Moving to a new city like Ballarat can often be daunting, especially if you have small children that you like to keep active. To make the process easier we've provided some of our favourite child-friendly places to visit in Ballarat.
Lake Wendouree
Surrounded by 6 kilometres of walking tracks, Lake Wendouree is a great place to take the kids. Whether you want to relax and unwind outdoors or you're after an idyllic location for the kids to be able to stretch their legs and run around, Lake Wendouree is ideal. There are also two playgrounds at the lake, which are the Indigenous Playground and the Adventure Playground, so if the kids get tired of walking and running they can have fun playing on the equipment.
Ballarat Botanical Gardens
The Ballarat Botanical Gardens offer breathtaking views and the perfect setting to take the kids for a picnic. There are goldfish ponds to explore, the Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial and Adam Lindsey Gordon's cottage.
Famous for begonias, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens has a wide variety of stunning flora and fauna that are well worth taking a detour to see.
Sovereign Hill
Sovereign Hill is renowned as Ballarat's most famous attraction. It will keep the kids enthralled for hours as it has been carefully preserved allowing you to step back in time to the 1850's. The kids will love panning for gold, which is an easy way to keep them entertained! There are also horse drawn carriages offering rides, as well as women beautifully dressed in costumes from that era.
The kids can also create their own candles and watch lollies being made the old fashioned way. Don't forget to drop in and see the blacksmith working at his forge.
Krystal Castle
The Krystal Castle will definitely be a hit with the kids as this amazing tourist park is set in medieval times. Based on a story with a mythical king, his beautiful queen and a dragon that resides in the mountain overlooking the castle.
From puppet plays to the tooth fairies lolly shop, there is plenty of entertainment for the kids at the Krystal Castle. There is also jousting knights, as well as wizards carefully blending potions.
Make sure to take the kids to wander through the mazes and have a run around at the playgrounds.
Visiting the Krystal Castle is a fantastic way to let your children expand their imagination.
Nimmons Bridge
Historical engineering at it's finest, Nimmons Bridge makes up part of the Ballarat Skipton Rail Trail, which was built as far back as the 1850's. If you want to visit the bridge you can either take a 20-minute drive out of Ballarat or for the more adventurous with older children you can ride the 30 kilometres on a bike. To reach the bridge you will meander through many local towns, where you can stop for a picnic. The bridge is surrounded by stunning farmland, which you can spend several hours gazing out over while enjoying the tranquillity.
Ballarat Observatory
Established in 1886, the Ballarat Observatory proudly holds the title of being one of Australia's first public observatories. With a huge star-gazing telescope, the kids will love being able to view the constellations on a clear night. The observatory is open Tuesday to Saturday in the evening and you need to book in advance. There are also 3D astro-tour movies available, as well as a pipehenge and a cafe and science shop on site. Try to visit when there is an astrological event as it's more exciting.
These are some of the many child-friendly places to visit in Ballarat if you're planning on buying a property and moving to this historic city. It's well worth having a pre-purchase and pest inspection undertaken before you decide to buy in Ballarat. With Compare Inspections you can make the process easier and cheaper with their price comparison service on inspections.
By Darel McBride
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