Visitor Information -- The Ballarat Visitor Information Centre is at 43 Lydiard St. (tel. 1800/446 633 in Australia, or 03/5320 5741; www.visitballarat.com.au), opposite the Art Gallery of Ballarat. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm (except Christmas Day).

Getting There

Getting There -- From Melbourne, Ballarat is a 1 1/2-hour drive on the Great Western Highway. V/Line (tel. 13 61 96 in Victoria, or 03/8608 5011; www.vline.com.au) runs trains between the cities every day; the trip takes about 90 minutes. The return fare is A$30 for adults and A$15 for children. Ask about off-peak and family-saver fares.

Several companies offer day trips from Melbourne. They include AAT Kings (tel. 1300/228 546 in Australia; www.aatkings.com). A full-day tour costs A$141 for adults and A$71 for children.

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