor in both direction, resulting in much confusion, lost time and wasted energy!! Some markers were very faded, some hidden by vegetation and in places non-existent!! I met other cyclists who found the same, including one guy who tried to ride from Creswick to Castlemaine but gave up when he lost the track several times. It would be easy to get lost here, with tracks everywhere, so whoever is promoting the track as a tourist activity needs to get the signage sorted out properly! I made the trip because I had active mapping, and wouldn't travel along this track without it.

A good place to take your MTB or hybrid. Definitely not recommended for road bikes or anything with skinny tyres.

Beginning of trail is marked by the green post.

Great walk. There Gold in them thar hills

Great place for a walk

A great walk in the heart of Ballarat

Awesome run

The view wasn't amazing I wouldn't go there for that. Nice for a walk (or mountain bike we didn't do) but be prepared for steep hills to come back up if you park up the top.

Went there for the mtb trails. Trails and pump tracks not in good condition. Lot of debris. Black tracks in better condition. No toilet.

Black Hill reserve is more popular destination for bikers and walkers alike. There are 9 trails you can choose from - just be cautious if you are on a bike, there might be pedestrians who are simply enjoying a walk in nature. All trails don't have a proper path or steps so be very careful especially when going down. There is a big rock formation - which you will encounter on some of the walks. Head towards route 9 or 4 to reach the bottom of the said rock.

Nice hike great view

As a result of my first assessment of the area to ride the Mountain bike trails on black hill 🤔 The experience was worth the opportunity totally 👌 The trails are set up for all riders offering a diverse range of technical terrain & other tracks that all can easily appreciate 😃 The addition to the area is geologically interesting for those interested in the old school process of gold recovery 🤔

A great walk for those who love hills and gullies. Some steep steps, and you'll have to get back up! It's a wonderful atmosphere though, and fascinating seeing the rock faces. If you have dogs, leave them at home if they pull on the lead, as there's no guard rail on the descent. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and will return for more exploration!

Great place to have a bike rides and there are few tracks based on skills level. I tried few tracks and those were really good. If you are visiting first time, you better take your bike suitable for these tracks.

Lazily mismanaged. Literally one lane available for swimming laps in to share with about 10 other swimmers. The rest booked out for classes in peak hour and one full of water walking people who don’t need a lane. Wasn’t told on purchase, and availability isn’t communicated online either. Don’t bother unless you’re a toddler.

Great place to briefly cool- off, and have a poolside bbq/ picnic .... however the smaller 1m pool nearest to the often closed kiosk needs some TLC. The filter doesn't appear to be working properly lately, you can catch strands of other people's hair between your fingers while wading in the shallow water, along with debris, used bandaids, leaves and clumps of dirt/ cement etc. The splash park is often out of order for the little ones too. 😞 The concrete surface around the pool closest to the entry appears to be breaking up and washing away and has sunk around the outlet filters entry pipes posing a real safety risk to staff and patrons. Several children kept tripping over this filter outlet ( see in attached photo) , my daughter included ( scraped knees) which I suspect is the reason for all those floating bandaids in the pool? Please Ballarat Council, can we do better than this? I really want to give this pool a university city worthy review now, and well into the future. How about a couple of waterslides, every other regional city, including Geelong and Bendigo has a decent aquatic centre with waterslides.

Aquatic Center has a big kids pool with a slide and toys that's heated to mid 20s and is around 1m deep so good for parents too. For really hot days there is the splash zone with water dump and various sprinklers. For toddlers getting introduced to the water there is a paddling pool and for adults or teens a full sized pool for laps etc. again all heated. Clean and well cared for and one of the few public pools I've been to that he a few inflatable toys and floating stuff for kids.

I swim here after work a bit, as the Aquatic Centre is quite often busy with squaddies. We'll run, usually plenty of lane space and you can have a decent shower.

First time i have been here for years. Very disappointed kiosk staff were rude and had no idea what they were doing. Bring back the waterslide, well a new one anyway. Kids pool was not very clean.

nice swimming pool the main 50m lap pool is only 2m at its deepest and the smaller 25m non lap pool has a slide but its very shallow so only go on it if your 40 kg or under (you will probably bang your butt if you're any heavier)

Love it 2 young grandchildren. Plenty of shade. Somewhere to shower. Lots of pools to choose from.

