Things to do in Ballarat

Live Music & Concerts

Guy Sebastian: 100 X Around Australia Tour - Wendouree

Sat, 7 Nov, 7:30 pm AEDT

Wendouree · From $122.1

Following his sold-out 2026 national arena 100 X Around Australia Tour, Guy Sebastian has announced he'll hit the road once again with his band for the 100 X Around Australia Tour - a major regional run across New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria.  Guy Sebastian's recent sold-out national 100 Times Around The Sun Tour was a masterclass in talent, showmanship, musicianship and genuine connection. With flawless vocals, quick wit and undeniable charisma, Guy creates an atmosphere that felt both spectacular and deeply personal. Moving on and off the stage throughout the night, he roams through the crowds, determined to connect with as many fans as possible, making every show feel intimate, unforgettable and uniquely special. Guy will be donating $1 (plus GST) per ticket sold to The Sebastian Foundation, a charity set up by Guy and Jules Sebastian, to promote adolescent mental health and wellbeing. The Foundation's primary initiative is Open Parachute, an evidence-based peer to peer in school program that provides schools, students and families with practical mental health resources, tools and support. Show run time of two hours with no interval.

Live Music & Concerts

Sing A Long ABBA

Sun, 8 Nov, 5:00 pm AEDT

Wendouree · From $74.9

It's time to sing a-long ABBA! Sing-a-long to all the hits of ABBA with all the words to all the songs on the big screen, backed by a five piece band on stage. The only ABBA tribute where the show is not only on stage but off stage in the audience. Join them and sing-a-long to your favourite ABBA hit songs including Mamma Mia - Dancing Queen, Fernando - Ring, Ring, Waterloo - S.O.S., Take A Chance On Me, Honey, Honey, Knowing Me, Knowing You The Winner Takes It All and so many more. Over 25 hit songs. Every audience member receives free glow sticks on entry to get the party started. Walk in. Dance out.

Festivals & Fairs

Christmas in Ballarat 2026 - Art Trail

Mon, 9 Nov, 12:00 am AEDT

Ballarat Central · Check price with organiser

Celebrate Christmas in Ballarat with Mrs Claus and her mischievous elves. There's trouble at Mrs Claus Headquarters. Santa's Naughty or Nice List has gone missing and was last seen flying around Ballarat. Now Mrs Claus and her elves need your help to find all the missing names before Christmas arrives. Follow the trail through the Ballarat CBD and find the names scattered along the trail, answer the questions and help Mrs Claus recover the missing Naughty or Nice List. Follow the Art Trail, complete the trail questions with your name and contact details, and return your entry to the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre for your chance to win.

Festivals & Fairs

Christmas in Ballarat 2026 - Santa's Red Telephone Booth

Mon, 9 Nov, 12:00 am AEDT

Ballarat Central · Check price with organiser

Located in the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre, step into Santa's Red Telephone Booth this Christmas and leave a personalised voice message for Santa. This interactive telephone booth invites children to share their wish lists, hopes and dreams with Santa adding a touch of holiday excitement to Ballarat this festive season. Don't miss the chance for your little ones to connect directly with the North Pole this Christmas. Be sure to pick up a Christmas Map from the friendly Information Centre staff to explore all that Christmas in Ballarat has to offer. For a list of decorations and the full Christmas in Ballarat program, please visit the Christmas in Ballarat website.

Classes & Workshops

Introduction to Leadlight Restoration

Fri, 13 Nov, 9:30 am AEDT

Ballarat · From $770

Learn to restore a leadlight panel with leadlight artist and restorer, Brian Sims. This three-day workshop is perfect for conservators, do-it-yourselfers, and leadlight enthusiasts alike. Brian will introduce you to the tools and techniques used in restoring a leadlight panel. You will bring your own small leadlight panel along for the workshop, chosen in consultation with your instructor. You will learn how to safely clean and prepare the panel for restoration, dismantle the damaged areas, repair existing solder joins, select and cut replacement glass pieces and solder them into place. At the end of the session, you will have a restored leadlight panel ready for installation.

