Sovereign Hill

More About Sovereign Hill

Strike Gold at Sovereign Hill!

Well known for its abundance of gold in the early 1850s goldrush, Ballarat is a city built on gold, rich in history, heritage, culture and grand architecture. This is recreated at Sovereign Hill, Australia's best tourist attraction.

Built on a site linked with one of the richest gold rushes in the world, Sovereign Hill faithfully depicts Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851 - a turning point in Australia's development.

Sovereign Hill is a unique getaway destination. Visitors can lose themselves for a day or two in this award-winning gold rush township. Sovereign Hill is perched on a hillside overlooking Ballarat's earliest gold diggings. Part of its unique charm lies in the attention to detail found in every aspect of this living, working outdoor museum. It maintains a feeling of life and bustle and really does provide a glimpse of life on the goldfields including its vigour and excitement.

By day, there is real gold to be found in Sovereign Hill's Red Hill Gully Creek and gold pans are provided! You can even see $50,000 worth of molten gold poured into a gleaming bar.

For the brave hearted, the Red Hill Mine offers an underground adventure in to the dark and dangerous world of deep lead mining. There is also a fully-guided tour of the Gold Mine and a train ride to the surface!

On Main Street there are working shops, hotels and a theatre all based on original Ballarat businesses. Visitors are able to watch goldfields tradespeople in action and take a ride around the township in a coach or open carriage.

By night, Blood on the Southern Cross is a ‘must see'. This spectacular sound and light show, set across Sovereign Hill's entire 64-acre site, presents the drama of the 1850s Eureka Rebellion on the Ballarat goldfields. Using state-of-the-art technology and incredible special effects, this dramatic story is brought to life.

Visitors can enjoy a pre show dinner, with drinks, at one of Sovereign Hill's beautiful 19th century hotels and complete their evening by staying on site at Sovereign Hill Lodge. The Lodge offers a range of accommodation, from exquisitely appointed heritage rooms to larger family suites and a separate YHA complex for backpackers.

There are day tours offered daily from Melbourne, or for the self-drive market, Sovereign Hill is easily accessible by car. Allow ninety minutes from Melbourne, and a minimum of four hours to see this amazing living museum.

Winner 2003, 2004 & 2005 Victorian Tourism Awards! Winner 2005 Australian Tourism Award.