That was a fun & beautiful looking mini gold experience! Please see all of my very many attached photos for a summary of the experience ✨ So why 3 stars? What wasn’t so fun was how much one of the staff members kept flirting with myself & my boyfriend, so we ended up leaving instead of staying to play arcades afterwards cause we felt weirded out. YOU DO NOT NEED TO FIND REASONS TO TALK TO US; WE CAME TO ENJOY OURSELVES, NOT TO WORRY ABOUT SOMEONE TRYING TO FLIRT WITH US 😢 THANK YOU FOR RETURNING MY UMBRELLA; IT JUST CONVENIENTLY GAVE YOU PRIVATE TIME WITH MY BOYFRIEND & HE THOUGHT YOU WERE ME WHEN YOU WENT AROUND THAT DARK CORNER 😢 THEN HE REALISED IT WASN’T ME, AND FREAKED OUT & IT RUINED THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE 😢 THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK THAT SOMEONE HAS WEIRDED US OUT SO MUCH; THAT WE LEFT 😢😬🤐🫢 We were gonna try out the indoor course cause it was raining & come back another day to play the outdoor course & then this happened & messed up the entire idea 👎

This is my first time coming to this Amazing and Challenging , and also amazing golf courses too , I had really fun , I really recommend this to your family and friends to enjoy

The staff were friendly, the food was tasty and the mini golf was pretty good. We played the indoor glow in the dark course. It was a very different way to play mini golf. The small arcade was fun for the kids. We had a small issue with the prizes not coming out but the lovely staff member we spoke to helped us with that. It was a nice way to spend some quality time with the family out of the rain.

Dropped in on a Sunday morning for some fun with the wife and kids.. we played the indoor course which was under UV lights and lite up the course and golf balls. ⛳️ Price was about $46 for 18 holes for 2 adults and 2 kids

Great one! For a good price you can play here for hours. The courses are auper, very good maintained and different enough not to get bored. The inside one, lights in the dark, is wonderful and our kids love the scary things and the hole challenges. The outside, also very nice, beautiful scenery. Highly recommend!

We played the indoor course, what a wonderful place! Animated critters with great detail, realistic sounds and perfectly fluorescent. Take trip through different ages while receiving a lesson at each hole. Excellent hole set outs. Will be back to play the outside course one day! Highly recommend you visit if in the area.

Our family group was so impressed by the work ethic of the two young employees running the show today! Both of them were under the pump cooking, cleaning and serving. Our food was great & everyone had a wonderful time, thanks again to your wonderful staff!

✨ Extreme Bounce was a great experience! The facility is well-maintained and offers a good variety of activities. It can get a bit chilly inside, but overall, it's a fun and affordable option, especially for school holidays with kids. They're efficient with scheduling, and birthday parties are also available. Just remember to keep socks or just get a pair for $5! 😂🙌

Friendly staff. Staff made me a coffee and couldn’t find me. Gave me a refund and free drinks for my kids, plus a fresh coffee. Blown away by the amazing level of customer service. Clean facilities. Kids had a ball! Highly recommend.

We had a birthday party and our host was Ellie, She was so patient with a room full of loud 6 year olds, very prompt and attentive also! Great place to burn some energy. Everything was clean and well maintained also.

I ate nearly a whole bowl of chips and gravy it was that good. While my kids played. They ran out of steam after 1 hour which is just enough, however they would have happily gone another hour if I bought them more stuff from the cafe.

I was up from Melbourne for the day and found this to be an awesome place to get away from the rain. My daughter is 2 years old and she had a ball. It caters well for all ages and had excellent facilities. Everything is really new and clean and the staff were friendly.

My 8 year old was frustrated that she couldn’t get up on the side walks by herself in the approved area. I saw a guy that worked there who was jumping really high and ask him to help her. He come in and coached her so she could bounce high and how to get up there. His name was Tom and he spent about 5 minutes with her. She didn’t get it straight away, but kept at it, and was able to get up there 4 times before our session ended. Thanks Tom for helping her to achieve this goal!

Kid loves it, Mum gets a breather. Bit pricey for an hour—but he sleeps like a log after, so... worth it!

