11 Ballarat Tours, Shortlisted

1.Sovereign Hill General Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 141 reviews · from $37Our pick

At Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, general admission opens the streets of an 1850s gold-rush town, where costumed characters, tradespeople and scheduled activities bring the era to life. Try gold panning and explore the outdoor museum. Guided mine tours and coach rides are not included, so check their availability and cost before you plan around them.

“My nephew had a good time over there. The effort to create a gold rush era theme was commendable. However the tickets were a little pricier for the kind of attraction it provides.”

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2.Sovereign Hill ‘A Touch of Gold’ Ballarat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 75 reviews · 8 hours · from $95

Travel from Melbourne to Sovereign Hill with an English-speaking guide, then explore its 1850s streets, watch the gold pour and Redcoat Parade, pan for gold and take a guided underground mine tour. The day also includes a short visit to Ballarat. Guides such as Margaret, Peter and Jose have led the trip.

“Fantastic love it our guide was very good I loved the volunteers they are doing a great job of keeping history alive it was better than I expected”

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3.Sovereign Hill: Museum General Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 74 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Spend a day at Sovereign Hill, a recreated Ballarat gold rush town. Pan for real gold, watch a 100-ounce gold pour, visit Red Hill Mine and see craftspeople at work. A fully guided mine tour and horse-drawn coach ride cost extra, so plan your day around the included activities and any add-ons you want.

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4.Sovereign Hill A Touch Of Gold Ballarat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · from $121

This eight-hour Melbourne day trip visits Sovereign Hill, where you can pan for gold, watch a gold pour and musket-firing Redcoat Parade, and join a guided underground mine tour. A guide accompanies a group of up to 21, with time also set aside for Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Lunch and snacks cost extra.

“Tour guide, Debbi, in period dress excellent. Our driver/tour guide, Margaret, made the day extra special.”

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5.Ballarat City Tales Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $68Top rated

Walk from Bakery Hill to Ballarat Town Hall with an English-speaking local guide, hearing gold rush stories and seeing historic buildings from the inside. The 2-hour-15-minute tour includes access to the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute and Town Hall, a tea, coffee or chai stop, and a Ballarat art print. Groups are capped at 10.

“Had a great time on this tour and learned a lot about Ballarat's history and the history of the gold rush era. We were lucky enough to be the only people on the tour and it was a relaxing and informative time.”

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6.Sovereign Hill, Eureka Centre & Melbourne Skydeck

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 9 hours · from $133

Travel from Melbourne to Ballarat in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Walk the Botanical Gardens and Lake Wendouree, spend three hours at Sovereign Hill, visit the Eureka Centre, and finish at the 88th-floor Skydeck. Entry fees are included; lunch and drinks are not.

“We had a great day trip. Our guide Rick was informative and shared with us the history of Eureka Stockade. We made several stops, all with decent amount of time to walk around. We didn’t feel rushed. Well timed, that we reach Melbourne Skydeck just nice, got to take the evening view as the sun sets and night view. Thanks again Wine Hop & Costal tours.”

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7.Sovereign Hill, Botanical Gardens and Melbourne Skydeck Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 5 reviews · from $135

Travel from central Melbourne to Ballarat in air-conditioned comfort with an English-speaking guide and a small group of up to 24. Walk among historic trees and floral displays, visit Lake Wendouree, explore Sovereign Hill and the Eureka Centre, then finish at the Melbourne Skydeck. Entry fees are included; food and drinks are not.

“I really hope this tour will get more hype in the future. It's a really great tour, esp if you want to know and experience more about the gold rush history of Melbourne. The tour was well organized, it wasn't too long in total duration but very iRead more”

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8.City Tales Guided Walking Tour + Coffee

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 2h 15m · from $61

Join English-speaking guide Jarrod for an easy 1.5-kilometre walk through Ballarat’s gold rush stories, lanes and grand streets. The 135-minute tour includes upper-level access to Town Hall, entry to the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, a hot drink in a historic hotel and a local art print. It starts at St Paul’s Anglican Church and ends at Town Hall.

“Absolutely brilliant! Was well paced and your guide Jarrod took care of us all the way through even with a pram he was helpful and built a great relationship will all on the tour! Thank you highly recommend!!”

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9.Werribee Mansion and Sovereign Hill 1 Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · from $113

Spend about 10 hours visiting Werribee Mansion, the historic streets and gardens of Ballarat, and Sovereign Hill’s recreated 1850s gold town. Admission and air-conditioned transport are included, along with audio commentary in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Allow for roughly five hours on the road and bring money for meals and any extra paid activities.

“What a wonderful trip it is. We spent exactly 4hours in the Sovereign Hill and had plenty of time to explore all activities, such as gold mine tour which I personally strongly recommend (need extra paid), However, the experience was very different and worth it.”

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10.Private Ballarat Sovereign Hill Gold Mine Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 day

Travel from Melbourne in a private group of up to 13, with a family-friendly driver-guide and stops around Ballarat. The day can include Sovereign Hill gold panning, St Anne’s Winery, a cherry farm, Kryal Castle, Ballarat Wildlife Park, Lake Wendouree and the Botanical Gardens. Guide Matthew has been praised for his warm, informative approach. Entry fees and tickets are extra.

“The entire journey from hotel pick up to completing the trip was fantastic! Matthew was superb! We all felt welcomed and he kept us well informed through out the journey. Definitely will look for Mathew again for other adventures.”

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11.Ballarat Foodie and Gin Distillery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $126

Join an English-speaking guide at Ballarat Railway Station for a 2.5-hour walking tour with tastings at two gin distilleries, local cheese, scones, coffee or hot chocolate, pizza and Asian-influenced dishes. Hosts Jarrod and Emma have led the route, which includes Gold Rush stories, tucked-away lanes and an underground bakery. Groups are limited to eight.

“We did a Ballarat foodie & Gin Distillery walking tour. What a fabulous experience. Our host Jarrod and Emma have a great knowledge of all the restaurants we visited and the historical, architectural context along the way. A delightful coupRead more”

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