A town transformed
Gold was found at Ballarat in 1851. Sovereign Hill, opened in 1970, recreates the decade that followed, from the tents and huts of the diggings to the shops of Main Street.
The Welcome Nugget
The Red Hill Mine at Sovereign Hill recalls the Welcome Nugget, found in Ballarat. It weighed 69 kilograms, about 2,200 ounces, and was 99.2% pure gold.
Remembering the people
Sovereign Hill also remembers those who lived and worked here: the Wadawurrung Cultural Precinct honours the Traditional Owners, and an exhibit recalls the 1882 New Australasian mine disaster at Creswick.



