Ballarat Victoria

Gold was discovered near Ballarat in 1851, which saw over 10,000 miners in less than a year transform it from a small town into one of Victoria's largest settlements. The Victorian gold rush occurred throughout the 1850's and 1860's when gold could be relatively easily found. The city's growth slowed down after the 1880's and Melbourne quickly overshadowed it in importance.  Ballarat, however, has continued as a major regional centre and become an important tourist destination (especially with places like Sovereign Hill), having retained much of its Victorian era heritage, a unique culture, and is highly regarded for its heritage listed public and private buildings, statues, monuments, and expansive gardens.