Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 12 . VICTORIA
as, ironically, Poverty Point. Within a year, 20,000 people had drifted into the
area, and Australia’s El Dorado gold rush had begun.
In 1858, the second-largest chunk of gold discovered in Australia (the Welcome
Nugget) was found, but by the early 1860s, most of the easily obtainable
yellow metal was gone. Larger operators continued digging until 1918, and by
then Ballarat had developed enough industry to survive without mining.
Today, you can still see the gold rush’s effects in the impressive buildings, built
from the miners’ fortunes, lining Ballarat’s streets. If you’re interested in another
former mining town, head 1 1 ⁄2 hours north to Bendigo, a small city filled with
elaborate public buildings constructed with the gains from the gold rush.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE From Melbourne, Ballarat is a 1 1 ⁄2-hour drive via the
Great Western Highway. V/Line (& 13 61 96 in Victoria, or 13 22 32 in New
South Wales) runs trains between the cities every day, and the trip takes less than
2 hours. The one-way fare is approximately A$17 (US$11) for adults and A$9
(US$5.85) for children. Ask about family-saver fares. A public bus connects the
Ballarat train station with the town center.
Several companies offer day trips from Melbourne. Melbourne Sightseeing
(& 03/9663 3388) offers one of the most affordable choices, a full-day tour
that costs A$98 (US$64) for adults and A$49 (US$32) for children.
VISITOR INFORMATION The Ballarat Visitor Information Centre at 39
Sturt St. (at the corner of Albert St.), Ballarat, VIC 3350 (& 1800/648 450 in
Australia, or 03/5320 5741; www.ballarat.com), is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
SEEING THE SIGHTS
Ballarat contains many reminders of the gold-rush era, but it all really comes to
life in the colonial-era re-creation on Sovereign Hill.
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery After you’ve learned the story of the Eureka Uprising
(see below), you may find it moving to come here and see the original
Eureka flag. This provincial gallery also houses a large collection of Australian
art, including works by Sydney Nolan, Fred Williams, and Russell Drysdale.
Look out for Tom Roberts’ Charcoal Burners and Phillip Fox’s Love Story.
40 Lydiard St. N., Ballarat. & 03/5320 5858. Admission A$4 (US$2.60) adults, A$2 (US$1.30) students, free
for children under 16. Daily 9am–5pm. Closed Good Friday and Christmas.
Blood on the Southern Cross This 80-minute show re-creates the
Eureka Uprising, one of the most important events in Australia’s history, in a
breathtaking light-and-sound show that covers Sovereign Hill’s 25 hectares (62
acres). Bring something warm to wear, because it can get chilly at night.
After gold was discovered, the government devised a system of gold licenses,
charging miners a monthly fee, even if they came up empty-handed. The miners
had to buy a new license every month, and corrupt gold field police (many of
whom were former convicts) instituted a vicious campaign to extract the money.
When license checks intensified in 1854, even though most of the surface
gold was gone, resentment flared, and prospectors began demanding political
reforms, such as the right to vote, parliamentary elections, and secret ballots.
The situation exploded when the Eureka Hotel’s owner murdered a miner but
was set free by the government. The hotel was burned down in revenge, and
more than 20,000 prospectors joined together, burned their licenses in a huge
bonfire, and built a stockade over which they raised a flag.