A trip back in time

Melbourne to Ballarat

The boys were up at around 7am again. 6 hot air balloons had just started their journey for the morning so we watched them for a while.


It was still cool, but most of the rain had passed.

We were out of the apartment by around 9.15-9.30am, surprisingly. After dropping off the keys and finalising the bill, we made our way out of Melbourne, deciding to take the quick way out, the freeway, but this time avoiding the toll way.

Off to Ballarat, about 1-1.5 hours out of Melbourne. We arrived at Sovereign Hill (a recreated gold settlement of the 1850’s, complete with shops and staff dressed in character) by around 11-11.30am, and of course the boys were starving, so had to be fed. Afterwards they played in a playground until H fell off something and hurt himself (sore neck – sounded like he’d strained something).





We took a mine tour (where’s the toilet for J!), the highlight of which, according to the boys, was the “train” ride out again. The boys wrote and posted postcards to their grandparents.


We watched the redcoat soldiers, looked through the shops, watched some street musicians, saw the gold battery in action, watched the pouring of a 3kg gold ingot, had a short coach ride and ate some more.


Unfortunately we didn’t get to pan for gold, but I think the kids were totally wrecked before then anyway.


Off to find out night’s accommodation in a small town, just outside Ballarat. Just as we were turning into the street, DH’s mobile rang, it was the accommodation house asking where we were (I had said we’d be arriving around 6pm, it was 5.56pm). We arrived to find lamps and music on, and bread baking in the breadmaker. This 2 bedroom apartment was beautifully decorated and had a gourmet kitchen, 2 person spa, cable tv, comfy sofas, provisions for a cooked breakfast and a decanter of port! Oh, I like this place!

DH went off to find us some dinner while I prepared clothing for the next day. He came back with some lovely pizzas.