Town Hall tours are back in 2023

Have you ever wondered what lies inside Ballarat Town Hall?  
 
Discover the rich history of Town Hall with a guided tour of the local landmark. The free tours will be back in operation this Friday following a break throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The return of the tours comes just before the 152nd anniversary of the laying of Town Hall’s foundation stone, which occurred on January 14, 1870.  

The weekly guided tours will take visitors on a journey back in time through one of Ballarat oldest buildings. The tour features the Town Hall’s Council Chambers, the Mayor’s Room and the Trench Room.  

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson said the Town Hall tours were a great way for Ballarat residents and visitors to the region to learn about the history of the region.  

“The tour gives participants a chance to experience what it was like during the late 1860’s and features a number of the building’s original artefacts and furniture” he said.  

“Whether you’re visiting the region or a Ballarat local, you’re bound to learn something new about the history of Ballarat during a Town Hall tour.  

Town Hall tours run for 20 to 30 minutes at 2pm on Wednesday and Friday at the Ballarat Town Hall. If you would like to attend a tour, please book in advance. There is a five-person cap on each tour. To book a Ballarat Town Hall tour go to the Visit Ballarat website, where you can book via email, or go to the Ballarat Town Hall tours Eventbrite page.  

Ballarat Town Hall is located at 225 Sturt St, Ballarat Central. 
 

Plenty of reasons to visit Town Hall   
 
While Ballarat Town Hall has lots to offer in terms of history, it also has plenty of modern amenities and services to offer residents and visitors to the region. Here are some of them:  
 
Visitor Information Centre  

The Ballarat Visitor Information Centre greets visitors to the region and locals with a warm welcome and personalised service sharing the full range of experiences that are on offer in Ballarat, along with information on surrounding regions and Melbourne. 
 
The Ballarat Visitor and Information Centre also has a small shop featuring a variety of locally-made products. Additional visitor facilities include free visitor parking, public internet access, free Wi-Fi and mobile phone charging points. 

For more information about the Visitor Information Centre, or to access additional services the centre offers, go to the Visit Ballarat website.  

Pop-up library  

Ballarat Town Hall is currently hosting a pop-up library while redevelopment works are conducted at the Central Ballarat Library on Doveton Street. The pop-up library, known as Ballarat Library at Town Hall, opened mid-November last year and is expected to remain open for 12 months.  

Core services available at the Ballarat Library at Town Hall include:  

• Library collection to browse, although with a limited catalogue  

• Collect holds  

• WiFi/public computers/printing/scanning  

• Technology learning programs and assistance  

• Children’s programs 

For additional services not available at the Ballarat Library at Town Hall, visit the Central Highlands Libraries website.