hero media

Two immersive art experiences are coming to this Vic town in spring

Gemma Kaczerepa Gemma Kaczerepa
In recent years, Ballarat has emerged as one of Victoria’s most dynamic and daring cities. And, this spring, two unexpected creative showcases will take over the town.

No matter the season, it’s always a good time to visit Ballarat – but spring might be the most ideal. The weather is warmer, the skies are clearer, the flowers across its botanical landscapes are in bloom. And events in Ballarat transform the city into a playground of creativity.

This year, Ballarat will welcome both new and returning artistic events, best paired with a jaunt through the city’s eclectic array of things to eat, drink and explore. Here’s how to spend a spring weekend in this cool cultural hub.

The events

Two of the most exciting events hitting Ballarat this spring are the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale and the inaugural edition of Sunnyside, a captivating and immersive art extravaganza.

Ballarat International Foto Biennale

Ballarat International Foto Biennale, events in Ballarat
Discover powerful stories through the lens at Ballarat International Foto Biennale. (Image: Astrid Mulder)

Whether you’re a photography enthusiast or simply curious, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale is a must. The event permeates the entire city, with works by over 360 local and international photographers adorning over 100 buildings, businesses, streets and public spaces.

This year marks the 11th chapter and will centre on ‘Lifeforce’ – a theme that’s all about humanity and connection. Among the many talents on show, the headline artist is Campbell Addy, a British-Ghanaian creative who explores roots and identity. Be sure to visit before it ends in 2025 on 19 October.

Sunnyside

The colourful entrance to Sunnyside, one of the newest highlights of Events in Ballarat.
Explore 17 days of bold art at Sunnyside. (Image: Nice To Meet You Again, Morag Myerscough 2023. Photographer: Gareth Gardner)

Sunnyside is making its debut this year, introducing a brand-new celebration of colour, creativity and community to Ballarat. The 17-day celebration, from 6 to 23 November, will feature immersive installations and experiences, talks, a vibrant opening night gala, and workshops covering everything from crochet to neon block printing.

Internationally acclaimed London-based artist Morag Myerscough will lead the celebration and convert Ballarat’s historic Mining Exchange – a gold rush era trading hall – and the city’s streets into a multi-sensory art spectacle.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

While you’re there

Don’t miss out on everything else Ballarat has to offer. Here’s where to eat, drink, see and stay in the city.

Where to eat

Vibrant Latin American dishes at Pancho, adding flavour to Events in Ballarat.
Savour bold Latin American dishes at Pancho. (Image: Einwick)

For daytime dining, you’re spoiled for choice. Johnny Alloo does contemporary cafe fare in a warm and inviting space, while Hydrant Food Hall is a popular pick for breakfast and lunch classics. Eclectic Tastes makes seasonal dishes that incorporate plenty of local produce, giving you a great opportunity to taste the region’s flavours.

At night, head to Roy Hammond for delicious cocktails and contemporary Asian-inspired eats or Pancho for vibrant (and very good) Latin American food in fun surrounds. At Hop Temple, you’ll find an incredible selection of craft beers (more than 200, to be exact) and punchy pub fare, or you can head slightly out of town for tasty bistro classics at the historic and character-filled Buninyong Hotel.

In the mood for something fancy? Visit one of Ballarat’s many hatted restaurants, like Babae (produce-driven fine dining inspired by regional Victoria), Mr Jones (modern Asian by a chef with a Michelin pedigree) and Underbar (an ultra-exclusive spot doing ultra-refined tasting menus).

Where to drink

Food and wine tastings at Blue Pyrenees Estate, a refined experience beyond Events in Ballarat.
Relax over wine at Blue Pyrenees Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria)

No matter your poison, you’ll find a venue to suit in Ballarat. Aunty Jacks is a local institution, serving a generous line-up of beers made in the on-site brewery. Renard is perfect for a pre-dinner drink or nightcap, with a menu that spans creative signature cocktails, locally produced wines and Australian spirits.

Try some of Ballarat’s finest creations at one of its many boutique distilleries, including Grainery Lane and Itinerant Spirits. The former specialises in gin and vodka, while the latter offers gin, vodka and craft whiskey. Buy a bottle from either as a memento of your trip.

You can also venture a little further afield to one of the area’s renowned wineries and cellar doors. There are 25 scattered around the Pyrenees (Ballarat’s very own surrounding wine region), including Dalwhinnie, Summerfield and Blue Pyrenees Estate. Eastern Peake – a family-owned winery led by Young Gun of Wine 2025, Owen Latta – is also a must-visit.

