On Sunday, January 22, Ballarat are playing host to the second instalment of ‘Summer Sundays’. So we’ve compiled your schedule of things to do with 24 hours in Ballarat – you’re welcome!
10am:
Out-of-towners get up early for a drive on the country highways to Ballarat!
11am-12pm:
Arrive at Ballarat, head to Sturt Street for lunch. This street features a great range of restaurants and cafes, as well as shopping. Check out Yellow Espresso (13 Sturt St) which is one of the most popular spots in Ballarat for a bit of breakfast, lunch or coffees!
1pm:
Shopping Time! You’re right on the main strip of the town, and without the time to visit Sovereign Hill, you may as well make the best of the shopping Ballarat has to offer, including a range of smaller, niche stores. Antipodean Love (located at 61 Little Bridge St) has a number of quirky, one-of-a-king pieces. Otherwise Central Square Shopping Centre is just of Sturt Street and offers stores like Myer and Target if you’re after something a little more familiar.
2pm:
Check in! You’re bound to be somewhat tired after your day, finding somewhere to rest for the night is important – unless you prefer driving down the Midland Highway at night. For around $170 a night, Lake Inn Ballarat is situated right where all the fun is, just around the corner from Sturt street. Otherwise, have a hunt on Air bnb, we found the ‘2 Brm Ballarat Apartment/ flat ‘ which is a very design-forward cottage.
3pm-7pm:
Head to the Botanical Gardens for free music performances from both regional and metropolitan acts, including ARIA nominated indie artist Olympia, as well as Elvis Presently, John McNamara and Leah Senior. Accompanying the music are a range of food vendors for you to grab a bite from; wood fired pizza, New York style bagels, coffees, shakes and more!
8pm-9pm:
Go to Black Hill Lookout, which is roughly a 15-minute drive from the Botanical Gardens, and provides perfect photo opportunities at dusk. Or just to take in the lights of the city.
9pm-late:
Head to Ballarat’s popular drinking hole Hop Temple (24-28 Armstrong St) and throw back a few craft beers, wines and ciders. Nothing says you can’t take in a second dinner of curly fries or dessert while you’re there!
The Next Morning:
Little Bird Cafe (205 Sturt St) provides a vintage diner experience for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as is bound to be a great start to the day. Make sure you’re ordering a large coffee, you’ll need it!
Visit http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/ for more details on the ‘Summer Sundays’ and Ballarat in general.
Written by Bianca Cotone