This will be a treasure for the future. It is the old Canadian plantation, which was once covered in pines followed by blue gums. Thanks to the Labor state government it was declared a Regional Park. As such it is threaded with walking and mountain biking tracks. The Friends of Canadian Corridor are doing an excellent job developing a master plan for the park. Lots of wild plants and animals still. If you spot a koala, let the friends know (they are on FB).

We were getting to the sensory trail the long way, driving the Dozed Track

nice track. serene spots.

Woowookarung is very vegetated it has lots of trees and plants, it’s full of wildlife and is very ecofriendly. It had lots of rest stops and was really stunning. The lookout was very pretty and showed off a lot of Ballarat. The bike and shoe cleaning area was easy to use and helped a lot with my bike. 10/10 would go again

Great hiking trail and you can bring your dog.

I am lucky ... I live Neighboring Woowookarung Regional Park. Nothing nicer after a day at work to get on my mountain bike and cruise around the trails in the park (I am an old and slow MTBer) so I am very lucky to have such a resource at my doorstep. There are a couple of other great view points in the in the park that are great to visit, and plenty of Wildlife including Echidna, Kangaroo, koala and of course bird life..even see the occasional Wedge Tailed eagles. Only disappointment are the people that still think it is ok to dump rubbish in the park.. very disappointing that people think it is ok to do stuff like that. Also you still do get trail bike riders in the area. Most are ok and are careful but you still get the occasional idiots who think it is the fink desert race..

Huge place, lotsa walking trails, hard to find the trail starting point because they are all over the place. But it is nice and quiet

Loved this place! Kids will definitely have a lot of fun for water play and there is also a playground.

We originally went to the one in Sebastopol (they were doing maintenance on a Sunday)... This was the alternative. There is more of a playground at this space and the water parks are very similar but there is no fencing (given a main road, a little confusing). Overall pretty decent...

Excellent place to drop in with the kids on a warm day. Lots of shade and grassed areas to sit in. A great free initiative from the council. Kids love it. Also has a great little playground and handy restrooms.

Wonderful park. Great for toddler to primary school aged children. Lots of shade. Playground and toilets too.

Very clean park, bbqs regularly cleaned. Public toilet access just maybe need x2 toilets. Can't wait to bring kids in the summer. Central highlands need to inspect their water drinking tap it's always leaking.

An enjoyable and clean play space. Would benefit from more shaded areas as they fill up fast on hot days. Unfenced and open to busy Doveton St, although a good area of lawn separates the road and park, but worth notibg if you have a runner.

Nice water park for kids. Has a shaded area to sit. Has a small playground too. The water jets are fun for the kids. Has a change room and toilet as well.

What a beautiful tribute memorial. Easily accessible for prams, wheelchairs etc. All even ground, with wide path. Beautiful landscape near Lake Wendouree. Plenty of parking in the surrounding area.

A marvellous memorial honouring the 36,000 men and women who’ve served time as prisoners of the many wars of our history. A special thank you to the incredible locals who left a basket full of poppies to place on the wall. This was unexpected but very appreciated and allowed us to honour our great-grandfather personally.

Quite an amazing war memorial. I think there were over 35,000 Australian prisoners of war since the Boer war, and all their names are on this monument. Definitely worth a visit.

This is a very touching and also spectacular monument to the numerous Australian soldiers and servicemen that served during multiple wars, it's well maintained and situated not far from the nearby lake.

Exemplary specialised memorial covering the Boer War, WW1, WW2, and Korean War. Be sure the check the Addendum section at the end for names that are still being added. Very pleased to see a separate stone commemorating the Montevideo Maru, and of course my uncle's name. Lark Force and the 2/22nd Battalion, I salute you!

Absolutely love this place. It is so well done and well presented and maintained. Its an honour to what these men and women went through for our freedom.

Very sombre place. Never forget our founders sacrifices.

Firstly, Catherine (apologies for spelling) was an amazing host! She was flat out the entire time and a smile never left her face. Catherine was so considerate of everyone!!! The kids were in admiration of her. Thank you 🙏🏻. So, the 4 of us raced yesterday and the 2 kids returned today as it was a massive highlight (mum & dad sat out today). We will definitely return.

What an amazing venue!!!! Catherine was brilliant & really made us feel welcomed & informed for go karting & Laserforce. Whilst us foreigners from newcastle were able to do the best time, the track was fast flowing, technical but rewarding for little skill. Laserforce was amazing with many great tactical positions & game play options. Looking forward to returning before we go home. Thanks Catherine & team!!

