Less than an hour-and-a-half drive (or the same length by train) from Melbourne, tucked away in the countryside of regional Victoria, is the city of Ballarat. This city sparked Victoria’s gold rush and retains numerous well-preserved heritage buildings. But there’s more to the city than its history.

Here’s our pick of the city’s best locales, which make it worth a weekend wander — or even longer.

There’s no shortage of cultural escapades in this regional city. Take a trip to the Art Gallery of Ballarat to fully immerse yourself in the thriving local arts and cultural scene. As of this writing, the current showcase is the colourful interdisciplinary exhibition Lost in Palm Springs, featuring artists, photographers and thinkers from America and Australia, including Kate Ballis, Tom Blachford and more. The gallery also hosts a monthly late-night opening — aptly named Art Late — on Saturday nights with live music, food, and drinks. Check out the website for more details on the next event.

Get crafty at the Australian Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades and learn about traditional crafts that aren’t as prevalent as they were in the past, like bookbinding, silversmithing and armourmaking. Bring home your own crafted piece and be a part of keeping a forgotten trade alive.

Perk yourself up in the arvo after a morning of crafting and gallery exploration at a local cafe.

A great stop for breakfast, second breakfast or brunch is The Turret Cafe, found inside a beautifully restored 1890s heritage building. The breakfast menu is served until 2.30pm, with choices like the crispy southern fried chicken on a Turret Bakehouse brioche with chilli maple sauce and signature slaw, the Tuscan Village breakfast with soft poached eggs on Tuscan bean braise with soft herbs and fresh buttered baguette, and much more.

If specialty coffee is your go-to (and you’re in the city on a Saturday), you’d best make your way to Cobb’s Coffee from the team behind Melburnian roastery Rumble Coffee. They also serve deli-style sandwiches with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and freshly made cinnamon scrolls and croissants.

If you find your coffee tastes better while you relax in a forest, try out The Greenhouse Ballarat. This unique joint is a plant and homewares shop, cafe, bar and jungle all rolled into one. Explore the shop’s extensive plant range as you sip your coffee, or take part in one of the regular workshops for crafting ceramics, terrarium-making and botanical watercolour art.

Stock up on Australian spices, rubs and salts at Saltbush Kitchen, where uniquely Australian ingredients are the name of the game. The shop often hosts pop-ups to showcase regional craftspeople and always bursts with flavour bombs. Don’t pass up the chance to up your barbecue game with their bush rubs. Saltbush Kitchen often partners with Lucky and James for chocolate workshops and Beaufort-based baker Sara Kittelty for high teas and seasonal snacks.

In recent years, Ballarat has made its mark in the artisanal spirits scene — although the city has a long history of illicit and licit distilling.

Start your spirit journey at Itinerant Spirits, located inside the railway’s heritage Goods Shed, for a dram, cocktail or spirit-tasting paired with shared plates or pizza.

Here, the crew distils a range of spirits that nod to the theme of travel and discovery — Gallivanter Gin, made with foraged botanicals from Western Victoria; Vansetter Vodka, made with locally grown and malted grains; and Wayfarer Whiskey, also made in a Kothe still for a full and rich flavour.

If you want to keep the spirits going, head down to Kilderkin Distillery, named for the small oak cask used for ageing small-batch whiskey.

The family-run distillery aims to reduce its carbon footprint by implementing numerous practices to meet that goal, such as repurposing spent fruits as compost for local farmers (and food for goats), donating spent botanicals to a baking school, and collaborating with local businesses like Mia and Talbot to make gin-inspired candles — and hosts workshops where you can make your own.

The distillery offers a small selection of cheese platters and snacks to accompany its tasting flights and cocktails. But head down on the weekend to get the goods from Tim’s Toasties, brought to you by MasterChef alum (and Ballarat local) Tim Bone. The menu changes weekly, so keep an eye on the Instagram account for each weekend’s offerings.

If you’re a devout craft beer lover, Hop Temple is one stop that has to be on your weekend wander. Follow the umbrellas on Hop Lane to this hidden watering hole that boasts over 200 craft beers and 17 rotating taps.

If wine is more your style, head to Ellington’s Wine Bar on Sturt Street. The European-inspired wine bar has two storeys with excellent rooftop views across Ballarat upstairs.

The wine list is a considered collection of local and international wines that complement the seasonal, uncomplicated, share-plate offerings made with local Ballarat and Victorian produce.

More seasonal and local delights can be enjoyed at Underbar, founded by chef Derek Boath — who plied his craft at fine-dining eateries in Melbourne and Sydney, and three Michelin-starred restaurant Per Se in New York — and sommelier Tony Schuurs. The fine diner serves up a seasonal chef’s tasting menu with plenty of local producers making up the suppliers for the restaurant.

There’s also the option to dine at Hotel Vera’s intimate diner (with only 26 seats), Babae. Here, guests can enjoy a modern Australian menu that is constantly updated with the seasons — and even features produce from the hotel’s own garden. Hotel Vera is also an ideal location to stay over your weekend wander. The heritage building combines modern aesthetics with its historical roots to produce seven unique suites named after townships in the region.

If you’re heading away for a weekend (or more), you shouldn’t skimp on your lodgings. There’s something so luxurious about slipping into fresh, crisp bed sheets in a hotel after a long day of exploring and eating.

For those keen to be immersed in the city’s history, check in at Craig’s Royal Hotel. Originally built in 1862, it was the city’s first officially licensed pub. The restored Victorian hotel has hosted everyone from poets to princes and prime ministers over its illustrious history. Join their ranks while enjoying a glass of wine in the luxe corner bar, high tea in the opulent atrium or relaxing in your charming heritage guest room.

For those who love the supernatural, Craig’s Royal Hotel is also a stop on a local ghost tour — a building with as much history as this one has undoubtedly seen some things. Eerie Tours’ City Ghost Tour concludes here after exploring Ballarat’s stunning Victorian-era architecture in the moonlight — with some nice spirits keeping watch.

Another historic hotel to rest your head at is The Provincial Hotel, mere steps away from Ballarat train station. Built in 1909, the iconic building, recognised by the National Trust, boasts its own artist-in-residence — as of writing, that is Margaret Delahunty Spencer. You can find their works throughout the boutique hotel. There is also a 55-seat European-inspired diner with an extensive wine list — expect regional drops that pair with the menu’s seasonal eats.

For something a touch more modern, escape to the country at Mooramong Tiny Houses — a collaborative project from The National Trust and Into the Wild Escapes. There are three cosy and sustainable tiny houses to choose from at the Mooramong Estate near Skipton — each named for a character played by Hollywood silent film star Claire Adams, who established the property with her Aussie husband.

To start planning your getaway to the city of Ballarat region, visit the website.

Images: supplied by Visit Ballarat. Photography by Matt Dunne, Tony Evans, Emma Duzhnikov, Safari Global, Mitch Dunn, Matt Ray, National Trust (Victoria) and Tourism Australia.