Firstly, we’ll head to Ballarat, a perfect example of an old town that prospered during the gold rush. It’s a charming city with 19th-century buildings, manicured gardens, and history. We’ll take a complete town tour, taking you through the impressive streets, past notable churches, and the Eureka Stockade Centre. It is an approximately 90-minute drive from Melbourne to Ballarat.

We will visit the Eureka Stockade Centre.

We’ll also visit Lake Wendouree while in the area before moving on to Sovereign Hill.

Sovereign Hill is a well-known heritage park that sits on the site of the richest gold rush in the entire world. Here, you’ll have the chance to explore some of the most pivotal parts of history, including the Red Hill Gully Diggings and Main Street. Explore a labyrinth of passages and original mine shafts hidden deep under Sovereign Hill. Head underground and experience what life was like for a miner. Discover the wins, losses, hardship and heartache.

Located on Eastern Hill in the heart of bustling Melbourne, St. Patrick’s is surrounded by Albert Street, Lansdowne Street, Gisborne Street, and Cathedral Place. Just across the road from the cathedral, you can also find St. Peter’s Church, which was completed in 1848 and remains the Anglican parish church of Melbourne. The cathedral itself boasts a traditional format, featuring an east-west axis and an altar at the far eastern end. This is to symbolise the belief in Christ and his resurrection. The rest of the plan takes on the shape of a Latin cross, with a nave and wide aisles that are characteristic of these kinds of churches. Inside, there is a sanctuary with no less than seven chapels.

Originally located in Yorkshire, England, and built in 1755 by the parents of Captain James Cook, Cooks’ Cottage was brought to Melbourne by Sir Russell Grimwade in 1934. Navigator and explorer Captain James Cook never lived in the cottage – he’d been away from home for almost 10 years when his father built it – but this connection to the Cook family was enough to prompt Grimwade to transport the cottage to the other side of the world. Astonishingly, each brick was individually numbered, packed into barrels and then shipped to Australia, along with cuttings of the original ivy coverings.

Originally set aside as a reserve in 1848, the gardens were named after Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Governor of NSW. The gardens were laid out in 1859 and were developed as a garden under the supervision of Deputy Surveyor-General Clement Hodgkinson, with the assistance of gardener James Sinclair. The layout follows a classic Victorian-era design, featuring pathways lined with magnificent elm trees, known to be some of the best grown in Victoria. There are a variety of flowers and ornamental shrubs and trees, which together with extensive lawns creates a diverse and layered landscape.

Flinders Street railway station is a train station located on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1854, the historic station serves the entire metropolitan rail network and some country services to eastern Victoria.

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is the world’s first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art. It is a spectacular showcase comprising over 20 galleries within a landmark architectural complex. NGV Australia presents the history of Australian art from the Colonial period and the Heidelberg School through to contemporary art and includes photography, prints and drawings, fashion and textiles, decorative arts, and a suite of galleries dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. With special exhibitions and educational programs and new perspectives of the city through its glass matrix, NGV Australia is more than a great place to view art – it is a completely fresh approach that encourages people from all walks of life to enjoy the world of art.