We had my daughters 10th Birthday party at laserforce yesterday with 11 of her friends. They all had a fantastic time, staff were very helpful, professional and attentive, especially with the ones who had never played or were a little nervous. Highly recommend 👏

Workers are absolutely lovely. We had our son’s party there. We were told to arrive 15 minutes early which we had and the room was still in use. Once it was cleaned the room was a perfect size. We had 22 kids in the group. The only thing that was really disappointing was that we had only been given two jugs of water. When asked for another they said they had no more. The host was having to do the front desk as well as the party. So they were unable to keep an eye on the games when they were over, so the parents had to do most of the work. I would like to suggest more water jugs. And for them to be larger. If you are planning a party be sure to bring everything yourself including tablecloths, cups and plates. The only thing supplied are the jugs of water

We had a family go-kart party of 12 people and the team there where fantastic and looked after us all day. We had two races 🏁 with the track all to ourselves each time... It was fantastic fun with the whole family joining in. The ages ranged from 23 to 63. I'd highly recommend this experience 👌 we'd all love to do it again 😀

Came here to celebrate my birthday and had a few mix ups with booking and how many people were attending. Staff were fantastic and understanding, especially manager Catherine. We had a great time and will definitely be coming back!

We had a great time, and our daughter had her first drive independently she's 7. The crew help her so well and gave her so much positive feedback even after the 20th wall tap. Thanks guys 🙂👍

My son and I have clocked serious hours here—playground, hide and seek, heroic battles near the cannons… and a full-time job stopping him from diving into the lovely pond. 10/10 for kid fun, 3/10 for Mum's stress levels. Autumn trees = bonus points!

Great family value, 2 adults ,2 kids $18 A massive amount of information and displays of the Eureka Stockade, a must do visit when in Ballarat

An amazing place to see in person. Excellent history lesson.

Beautiful tree filled, grassy park, perfect for picnics and family gatherings and outdoor games. A magical playground for children beside an historical museum.

A lot of history is preserved in this site, as it marks a turning point in Australia's history when the colony split from Queen Victoria's reign.

Lovely park, BBQ facilities, clean toilets and great playground for kids

Nice park but it was a better memorial when the fence was a barricade - disappointing to visit, only to discover it had been removed. Political statement maybe?

Great playground for all kids of all ages!! Keeps us entertained for hours, never a dull visit. Plenty of space for parking, seating inside the park and shade. Has water play also for the warmer days.

Possibly the best playground ever. Giant, completely fenced, with multiple separate sets of play equipment as well as specialised free play areas such as water play, sandpits and play houses. Very fun with areas suitable for toddlers through to big kids. Some areas have adaptations for inclusive play, including the flying fox. Also has seating and bathrooms and a bubbler

Love love love this place. The accessibility is top notch. I wish we had something like this in the Yarra ranges. Accessible play equipment, they even have a special seat with a harness for the flying fox for those who need the extra support. My son unfortunately was very adamant that he would not give it a go (he has cerebral palsy) but for those who have a bit of dare Devil in them it would be great! The little vegie garden where you can water the vegies. There are a couple of sand play areas with in the park also. I also loved there is a changing places disabled toilet facilities! For any parent or carer of a person with a disability, to be able to go out to a public place and have one of these available is a god send. There needs to be many more of these at the larger community playgrounds and major attractions around our country.

One of Ballarat best playground by far. This huge, fully fenced playground is an absolute gem! It features: • 2 regular play areas (1 for the bigger kids and I've for the smaller) with swings, slides and climbing frames etc • A water play space for the hot days • A garden with watering cans that the kids can use, • A small flying fox with 2 lines so the kids can race • A very large grasses area in the centre for ball games and picnics • Undercover BBQ facilities and picnic tables • Public restrooms It's my go to playground with kids especially since its fully fenced so it offers addition safety and security to let the kids really run around and have fun.

A great place to bring the kids to play always clean a wide range if play equipment for them and the big kids ( you know what i mean) lost of nice big trees to sit under on a sunny and the bbq facilities are great also great for picnics..the amenities are always clean and tidy ( well the times I have been they are)) Love coming here with the grandson, for a play date.. Highly recommended

Great space! Fully gated and lots of different spaces for different ages. Huge grassed area which is perfect for picnics.

