Sovereign Hill

This 37-acre outdoor living museum is situated on a former gold mining site, which transformed the city of Ballarat after gold was first discovered in the region around 1851.

Opened in 1970, visitors to the site get the chance to see what the gold rush was like during this period. The museum also features period-dressed characters, horse rides, underground mines, and live gold pouring. Visitors can walk in the 1850 era shops, schools, and buildings that take them back in time to one of the more unique periods of Australian history. 

The mine also happens to be the location where the second-largest gold nugget ever discovered was unearthed.