Classes & Workshops

Pecha Kucha 12: Collaboration

Fri, 13 Nov, 6:00 pm AEDT

Ballarat · From $10

No idea is born in isolation. Collaboration is the meeting of minds, hands and voices, where skills are shared, stories are exchanged, and something greater than the sum of its parts takes shape. It is the spirit of Pecha Kucha: a reminder that culture is built together. Pecha Kucha is a series created by creatives and thinkers, for creatives and thinkers. An incredible line-up of artisans, designers, and innovators will explore how creative synergy shapes their craft, ignites creativity, and pushes boundaries. Derived from the Japanese term meaning chit-chat, Pecha Kucha is a fast-paced, engaging presentation format that inspires, informs, and energises. Each speaker delivers a concise and captivating presentation that ensures no moment is wasted. Sip, connect and discover alongside other curious minds, creatives, and thinkers. Co-hosted by Ballarat's Australian Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, and the Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Live Music & Concerts

JET: The Rumblin' Regional Revue

Fri, 13 Nov, 8:00 pm AEDT

Ballarat Central · From $69.9

Australian rock heavyweights Jet are heading to Ballarat this November as part of their Rumblin' Regional Revue Tour. Now 25 years into their career, Jet remain one of the country's most iconic and enduring rock bands. After reuniting in 2023 to celebrate 20 years of their breakthrough album Get Born, and being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, the band has returned to the stage with renewed energy and momentum. Formed in Melbourne in 2001, Jet rose to global prominence with Get Born, which sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide and spawned era-defining hits including Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Rollover DJ and Look What You've Done. Their follow-up album Shine On continued their success, cementing their reputation for swaggering riffs, infectious hooks and high-voltage concerts. Following a standout run of regional shows earlier this year, Jet return in peak form, delivering a set packed with fan favourites, classic anthems and the raw energy that made them one of Australia's biggest rock exports. With Special Guests Liquid Zoo. Bursting onto the scene just last year, Liquid Zoo are making waves with their infectious energy and brazen confidence. Self-certified as 20% rock, 80% roll, this Sydney five-piece channel the swagger of The Rolling Stones and the sharp-edged cool of The Strokes.

Classes & Workshops

Grainery Lane Gin Tasting and Blending Masterclass

Sat, 14 Nov, 12:00 am AEDT

Ballarat Central · From $79

Have you ever wondered how spirits are made and blended? Now is your chance to experience firsthand what it takes to become a master distiller at a Grainery Lane Gin Tasting and Blending Masterclass. Discover the art of gin blending with an exclusive Blend and Taste Masterclass at Grainery Lane Distillery. Held every second Saturday, this unique experience offers an immersive journey into the world of gin creation and tasting.

Markets & Expos

Ballarat Farmers Market

Sat, 14 Nov, 9:00 am AEDT

Lake Wendouree · Free admission

The Ballarat Farmers Market runs all year round and has 80 to 130 or more stalls depending on the season. Enjoy a coffee, chai, or hot chocolate, hot food cooked on the spot, fresh vegetables, fruit, bread, olive oil, cheese, jams, chutneys and sauces, clothing, fudge, gifts, health bars, eggs, honey, wine, Cornish pasties, fresh ground coffee, yummy biscuits, and hand-made jewellery. Craft, clothing and gift stalls are available, as well as a range of dry goods (flours, grains, pulses, dried fruit, herbs, herbal teas, nuts and much more). Plants are available, including natives, edibles, and succulents. Ballarat Farmers Market (BFM) operates on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. There is a huge Twilight Christmas Market (250 stalls and 10,000 people) on a Friday before Christmas. BFM operates in the North Gardens Reserve, Lake Wendouree. In Winter, BFM continues with indoor markets at the Ballarat Showgrounds. The Showgrounds is only 10 minutes from the usual market venue.

Classes & Workshops

Silversmithing Stone-setting Workshop

Sat, 14 Nov, 10:00 am AEDT

Ballarat · From $655

Learn to bezel-set a stone in silver with artisan Rachel Grose. In this two-day workshop you will discover how to set a round stone: selecting your semi-precious gem; fitting, cutting and soldering the silver setting; fixing the setting to a simple ring. You will then extend your new skills by setting a stone into a pendant of your own design. At the end of the workshop you will take your unique pieces to add to your jewellery collection. This is an intermediate workshop suitable for participants who have already completed one of Rachel's introductory silversmithing sessions.

