Sovereign Hill

Sovereign Hill is an Open air museum in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, that depicts Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold there in 1851. It was officially opened on 29 November 1970.

Set in the Australian 1850s, the complex is located on a 25-hectare site that is linked to the richest alluvial gold rush in the world. The site is comprised of over 60 historically recreated buildings, with costumed volunteers, who are able to answer questions and will pose for photos. The recreation is completed with antiques, artwork, books and papers, machinery, livestock and animals, carriages and devices all appropriate to the era.

History

Sovereign Hill is located on the site of one of Ballarat's major gold diggings. The Welcome Nugget was found by a Cornish miner in 1858, it being the second largest gold nugget in the world was found at Sovereign Hill. 69 kg in weight (2,200 ounces) and contained 99% pure gold, valued at about 10,500 pounds when found, and worth approximately $700,000 US now.

The idea of Sovereign Hill was floated in Ballarat in the 1960s, as a way to preserve historic buildings, and to recreate the gold diggings that made the city. The complex was officially opened to the public on Sunday 29 November, 1970. [ [http://www.sovereignhill.com.au/?id=backgroundofsovereig BACKGROUND OF SOVEREIGN HILL] ]

Attractions

The gold diggings are the centre point of the complex, featuring a winding creek in which visitors are able to pan for real gold. This area is surrounded by tents and buildings contemporary to the early years of the gold rush. A recent addition to Sovereign Hill is the Gold Pour where pure gold valued at $80,000 is melted and poured into a three kilogram bullion bar.

There are two mines which have guided tours at regular intervals. The Red Hill Mine is a self guided tour that tells the story of two Cornish brothers and their discovery of the Welcome Nugget, using the latest in multimedia technology. The Sovereign Quartz Mine runs 40 minute guided tours and features several underground displays. Above ground it also features steam-driven machinery for pumping water and processing the ore.

The Main Street is lined with shops, two hotels and a theatre. Among the shops on Main Street there is also a blacksmith's workshop, stables, photography studio, apothecary, bakery, jeweller's shop, grocer, tentmaker, tinsmith, bank, post office, nine-pin bowling saloon and library. Behind the Main Street there are a number of cottages which are open for visitors. There are also four schools where children in school-groups can dress up in period costume and attend as a child of the 1850s. A number of workshops at Sovereign Hill, displaying traditional trades such as coachbuilding, wheelbuilding, blacksmithing and shoeing horses.

Blood on the Southern Cross is a multi-million dollar sound-and-light show depicting the Eureka Stockade story of 1854. Run at night for a length of 90 minutes, with over 3,000 lights.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.sovereignhill.com.au Sovereign Hill]