There is a picnic-like ambience in Ballarat, a Victorian city tucked away behind Melbourne and Geelong. People have driven an hour and longer to be part of the World’s Longest Lunch, a once-a-year three-hour indulgence on a Saturday afternoon. This buzz is relatively new for the town, which has picked up pace as a tourist destination only recently thanks to COVID-19.
Australians are rediscovering their country after the pandemic and subsequent stringent lockdowns that let them explore regional areas within the state of Victoria. So Ballarat, a Victorian-era city, dotted with pretty houses and a rich history, has proven to be a quick and easy holiday destination for many. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Melbourne Food & Wine Festival’s flagship event, The Longest Lunch has made its debut here.
Zipping past the countryside from Melbourne, we make it early to the town, unprepared for the cold. But with a hot coffee in hand, we receive a warm welcome from hundreds of kangaroos waiting to be hand-fed and koalas extending themselves to be petted, at the Ballarat Wildlife Park — our first stop for the weekend. The meerkats — a mongoose specie from Southern Africa, steal our hearts with their ridiculous cuteness as they eat nibbles out of your hair. “Don’t touch them, simply let them play,” our guide tells us as a bounty of nibbles is sprinkled over us. We decide to give the reptiles a skip, but before we head out, we meet Kai, a gentle tiger, up close and personal, quite literally. It is mealtime and Kai is happy to be fed his mid-morning meal through a small peephole, although prior to the activity we are warned that in case Kai gets aggressive — something that has never happened so far — to avoid eye contact and remain calm.
The morning’s cold seems to have gone down, as it’s bright and sunny, perfect for an outdoor do with a spread of Gippsland-made food, wine, beers and live entertainment by Masterchef Australia Season 2 winner Adam Liaw. Award-winning chef Konstantin Putkin puts Ballarat’s produce to use in an inventive, local and seasonal menu that features very good things from 1816 Bakehouse, Saltbush Kitchen, Salt Kitchen Charcuterie and Inglenook Dairy and a surprise lemon meringue.
Gold hunt
Tummies full, we decide on a quick detour and take a step back in time at Sovereign Hill bringing alive the era of the Gold Rush. Here you can pan for gold in the diggings just like many gold-seekers who descended on the Ballarat goldfields in the 1850s or see a part of history and the streets of Sovereign Hill brought to life with characters in costume. In fact, it’s here that the series, New Gold Mountain, depicts a part of Australia’s history that has been rarely told and furthermore, from the perspective of the Chinese immigrants.
Picturesque canvas
Art is at the heart of this Victorian city, not just in galleries like the Art Gallery of Bendigo. Hop, skip and jump from it, is our hotel, The Provincial Ballarat, a restored historical treasure and a heritage Victoria-listed building. And like they say, it’s just like staying at your exceptionally stylish best friend’s house. We gently make our way to the first floor, lugging our international bags up the flight of stairs, the only option at the one-storied hotel, with much caution. An impromptu breakfast at The Yacht Club overlooking Lake Wendouree is our last stop in the city, before setting off for a long drive. After a typical Aussie meal, with the best blue views and a sighting of a black swan, native to the region, we gaze into the distance, where the blue sky merges with the blue waters painting the perfect Sunday morning picture!
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