Theatre & Shows

Invisible Connections - A Botanical Art Exhibition on Pollination and Seed Dispersal

Sat, 14 Nov, 10:00 am AEDT

Lake Wendouree · Free admission

This botanical art exhibition allowed their artists to choose from a wide selection of flora and was designed to investigate how plants have adapted to increase their chances of pollination and reproduction, using a wide variety of mechanisms such as pollination and seed dispersal. A surprising diversity of living things have lives that are intimately interconnected with plants. From pollination to seed scattering, and their botanical artists explore the complex and often hidden symbiotic relationships between plants and other organisms. Seed dispersal syndromes are parallel to pollination syndromes, as they both help the plant. The pollinator helps the plant reproduce and the seed disperser helps a plant's seeds. The pollinator moves the pollen which leads to the reproduction of a plant whereas the animals move the seeds in seed dispersal. A wide range of pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds and bats and even a tiny honey possum, whereas seed dispersal has many different types including from wind, water, animals and explosive mechanisms. These botanical illustrations include the plant and its pollinator or seed disperser, and a brief description of the artwork.

Festivals & Fairs

Open Garden and Devonshire Tea, BMI Fundraiser - Errard Hall

Sat, 14 Nov, 10:00 am AEDT

Ballarat Central · From $27.5

Visit Errard Hall for Ballaarat Mechanics Institute's Fundraiser event. Explore the open garden that was designed by Janene Byrne in 2014 and enjoy some Devonshire tea. Errard Hall was built in 1902. Built in the grand Victorian style, it has big features, with a garden to match. Bookings can also be made by a visit to the BMI Library.

Sports and Recreation Facilities

Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails)

Creswick

Djuwang Baring – which means 'long track' in the Dja Dja Wurrung language – is a 60-kilometre network of newly constructed mountain bike trails that traverse the rugged landscape east of the heritage gold mining-era town of Creswick. Creswick is part of the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung people and Djuwang Baring offers an amazing way to immerse yourself in this spectacular part of regional Victoria. The trails are a mountain biker's dream with segments to suit riders of all skill levels. The network consists of approximately 70 trail segments, which are skill-rated and colour-coded accordingly. Hammon Park serves as the trailhead for Djuwang Baring and is located within walking distance of Creswick's town centre. It features a smooth bitumen pump track for bikes, skateboards and scooters. From there, the trails wind their way through state forests, regional parks, and commercial forestry land, and deliver an unparalleled experience of the local landscape, ecology and mining heritage. Several trails in the network are suitable for adaptive mountain biking (sometimes referred to as off-road para-cycling). Creswick is accessible by rail from Melbourne via Ballarat. Creswick Railway Station is situated one kilometre west of the town centre. Rail access is also available from regional Victoria via the Ballarat, Ararat, and Maryborough lines.

Image: Hepburn Shire Council

Sports and Recreation Facilities

Hammon Park Creswick

Creswick

Hammon Park is home to the trailhead of Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails) – a 60-kilometre network of newly constructed mountain bike trails that traverse the rugged landscape east of the heritage gold mining-era township of Creswick. The park's bike pump track section is great for kids on bikes. Unlike many traditional dirt pump tracks, the Hammon Park Pump Track is covered in bitumen for a smoother and faster riding surface for mountain bikers, skateboarders, and scooter riders. Hammon Park also boasts accessible toilets (including a Changing Place facility), a BBQ area, an electric bike charging station, a nature playground, a learn-to-ride track, and ample parking. Walkers can use Hammon Park as a way to access the Wallaby Track. Highlights along the trail include St Georges Lake, Koala Park, the Goldfields Track, and a sessionable skills area. The park is conveniently located within walking distance of the town centre, and is accessible by train and bus from Ballarat. Highlights include cycling jumps, children's play space with nest swing and balancing/bouncing equipment, rope climbing structure, undercover barbeque area with double burner electric barbecue and picnic table, toilet block with three ambulant and one accessible cubicle (with shower), changing place toilet facility accessible with MLAK key (available upon request according to need); cyclocross stairs and sandpit to competition standard, bike wash and repair station, and e-bike chargers.

Image: Hepburn Shire Council

Galleries, Museums and Collections

Creswick Museum

Creswick

Creswick Museum is housed in the grand Creswick Town Hall complex, which was constructed in 1876 and added to the National Trust Heritage Register in 1971. The interior of the building is worth the visit alone for its magnificent staircase constructed of local basalt. The building is a wonderful setting to browse the extensive collection of rare colonial paintings, artworks by Victor Litherland and the Lindsay family of artists, gold mining artefacts, and items related to the evolution of local government in the region. The museum also holds a significant collection of historical documents, including newspapers, maps, books, and the personal papers of former residents who spent time researching the town's history.