What to see

A koala eating eucalyptus leaves at Ballarat Wildlife Park.
Meet a koala at Ballarat Wildlife Park. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you’ve got time to spare after the thrill of the spring festivities, there’s lots to see and do. More art can be found in the city’s streets and laneways, with local street artists transforming the walls with impressive murals and installations.

Ballarat is equally renowned for its heritage architecture, much of which flourished during the gold rush. Notable buildings include Ballarat Town Hall, Her Majesty’s Theatre and Craig’s Royal Hotel, all located centrally and within walking distance of one another.

Travelling with kids? Head to Sovereign Hill for a living-history adventure or Ballarat Wildlife Park to meet koalas, reptiles and free-roaming kangaroos.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Where to stay

An elegant suite at Hotel Vera, offering boutique comfort.
Enjoy all-out luxury at Hotel Vera. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you’re venturing to the city by train and want to stay somewhere central, Quest Ballarat Station is an excellent pick. The modern serviced apartments are situated just 250m from the station and a short stroll from downtown Ballarat, making coming, going and exploring the city incredibly easy. There’s also an on-site gym, barbecue area and accessible rooms available.

For a touch of French luxe in regional Victoria, The Provincial Hotel is a standout choice, with gorgeously appointed rooms and suites in a restored heritage-listed building. The hotel is also conveniently located on Lydiard Street, which is lined with grand historic architecture.

If you’re after something truly luxe, book a few nights at Hotel Vera. The exclusive collection of only seven suites presents all-out opulence: think lush linens, designer furniture, works by notable artists and gilded touches. It also happens to house fine-dining favourite Babae, making it an optimal stay if you’re keen to try the restaurant.

Getting there

aerial of hop lane in ballarat
Turn your Ballarat visit into a memorable weekend. (Image: Einwick)

One of the best things about Ballarat is its proximity to Melbourne. It’s only 90 minutes away by car – an easy journey down the Western Freeway – or can be easily reached by rail. The train from Southern Cross to Ballarat Station takes less than 90 minutes and drops you right in the centre of town.

Start planning your stay at visitballarat.com.au.

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Gemma Kaczerepa
Gemma is a writer and editor who’s travelled and lived across the globe. After completing a journalism degree at UTS, she explored Europe and worked in various editorial and communications roles in her hometown of Sydney, before landing in Bangkok as the PR manager for a luxury hotel chain. Many years and cities later, including a brief stint in Canberra, she’s a full-time freelancer based in Melbourne. She loves writing about everything her new home – and the rest of Australia and the world – has to offer, but has a particular passion for food, architecture, events and culture.
View profile and articles
Two festivals are coming to Ballarat: here’s how to plan for them
Ballarat

Two of the best festivals are coming to Ballarat: here’s how to plan for them

Come for a couple of unmissable festivals, stay for a long, leisurely weekend of wining, dining and exploring all the heritage-rich glory Ballarat has to offer.

Read more
Couple by Lake Wendouree, Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat

This surprising city has dethroned Adelaide as Australia’s happiest

Move over, big smoke – a Victorian goldfields city has just claimed Australia's top spot on the world's largest happiness ranking.

Read more
Mrs Browne Bakes’ raspberry goldfields cookie pie at Naomi & i
Ballarat

Ballarat‘s iconic pie competition has a winner & it’s a cookie dream

Roll up to Ballarat this August to taste one of the best pies in Australia.

Read more
Fresh fruit and vegetables at Ballarat Famers Market
Ballarat

8 of the best Ballarat markets for one-of-a-kind pieces

Crammed with hard-to-replicate gems and infectious community spirit, every great Ballarat market is worth a morning’s exploration.

Read more
hero media

Meet the makers shaping Ballarat’s new era of creativity

    Margaret Barca Margaret Barca
    Continue
    Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

    Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

    “Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

    Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

    heritage buildings in Ballarat
    Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

    Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

    Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery
    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

    For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

    You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

    How Ballarat is preserving the past

    artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

    While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

    The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

    artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

    Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

    A city steeped in food and flavours

    Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho
    Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

    The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

    a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat
    Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

    the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat
    The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

    The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

    one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat
    The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

    Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

    Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Getting there

    It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

    Staying there

    Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

    a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat
    Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

    Eating there

    dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat
    The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

    Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

    Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

    dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat
    Dining at Grainery Lane.

    Playing there

    a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat
    An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

    a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery
    Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

    The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees
    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees.

    Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.