Great space for kids of varied ages. The swings all have excellent straps to help keep children safe.

Excellent library. It has everything you need for a great study session, including Meeting rooms, a coffee station, computers, WiFi, interesting books, magazines and newspapers, well organised. It even has a Maker Space with 3D printers and a cinema for children. I was quite impressed by the cleanliness of the place and helpfulness of the staff. The architecture is modern, there's a lift and accessible entrances, parking places for cars and bikes. It's also quiet, with enough places to study on the ground floor and upstairs. A treasure, really.

Whilst the staff are generally lovely, A heavy-set older lady behind the counter was quite rude when I enquired as to whether non-library members could use the copier. If you don't like customer service,you could always become a prison guard

Clean, modern facilities. Quiet, comfortable environment for students. Open late enough that I can get a couple of hours of study in after work.

From reading these reviews the library is a big improvement on what it used to be. But I’m sad that the new library doesn’t actually feel like a library anymore. The books seem to be mostly new chick lit (where have the classics and literature gone?) and the place is busy. Yes it’s great that there is a coffee cart and activity space but please don’t lose the qualities that so many people love about libraries - the peace, the quiet, a space for ideas and learning and reflection. Quiet people in the world need places to go too.

Cute modern layout, ADORABLE staff and very professional in all aspects. I rarely give 5 stars but the Ballarat Library has EARNT it ☯️

After a few years of missing our library central due to major renovations, we ventured there today. With 2 very excited pre teen kiddos in tow. All week it’s been an excited countdown. When we entered, it being only an hour until closing time we headed to the customer service desk to ask where the specific book types we wanted were located. Unfortunately the woman staff member responded to our excited comment, that we’d waited years to come back after renovations, was incredibly rude. Her attempt to correct our comment of ‘waiting years’ was upsetting. I pointed out as the library had been closed for 2 YEARS, I was correct in saying the word YEARS. Why she wanted to put me in my place I can’t guess. My littlest ones excitement was dampened significantly by the staff members comments & my her saying, can we go back to the Sebastopol library please? This one doesn’t feel good anymore. We’ve been making Ballarat & surrounding libraries our safe & comfortable place for years & have loved all our interactions with every staff member. Not today though sadly.

Everything is good about it. Easy self service and great collection

We're regular out of town visitors who stop off at this playground to tire out our 2 toddlers every visit. It's easy to navigate for all ages. Out 18 month old can climb the stars with little hassel. Great park

Incredible playground for all ages. Shelters with dirty barbecues, bring cleaning equipment if you want to use them. There is seating, generally open plan with two halves so you don't have to move so much to see your children. Really safe on high levels, impossible to fall out from a height, everything is made to stop people getting out once off the ground. Toilets and signage leading you here by footpath. Really centralises the community. Friendly families and independent teenagers playing on basketball courts. Highly recommended.

I have so many memories with this playground with my friends after school. If they ever knock this playground down, I will protest to get it back

Love this playground ❤️ Toilets here as well On a pretty waterway & close to another cool playground as well at the end of Overall st, enter via Cuthberts Rd or McLeod Cres just 1 minute down the Rd.

Another great playground of Ballarat 🌻 the height is a nice change, rope bridge at the top, a little 'shop' house, benches/tables, BBQs. A duck pond nearby and great little walking trail. We didn't realise the first time we came, but there a whole other playground 'hidden' by the shrubs where there's a flying fox(I think?) and rock climbing. Some courts across the way, I didn't pay too much attention - likely basketball.

A fantastic park for all ages. Multiple options for slide sizes. Tables and a BBQ for lunches. However there is little shade for the playground itself.

Very spacious, clean grounds, maybe some some of the equipment could be undercover and more bubble taps. Also a water park would be great out there. Kids loves riding their bikes around the paths while we walked our dog. Then kids played on the play equipment.

Shade over the park itself would be a good addition. For a free activity you can't complain though.

Great park for the children to cool off in, 2 seperate dry play ground areas ie slides and swings .BBQ and seating area. Large shaded area for sitting under. Toilets and parking. ALLL freeee....