Image: Hepburn Shire Council

Galleries, Museums and Collections

Creswick of the Lindsays Arts Trail

Creswick

Enjoy a fascinating step back in time in Creswick by following the Creswick of the Lindsays Arts Trail. Creswick was the home of the Lindsay family from the 1860s. Of the ten children born in the town, five achieved widespread recognition in the field of the arts. Norman Lindsay was a famous painter, and also wrote eleven comic novels and illustrated 30 other books. Sir Lionel Lindsay was a printmaker, Sir Daryl Lindsay was director of the National Gallery of Victoria and a water colourist, Ruby Lindsay was an illustrator, and Percy Lindsay was both a painter and a distinguished art teacher. The Arts Trail highlights the locations and buildings in Creswick that had significance to the Lindsays. Many sites have a QR code that enables you to access further information on your mobile device. Stop number one is situated at Creswick Visitor Information Centre. Here you can pick up a printed map and guide. From there, most of the trail can be done on foot. The final stop, Creswick Cemetery, is located just a couple of minutes' drive from the town centre.

Natural Attractions

Calembeen Park

Creswick

Calembeen Park is located just a short walk or drive west of the Creswick town centre. It boasts two beautiful lakes, which are home to plentiful birdlife and colourful waterlilies. It's a lovely spot to relax, walk, cycle, fish, row, picnic, and swim. Chinese miners mined here for shallow alluvial gold during the 1850s and 1860s, and the area developed into a semi-permanent Chinese settlement. By the early 1900s the mine workings had been abandoned, and in 1911 they were deemed as a suitable place to establish a swimming hole. Known by locals over the decades since as 'the pool', tyre magnate Sir Frank Beaurepaire once commented that Calembeen was Victoria's finest inland swimming basin. It hosted many swimming carnivals and attracted hundreds of visitors to the area. The restoration of the historic dive tower in recent years has seen renewed interest in the reserve as a swimming facility. Only one of the lakes in Calembeen Park is suitable for swimming and there are sudden, steep drops in depth. Exercise caution and always supervise children closely. There is a toddlers' pool at the site, which is open during the summer months.

Natural Attractions

La Gerche Forest Walk Loop

Creswick

When forest bailiff John La Gerche came to Creswick in 1882, he found what was described as a 'lunar landscape'. Three decades of gold mining had stripped the once forested Wombat foothills bare. In 1887, he selected sheltered Sawpit Gully as the site for a nursery and plantation to grow exotic ornamental and commercial tree species. Today the plantings are a fascinating window on the past. You can access the La Gerche Gully Loop Walk from Sawpit Road off the Midland Highway north of Creswick. Park in the designated area and follow the fence line to the left of the gates to the old nursery (now a Parks Victoria depot). You'll pass some relocated 19th century stables, before setting off along this well signposted gravel track. It meanders through a forest of various species of conifers from the Canary Islands, Austria, California, Corsica, and Scotland. Watch out for raised tree roots, which can act as a tripping hazard. Further on, the 120-year-old Oak Gully is a delight. Tips for safe walking: Wear suitable walking shoes and carry plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen. Always inform friends or family of your plans and estimated time of return. Keep to designated paths and stairways, and obey all safety signs.

Natural Attractions

Park Lake

Creswick

Park Lake is a stunning recreational facility, which sits on the edge of Creswick town centre. This serene body of water is surrounded by civic gardens and a gentle walking trail, and is adorned with a beautiful fountain. Visit the upper section of Park Lake Reserve to see plantings created and maintained by the local Landcare Group. Here you will also find public tennis courts (you can borrow rackets and balls for free from the Creswick Visitor Information Centre), public toilets, a playground, and an undercover picnic area. It's a lovely spot to spend an hour or two. Park Lake is featured on the Creswick of the Lindsays Arts Trail, and there is some interpretive signage to read. The trail shares the story of the famous Lindsay family and their history in Creswick. You can collect a trail guide and map from the Visitor Information Centre.

Image: Creswick

Galleries, Museums and Collections

Creswick Woollen Mills - A Very Fine Yarn

Creswick

Creswick Woollen Mills is an award-winning Australian family business and the last coloured woollen spinning mill in Australia located in Creswick, Victoria. Creswick specialises in luxurious, high quality, natural, sustainable fibres including alpaca, cashmere, merino wool and possum apparel, accessories and homewares. Visit Creswick Woollen Mills and experience a window in Australian history. ‘A Very Fine Yarn’, is a interactive exhibition that showcases the journey of natural fibres; from their natural source through to the manufacturing process an insight into the rich history of the Mill. Explore Creswick Farmyard and learn about the beauty behind natural fibres from the farm to the shop floor. Shop a wide variety of Australian-made products in rich natural fibres. There is ample free parking and easy access for coaches and caravans.