March 13, 2024

Day 22: Ballarat Botanical Gardens and Sovereign Hill

Today we visited two very special spots in Ballarat, the Botanical Gardens and Sovereign Hill. Both of these were on our list as "must sees" this trip.

We started our day by taking the short walk to the Botanical Gardens. The gardens lie on the western shore of Lake Wendouree. The gardens cover over 58 hectares and are filled with statues, beautifully manicured lawns and of course a wide range of flowers and vegetation. The gardens date back to the late 1850s, making it one of Victoria's oldest public gardens. 

Last weekend the gardens had a Begonia Festival. The begonias were housed in the conservatory that lies at one end of the gardens. The exhibit had over 100 varieties of begonias. The display was simply stunning. It is difficult to describe so once again pictures tell a much better story.

As you walk along the paths, you encounter flower displays of all types. There are hollyhocks, dahlias, ferns, and roses to name but a few.

Another unique feature are the statues that fill the gardens. Most of the statues were a gift of Thomas Stoddart, who brought the statues from Italy and presented them to the city on Queen Victoria's birthday in 1884. Most of these statues are "classical" in nature and depict characters from mythology. A further group of five statues are housed in a statuary. They were gifts to the gardens in 1888 from a wealthy mining operator from Ballarat. The central piece, "Fight from Pompeii" is exquisite in its detail. The other four represent Susannah, Rebecca, Modest and Ruth. The statues are a beautiful accompaniment to the gardens. 

We spent well over an hour just wandering through the gardens. It is a gorgeous space, and was a true highlight of our visit.

In 1851, gold was discovered in Ballarat. This discovery and others in this area, triggered what was one of the greatest gold rushes in modern history. Over 500, 000 men, women and children eventually made their way to this part of Victoria in search of gold. It transformed this part of Australia, and was a central event in the evolution of this country. Sovereign Hills is a living museum that tells this story in a very real way. The museum recreates what it was like to be in a gold rush town.

One of the main highlights is the tent city you encounter when you first enter the museum. It is here you see what it was like for the prospectors who came to Ballarat, pitched their tents and tried to make their fortunes. Here yo can also grab a pan and attempt to pan for gold, in the stream. I tried, and sadly was unsuccessful.

There are two mines that you can explore. One mine tour takes you 100 feet down and you can explore what it was like to work in a mine during these years. You get a sense of the cramped working quarters , and for me, the slightly claustrophobic atmosphere. You can also see the mines that were dug by independent miners, who used pick and shovel to explore for gold. You can still see the "veins" of gold in the quarts rocks. It was very well done and I gained a greater appreciation for this who worked in these mines. 

They have also recreated a town. It gives you a real sense of what Ballarat was like during those first 10 or so years of the gold rush. You encounter "actors" playing the roles of townspeople and offering tours and insights into life in Ballarat during the 1850s. 

We spent well over four hours here. It was a real learning experience and gave you a good sense of the Ballarat's history. And this evening, we learned on the news, that two miners are trapped in a present day mine located just outside Ballarat. Ballarat's relationship with gold continues.