Melbourne Sovereign Hill Gold Mining Town and St. Anne's Winery Day Tour - Retro Gold Panning Experience Best for Families

7:15-8:30 Go to the meeting point to get on the bus

Meeting time and place

7:15am: 70 Kingsway, Glen Waverley (in front of Hongcheng Travel Agency GW branch)

[7:45am] 916-918 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill VIC 3128 (in front of Marriott City Exhibition Centre)

[8:30am] 224-226 Lonsdale St. Melbourne CBD (in front of QV branch of Hongcheng Travel Agency in Melbourne CBD)

Please choose one of the three meeting points listed above and arrive 10 minutes early to avoid delays. The actual departure time may vary depending on the number of passengers at each boarding point. The following attraction times are for reference only. The actual time and order of the tour may be adjusted based on weather, traffic, and other conditions. The tour remains the same. Please be aware of this before booking.

Ballarat - Sovereign Hill

Ballarat, located 112 kilometers west of Melbourne, is Victoria's third-largest city and a renowned gold mining town in Australia. To celebrate its historic significance, the town offers hidden street theatre performances, the Red Hill Mine Tour, and creekside gold panning workshops and a vintage village. All of these activities will delight you and immerse you in Melbourne's rich history and culture.

After the first discovery of gold in Australia in 1851, a gold rush quickly erupted. Ballarat quickly developed into a wealthy, beautiful city, "built on gold." It's said that some of the world's largest gold nuggets originated in Ballarat, and gold can still be found in the hills surrounding the city today. The influx of gold prospectors from Europe and America, along with over 40,000 Chinese laborers from the coastal areas of Guangdong and Fujian, established a diverse gold rush culture. In contrast to San Francisco, Ballarat, Australia, is known as the "New Gold Mountain." After restoration in the 1970s, it was officially reopened as a tourist attraction. Today, approximately 150 staff members live, sell goods, and socialize here in a retro way, giving visitors a sense of being transported back in time.

Gold Mine

The tour includes a three-hour underground mine entrance fee and is located opposite the Gold Museum. Upon entering the mine, we'll watch a 10-minute promotional video, a 15-minute gold melting demonstration, and begin our 40-minute underground gold mine tour. The tour also includes a soldier parade.

Afternoon St. Anne's Vineyards

After leaving the gold rush towns, continue to St Anne's Vineyards. Nestled in the picturesque Pentland Hills, just a 50-minute drive from Melbourne's city center and a 25-minute drive from the gold rush town of Ballarat, this verdant and fertile valley complements the nearby historic town of Bacchus Marsh and the gold mining district of Ballarat, setting the stage for an easy day trip to enjoy wine.

The estate features a two-story bistro, cooperage, and winery. The cold climate and abundant annual rainfall create ideal conditions for growing grapes. These grapes are suitable for low-yielding, high-quality varieties, and the long growing season makes them a natural for producing exceptional wines. The award-winning wines attract numerous visitors to the winery for tastings and tours. St Anne's' bluestone cellar, constructed from the remains of Ballarat's original 1840s prison, is instantly recognisable by the aroma of red wine. This small, vintage-inspired winery offers unique wine tastings (at your own expense).

St. Anne's Vineyards, wine tasting fee is about $5-$10 Australian dollars per person.