Top Towns for 2022: The ever-changing town of Ballarat

A boom town of the Victorian goldrush era and today one of Victoria’s fast-growing regional cities, Ballarat continues to bloom featuring at no.24 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

A 75-minute drive west of Melbourne, Ballarat was voted Victoria’s top tourism town in 2021 and is recognised as a UNESCO creative city. Its rich culture of artisans and dynamic culinary offerings tucked into reinvented goldrush buildings is a winning formula for a long weekend of wining, dining and soaking in the new wave of creativity that taps into the city’s past.

Heritage building in Ballarat. — Ballarat’s CBD is characterised by its grand goldrush buildings. (Image: Tara Moore)

A place in constant evolution, newcomers on the scene include pop-up restaurant Peasant , open Friday and Saturday evenings for just a few diners at a time in Ballarat’s historic Bank of New South Wales, and serving a five-course degustation of rustic European fare.

Food at Peasant Ballarat — Eat rustic fare at Peasant.

Meanwhile chef Derek Boath’s Underbar, Ballarat’s destination restaurant since it opened in 2016, is relocating to brand-new boutique digs at Hotel Vera (sister property to Bendigo’s Hotel Ernest).

And in the CBD spot it has vacated, Boath and sommelier Anthony Schuurs have created a sharp and fun urban wine bar, Pencilmark Wine Room , where an ever-changing roster of global drops are matched with fresh regional produce.

Browsing the bottles at Pencilmark Wine Room in Ballarat — Browse the bottles at Pencilmark Wine Room. (Image: Thom Mitchell)

Further emphasising Ballarat’s ongoing revitalisation, a major development and refurbishment of an 1863 heritage-listed bluestone building adjacent to the Ballarat railway station was unveiled at the start of 2022.

The Goods Shed now acts as a social, cultural and hospitality hub; its most recent additions include a gin distillery, Little Lon Distilling Co , an all-day dining outpost, a dumpling house and Quest Ballarat Station, an of-its-place hotel to complete the ‘eat, play, stay’ experience.

Exterior drone shot of The Goods Shed in Ballarat — The Goods Shed signals the Victorian city’s ongoing revitalisation.

Time your visit for the spring-summer season of artisan producer experiences, Made of: Ballarat . Picks of the bunch include the Secret Life of Bees with Backyard Beekeeping Ballarat , which runs on selected dates from October to February and will take you on a hands-on journey through a working honey beehive in the heart of the city.

Or take a trip 20 minutes out of town to Buninyong on Wadawurrung Country to embark on an Australian bushfoods adventure with Saltbush Kitchen . Also in late spring, the Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades will open to offer workshops and masterclasses to those looking to learn everything from woodcarving and locksmithing to armoury and leatherwork.

Street art in Ballarat — You’ll find pockets of creativity everywhere around town. (Image: Tara Moore)

Explore more of Ballarat in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.

From natural wonders to historical sites, we’ve rounded up Victoria’s most epic icons that deserve a place on your itinerary.

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park

From towering mountains to crystal cascades and ancient rock art sites, the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park is a playground for both outdoor adventurers and nature lovers. Don’t miss the views from the highest peak Mount William or the iconic Pinnacle.

Murray River

A paddle steamer down the Murray in Echuca — The wonders of the Murray are best experienced on board a paddle steamer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A natural icon of majestic proportions, the Murray River flows for a staggering 2700 kilometres, making it one of the world’s longest navigable rivers. Meandering through Victoria before flowing out to sea at Goolwa in South Australia, the river is home to diverse wildlife, picturesque towns and secluded creeks and beaches.

Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell

the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — The Twelve Apostles are a star attraction on the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

These limestone sea stacks are arguably Victoria’s most famous icon . After an $8-million upgrade to its lookout, The Blowhole near Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool (meaning breath of the whale) has recently reopened. A brand-new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, complete with rooftop lookout, will open in 2026.

You Yangs, Geelong

kangaroos in You Yangs — Kangaroos enjoy dusk in the You Yangs. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Rising 300-plus metres from the flat volcanic plains between Melbourne/Naarm and Geelong, the You Yangs are massive granite boulders named for the local Wadawurrung word ‘Youang’, meaning ‘big hills’. Hiking, biking, rock climbing and horse-riding are popular within this regional park.

Redwood Forest, Yarra Valley

Near the town of Warburton, an extraordinary forest of some 1500 Californian Redwoods stands among native orchids, eucalypt trees and rich birdlife. Planted in the 1930s, these 55-metre-plus trees can live for 2000 years and will grow to be some of the world’s tallest.

Wilsons Promontory, Gippsland

the Wilsons Promontory — Wilsons Promontory is home to the incredible Skull Rock formation. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The Prom, as it’s known locally, is the southernmost tip of mainland Australia. This 50,000-hectare reserve comprises granite mountains and forest, fringed by sandy beaches and surrounded by a marine park rich in marine biodiversity. It’s also home to the incredible and imposing Skull Rock formation.

Hanging Rock Reserve, Macedon Ranges

This six-million-year-old volcanic rock  was thrown into the national spotlight thanks to the 1967 novel and consequent 1975 film based on the fictional disappearance of schoolgirls in 1901. Mystery aside, visitors can walk the steep 105-metre summit, fish for trout and go twitching.

Sovereign Hill, Ballarat

exploring Sovereign Hill — Step back in time at Sovereign Hill. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Cry ‘eureka!’ at Sovereign Hill , a living museum to the prosperous Gold Rush era of the 1850s, during which Ballarat produced the most gold in the world. Visitors to this much-loved attraction can walk historic  streets, enter a gold mine and try panning for the good stuff, too.

The Great Stupa, Bendigo

Who’d have thought the largest Buddhist temple in the Western world would be tucked away in Bendigo’s bushland? Welcoming visitors to explore, this sacred Buddhist pagoda is an epicentre for Tibetan culture, architecture, art and interfaith harmony.

Cape Schanck Lighthouse, Mornington Peninsula

the Cape Schanck Lighthouse from above — Heritage-listed Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

Ensuring the safe passage of ships in the notoriously treacherous Bass Strait since 1859, this heritage-listed lighthouse overlooks dramatic volcanic coast and wild beaches. The surrounding reserve is home to a plethora of wildlife including little penguins, seals and echidnas.