Travelling Soul Sister

School holidays seem to come around fast and I find winter holidays can be a little challenging. Freezing cold weather often mean lots of time spent indoors, not ideal for active kids who love to run, jump and explore! This year, along with my cousin and her children,  we decided to embrace the cold, rug up in our winter woolies and have an overnight mini holiday to the open-air museum, Sovereign Hill.

We were particularly interested in ‘Winter Wonderlights’, a Christmas in July event that runs every year at Sovereign Hill Ballarat during mid year Victorian school holidays. The City of Ballarat is rich in history and dates back to the 1850’s when gold was first discovered. It is located approximately 90 minutes drive from Melbourne’s CBD.

The Winter Wonderlights program is simply magical. As the sun sets Sovereign Hill transforms, vibrant colours of the light show has adults and kids enchanted with the ever changing scenes that light up the buildings dotted down Main Street.  ‘Snow’ gently falls from the sky and enchanting music plays throughout the town.  The night we were there was particularly chilly which added perfectly to the wintery theme. Buildings and trees were covered in fairy lights, making the place sparkle and twinkle. There is a Christmas market selling European inspired decorations, a popcorn cart, traditional boiled lollies and sweets and gingerbread men.

During the Wonderlights program there is Carol reading, performing plays, a visit from St Nicholas, craft activities and a brass band playing Christmas carols.

There are lots of food options within Sovereign Hill, from traditional scones with jam and cream at the United States Hotel dining room to a good old fashioned pie at the Hope Bakery. The Charlie Napier Hotel offers a ‘Wonderlights feast’ with set times available during the Winter Wonderlights program.

Sovereign Hill offers the option to return the next day, free of charge to further explore all that there is to see and do. Two days for the price of one! We loved this offer as we were able to return the day after the Winter Wonderlights and see all the other sights and sounds of Sovereign Hill. One of our favourite activities was the Gold mine tour. During the Day, Sovereign Hill runs gold mine tours of various durations and themes. We went on the ‘Journey Through The Labyrinth Of Gold’ tour and went deep underground where we were able to get an insight into the life of a miner. I highly recommend taking one of the mine tours as we learnt so much from our amazing tour guide.

There is gold panning, candle making, redcoat soldiers firing off their muskets, and of course the traditional coach rides. It is a great idea to spread your visit out over the two days so you don’t miss anything.

We stayed at Sovereign Park Motor Inn which is a handy 2 minute drive from Sovereign Hill. The Motel was the perfect location for us and the amenities were great not only for the adults but also our tribe of children! The option of interconnecting rooms make this motel a great choice for families.  The motel has a heated indoor pool and recreation area so there is plenty for the kids to do when not exploring all the activities that Ballarat has to offer. For us,  a dip in the pool and spa was just what we needed to warm up and wind down after our Winter Wonderlights experience. The Motel features an onsite restaurant ‘Red Lion’ which we headed to after our swim. By this stage, my cousin and I were well and truly ready for a wine, actually, make that a bottle! The restaurant features an outdoor playground which kept the kids entertained. The meals are really generous in size and there is a kids menu with lots of options. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Sovereign Park Motor Inn.

Winter Wonderlights 2018 at Sovereign Hill was an experience that has left a lasting impression on me and my children. The kids are already talking about going back next year!  Ballarat is the perfect location to discover, explore, and create beautiful memories.

Head to the Sovereign Hill and Sovereign Park Motor Inn websites for more information:

http://sovereignhill.com.au/sovereign-hill/

http://www.sovpark.com