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

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CHAPTER 12 . VICTORIA
Troops arrived at the “Eureka Stockade” the following month, but by then
only 150 miners remained behind its walls. The stockade was attacked at dawn,
and in the 15-minute skirmish, 24 miners were killed and 30 wounded. The
civil uprising forced the government to act: The licenses were replaced with
“miners’ rights” and cheaper fees, and the vote was introduced to Victoria.
At Sovereign Hill, Bradshaw St.& 03/5333 5777. www.sovereignhill.com.au. Reservations required. Admission
A$30 (US$20) adults, A$16 (US$10) children 5–15, A$84 (US$55) family. Other packages include daytime
entry to Sovereign Hill: A$51 (US$33) adults, A$26 (US$17) children, A$140 (US$91) families. Call ahead for
information about other packages. 2 shows nightly Mon–Sat (times vary seasonally). Closed early Aug.
Eureka Stockade Centre You can’t miss this building with its huge sail, signifying
the flag of the Southern Cross, which was raised above the original miners’
stockade. Relive the action of the battle through multimedia displays. The
Contemplation Room, where you are asked to think about Australian history
while listening to a trickling water soundscape, is a bit too hokey for me.
Eureka St. & 03/5333 1854. Admission A$8 (US$5.20) adults, A$4 (US$2.60) children, A$22 (US$14) families
of 6. Daily 9am–5pm. Closed Christmas and Mon except public holidays.
The Gold Museum This interesting museum houses a large collection of gold
nuggets found at Ballarat, as well as alluvial deposits, gold ornaments, and coins.
There are also gallery displays relating to the history of gold mining in the area.
One hour should be enough to take in the museum.
Bradshaw St. (opposite Sovereign Hill), Ballarat. & 03/5337 1107. Admission included with Sovereign Hill
ticket; otherwise, A$6.30 (US$4) adults, A$3.10 (US$1.95) children. Daily 10am–5:30pm.
Sovereign Hill Kids Australia’s best outdoor museum transports you back
to the 1850s and the heady days of the gold rush. More than 40 stone-and-wood
reproduction buildings, including shops and businesses on Main Street, sit on
this 25-hectare (62-acre) former gold-mining site. There are also tent camps
around the diggings on the lowest part of the site, which would have been the
outskirts of town. There is lots to see and do, so expect to spend at least 4 hours.
The Township bustles with actors in period costumes going about their daily
business. In addition to seeing how miners and their families lived, visitors can
pan for real gold, watch lessons in Victorian classrooms, ride in horse-drawn carriages,
and watch potters, blacksmiths, and tanners make their wares.
On top of Sovereign Hill are the mineshafts and their pithead equipment. The
fascinating tour of a typical underground gold mine takes around 45 minutes.
The Voyage to Discovery museum has various artifacts from the gold rush,
dioramas of mining scenes, and interactive computer displays.
A restaurant and several cafes, coffee shops, and souvenir stores can be found
around the site.
Bradshaw St. & 03/5331 1944. www.sovereignhill.com.au. Admission (including mine tour and admission
to Gold Museum) A$27 (US$18) adults, A$13 (US$8.45) children 5–15, A$70 (US$46) families (2 adults and
up to 4 children), free for children under 5. Daily 10am–5pm. Closed Christmas. Bus: From Ballarat catch the
Buninyong bus.
ACCOMMODATIONS YOU CAN AFFORD
The cheapest place to stay in town is the pleasantly quaint Sovereign Hill Lodge
YHA (& 03/5333 3409; www.yha.com.au), part of the re-created Goldmining
Township. Dorms cost A$19 (US$12), twins with shared bathroom cost A$48
(US$31), and twins with private bathroom cost A$55 (US$36).
The Ansonia This boutique hotel in a restored Victorian building sports a
glass atrium that runs the length of the property and is filled with plants and