Great little waterpark – the kids absolutely loved it! ✨

Beautiful little gem..cool down in the shade, kids love it...also has fitness area

Took my grandson and he smashed his head on the concrete 😪 needs softer padding as it is made for younger children

Fantastic fun for the kids, they loved it

Nice. Playground and water park. Toilets, bbq and undercover areas

A beautiful trail along the creek that ends in Ballarat.

In early development, car park at Southern end, nice gentle ungerlating gravel track. Saw an echidna in the open.

Beautiful scenery. Nice and flat for the kids to ride along

not a bad ride with friends on a sunny day and not the most difficult ride either

A very good walking or cycling trail. We started at Gong Gong Reserve and walked about 6kms return. Reasonably flat and quite wide, really good boardwalk across the wetter areas, and lots of shady areas to rest. Many seats scattered along the path to rest as well. Some really beautiful private gardens back onto the path provide a contrast from the gum trees and scrub. Many car parking spots along the way if you've got younger members of the family not wanting to cover the whole distance. My next adventure will be to tackle the entire track from end to end ....about 12 kms.

Lovely undulating walking and cycling trail that follows the Yarrowee River and passes through Ballarat CBD. Lots of access points and info signs along the way. Some sections sealed, but mostly well maintained unsealed. The section from Black Hill to Gong Gong is probably the prettiest.

Very relaxing walk alongside the river. Plenty of rabbits to be chased by my dog Rosie. We had a lot of of rain, so the place is preaty wet at the moment.

Nice botanical gardens. Quiet and peaceful. Well looked after. Some seats around the place to sit and take in the views. Toilets on site too. Parking out along the street.

Lovely lawns for having a picnic, the old California Red Gums provide plenty of shade. Excellent day out.

🌿Cute park for a stroll or rest, with plenty of potential for future growth, maybe including more gardens and plants.🌿

It is a lovely small park to relax and stroll around in.

Beautiful gardens, toilets could be more apealling.

Beautiful gardens and lake. Wonderful place for children, picnics, BBQ's Clean amenities.

Beautiful gardens some lovely old trees there bbq erea not to bad

Today have visted the gardens in centrel city of ballarat alot of things see in and around the garden special when comes to Easter and Christmas time alot of decorations nice garden to walk

Major George Divine Treloar memorial. Another wonderful memorial in Sturt Street.

The gardens run along the main street, if your interested in a stroll, it's not bad, a lot of statues and monuments to Ballarat and its history.

Whenever anyone from out of town visits, I always suggest taking a stroll up Sturt Street. It's a beautiful walk, and there is plenty of history one can learn about while admiring the flora along the beautifully tree lined street.

Good for some Christmas ornament photos

Ballarat remains a beautiful and green Victorian (in both period aesthetic and geographical location) city. Whilst various attempts have been made to refocus of function before form, the city has retained much of its character.. The gardens in the middle of Sturt Street contribute a large part of the atmospheric resilience of Ballarat, buy food in Armstrong street, wander into these gardens, take a seat and enjoy a part of the unique charm of this city

Always well maintained and a pleasure to observe while gridlocked between school zones on Sturt Street during school drop-off & pick-up times. How about some street entertainers, ie, a historical society's brass band? Thanks Ballarat council for making this experience so much more aesthetic 😎

I only found out about the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute about 12 months ago and since then i have attended 5 of their events, which we have always thoroughly enjoyed, not only are they interesting and well priced but the amazing staff / volunteers that greet you and manage the events make the experience even better. Thank you all so much and keep up the great work.

A wonderful old building and still a fully functional library.

Was here for a social function and had done so a number of years ago. It's a beautiful venue which is largely well maintained and typical of the gorgeous buildings in Ballarat. One of the best features of one of the rooms is balcony access. This proved very popular as we were dancing and in need of fresh air while enjoying supper. It has a lift which is handy for those who don't want to climb the stairs. Me included!

An excellent community resource. Library and meeting rooms. A classic piece of ballarat history.

An excellent venue with exceptional staff. Definitely one of Ballarat's historic treasures.

This is such an interesting place to visit.The library is well stocked and the hall ways and stairways have old photos and an honours board (the beautiful tilted floor areas )

A lovingly maintained space and historic library, for fans of architecture, literature and history it is a must. Run by the most knowledgeable and helpful volunteers, we found this gem by accident walking by but would recommend it to anyone visiting Ballarat. The real Sovereign Hill really.