Sovereign Hill

Whether you have kids or not, or perhaps you just love history... this is a fantastic place to visit.
There are very few things in life better than an institution doing its very best to do something properly. Sovereign Hill's attention to detail and commitment to immerse the visitor in a true experience is nothing short of obsessive.
The staff are dressed appropriately and they speak to one another appropriate to the era. The buildings are almost nail perfect replicas of real buildings that appeared on the main road and yet they smell 100 years old.

The shops only serve authentic goods... there is no refridgeration... bottles are in ice and there is saw dust on the floors. The sweet shop only sells sweets made up the street.
There are demonstrations and activities that will, I promise you, fill your day.
This is the real deal and if you live in Australia or visiting from overseas you must see this. They deserve your patronage.

Big Attraction Must Do For Tourists - Great Food @ Bakery - Get Old Style Photo Taken (Costume Provided) ..... so cute! The Bowling Alley is a must, as well as Candle Making; a visit to the School; going on the underground tour; a visit to the Lolly Shop; and of course, gold-panning. There are extra activities on during Victorian School-Term Holidays!

I really enjoyed it The staff were Great I went to the café to have some lunch and My experience was fantastic

Sovereign Hill

What a cool place.

We attended with the kids (14 years and 15 Years) and my wife and I went with the view of it being a little boring for us.... Boy were we wrong.

Don't get me wrong, its not Disneyland but is is a very cool place! It is a jump back in time, set perfectly with all the staff, building and activities set in a paused past.

The gold panning, the musket firing, the underground mine tours... We really enjoyed it all.

I went from a reluctant passenger to Sovereign Hill and a very pleased attendee...

Well done to all the owners, managers, staff of Sovereign Hill.

I recommend this place to anyone in the area.

Sovereign Hill tourist venue located in Ballarat provides a wonderful experience for children of all ages and adults alike.
Tickets are amazing in the benefit provided in that they extend for a 24 hour period. This is a bonus as it is absolutely impossible to experience all that is on offer in one visit.
For those on a first visit the opportunity to experience life as it was in the gold mining period is both unique and amazing.
The township area is set up with a Main Street with a range of shops and services of the time including post office and banks and shops selling boiled sweets and other treats together with a range of cafes, restaurants and pop up food stands selling delicacies of the time.
The gold mine itself is available for tours and it is possible to see gold pouring at regular intervals during each day. The gold panning area is always popular as beginners try their luck in search for that elusive piece of gold.
The township allows visitors to experience home life with huts and tents set up as they would have been in that period. Beds are made and food cooking on the open fires.
A carriage drawn by a team of draft horses takes visitors on rides around the area, however those who are interested must remember that booking is essential to avoid disappointment on the day as this event is much sought after.
There are timed events throughout the day and we were fortunate to see a most entertaining Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime.
Sovereign Hill provides an insight into trials and tribulations of early Australian life at the time of the gold rush.
A must visit location!!!!

Loved the mine tour you get so much more than you paid for! The experience is great for both children and adults.

Visiting Sovereign Hill is one of my joys but would it hold the same attraction for a very busy 5yo grandson.
Thankfully, yes! Two mine tours, talks about historic ways of living, candle making and panning for gold were the highlights of a bonza day out. Only caution, take your own food. What is there is very good though a little pricey and definitely for older tasted.
We shall return.

I have fond memories of visiting Sovereign Hill several times as a child. It seemed like every time an international family member would come to town we would end up taking them here to show them the Melbourne of ye olde times. From watching the horse shoe maker fit shoes to horses, to the wood turner and (my favourite) the boiled lolly shop store, it really was (and still is) a great day out for families.

I recently planned a family weekend away at Sovereign Hill and dealt with Louise on the phone to book a package of accommodation, dinner and show for five of us. If there was a poster child for customer service, Louise would be it. She was patient speaking to me about the best options and made the entire process of booking and paying painless. It was one of those rare occasions when I got off the phone thinking "wow, that was a really good experience".

Unfortunately we needed to cancel our trip at the last minute, but Louise once again demonstrated her care and attention to detail while dealing with my disappointed phone call. I simply called and said my first name and that I needed to cancel and Louise said "okay Tresna, I remember making that booking let me take care of that all for you". A couple of months after making the first call Louise still remembered me and didn't make me feel bad for the last minute cancellation, but rather empathised with the situation.

If this is a sign of the customer service one can expect right across Soveriegn Hill these days, then I can't wait to make that trip.

Sovereign Hill bills itself as an outdoor museum that gives you a chance to experience a thriving Victorian city at the beginning of the Gold Rush in the 1800s. It is an absolute must-see for visitors of all ages if you're in the area, and should be on your top ten list of things to do while visiting Melbourne. Ballarat is only about an hour and a half away from Melbourne CBD by car and makes for an unforgettable day trip.

At Sovereign Hill, you can go panning for gold (gold is added to the stream and most people find it quickly, and you get to keep what you find), go on a guided tour of a defunct gold mine, watch $140,000 worth of gold melted and poured before your eyes, check out gold nuggets at the museum, and also some non-gold-related activities, like watching candles and (delicious!) boiled lollies being made like they used to back in the day. The musket firing by the Red Coats is hilarious, loud, and was enjoyed even by my American boyfriend.

The entire setup is recreated from actual photos and plans of the town as closely as possible, which you'll get to see at the museum. You can walk into quite a few of the stores where the goods, like brassware and candles, are made in the traditional way on site and are available for purchase. Oh, and the candle dipping is virtually foolproof and great for kids.

Not a huge fan of the nine pin bowling (you have to set up your own skittles) but it's free, and personally I liked watching other people play and reading the signs on the walls.

Admission is on the pricy side, but includes museum admission, and is definitely worth it for the unforgettable experience.

I would only caution against the Blood on the Southern Cross Sound and Light Show which deserves its own review, but can be summed up as: You put in a lot of time and effort, I can tell, but please hire some friggen actors!

Liked it. Paid $39 on living social for entry fee. I also loved sound of the gun which made it real. Loved the boiled lollies and the new York tearoom,