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Uncover the Secrets of Victoria’s Gold Rush Capital
Step into the storied streets of Ballarat with our signature City Tales walking tour. This small-group, story-rich experience brings to life the grand buildings, hidden laneways, and larger-than-life characters that shaped one of Australia’s greatest gold rush cities. 🏛️
Over 2 to 2.5 relaxed hours, your expert local guide will lead you on an immersive journey from Ballarat’s early beginnings through the drama, ambition, and upheaval of the gold rush era. Discover strange details and fascinating historical scandals hiding in plain sight.
What Your Journey Includes
- Exclusive Access: Step inside some of the most extraordinary historic buildings in Victoria.
- Historic Refreshment: Enjoy a complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, or chai at Craig’s Royal Hotel, Ballarat’s grandest Gold Rush boutique hotel. ☕
- Captivating Stories: Learn about the dramatic events, scandals, and ambitions that shaped the city, including a visit to the historic Eureka Stockade speech site.
- Special Keepsake: Take home a beautiful, custom Ballarat art print as a memento of your journey. 🎨
- Intimate Experience: Enjoy a relaxed pace in a small group with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Tour Details
This is not just a walk past old buildings. City Tales is a theatrical, beautiful, and wonderfully strange exploration of a living city. Tours run regularly on weekends, with other days available on demand.
- Duration: Approximately 2–2.5 hours (including the hot drink stop).
- Meeting Point: Out front of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Bakery Hill.
- Families Welcome: Children under 6 join for free (please note, complimentary drinks are not included for free child tickets).
Thanks so much for booking a City Tales tour! There’s no need to print your ticket, we will have you down on our tour name list.
Bring an extra jacket, gloves, umbrella or a hat/water bottle or sunscreen depending on the weather forecast, and remember Ballarat almost always has a cold wind. Wear comfortable shoes, and the tour will run regardless of the weather.
The meeting point is out the front St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Bakery Hill. See Google map link here.
Free parking is usually available on side streets, in the car park at the corner of Main Road and Humffray St S, or in the Coles/Woolworths parking lot on Little Bridge St.
If you need somewhere to stay, we highly recommend Hotel Vera, or Tiny Away. (for Tiny Away, use HiddenLanes10 for 10% off)
See you soon!
Emma & Jarrod.
