Journey out of Melbourne to one of the charming gold rush towns in Victoria, and feel like you’ve travelled back to a bygone era. Once bustling towns brimming with hopeful prospectors, these destinations are now packed with heritage streets, mining tours, scenic landscapes and more. For a weekend getaway that’s filled with nostalgia, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in this handy list.
Gold rush towns in Victoria
Ballarat
Distance from Melbourne: 90 minutes
It was the discovery of gold in Ballarat in 1851 that sparked the gold rush in Victoria. Between 1852 and 1853, Ballarat was considered the world’s richest alluvial goldfield, attracting thousands of eager travellers hoping to change their fortune. Today, you’ll find traces of its golden history all around town.
For a fun day out, head to Sovereign Hill and feel transported back to the 1850s. Wander through the old timey streets, pan for gold, browse through shops, get dressed up for a portrait and more. While you’re there, take part in a guided mine tour to experience what life was like underground. For more history, check out their Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections, which features over 150,000 significant objects related to Australia’s gold rush.
For a more contemplative experience, walk through the National Heritage-listed Eureka Stockade Memorial Park. Then, enter the Eureka Centre to learn more about the rebellion for miners’ rights.
Bendigo
Distance from Melbourne: 2 hours
Bendigo was one of the other major towns during Victoria’s gold rush. It was first officially discovered in September 1851 by Mrs Margaret Kenney and Mrs Julia Farrell. By Christmas that year, there were 800 people on the field. By June the following year, 20,000 diggers had arrived to try their luck. Between 1851 and 1900, Bendigo yielded more gold than anywhere else in the world.
Get a sense of history by visiting the Central Deborah Gold Mine. Descend 61 metres below the surface, explore the underground tunnels and learn what life was like as a miner. On the surface, take a look at the 22-metre high poppet head, check out historic buildings and try panning for gold in the shed.
Stroll through the Victoria Hill Mining Reserve. During its 97 years of operation, the Victoria Hill mine yielded about $8 billion worth of gold. While you’re there, visit the 150-year-old Coath Cottage. As you walk around the reserve, you’ll find plenty of signs to help you learn about its history.
For a convenient history lesson, hop aboard a Vintage Talking Tram. See Bendigo’s key attractions and landmarks, and listen to the town’s history while you sit back and admire the streetscapes.
Castlemaine
Distance from Melbourne: 90 minutes
Gold was first discovered in the Castlemaine area in 1851, and by 1851, the population on the diggings was between 40 and 60 thousand people. Take a stroll through the historic streetscapes of the town and soak in the gold rush architecture. Head to the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park for mining relics, and enjoy your time outdoors with scenic trails, drives and picnic spots. You can even try prospecting, just grab a Miners Right first, and take a map so you know where to go and where to avoid.
For a bit more fun, take the heritage steam train from Castlemaine to the nearby small town of Maldon, which also has beautiful and historic streetscapes. Go on a self-guided walking tour around Maldon to learn more about its gold mining history.
Heathcote
Distance from Melbourne: 90 minutes
The McIvor-Heathcote Goldfields first opened in November 1852, after gold was found in the area. The digger population rapidly increased, with around 40,000 people early the next year. These diggers moved on by the following year, leaving around 2,000 people in the area. In 1854, the township of Heathcote had its first official land sale, and today, you can still see some stunning buildings from the 1860s along the main street.
In the McIvor Range Reserve, you can still find the old Powder Magazine. This space was built in 1864, and was used to store gunpowder that was needed for gold mining and quarrying. If you’d like, you can purchase a Miners Right and go fossicking for gold around the region.
Just outside of town, you’ll find the Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve. This unique area was created by gold-mining activities in the 1880s. Hydraulic sluicing used high pressure jets of water, revealing a pink and orange landscape of dramatic mini cliffs and gorges.
Dunolly
Distance from Melbourne: 2 hours
We couldn’t make a list of gold rush towns in Victoria without mentioning Dunolly, the ‘Golden Triangle’. During the 1850s and ‘60s, Dunolly and the surrounding district produced more gold nuggets than any other region in Australia. The largest alluvial gold nugget in the world, a hefty 72kg piece known as the ‘Welcome Stranger’, was found in nearby Moliagul. Take a stroll down the historic Broadway main street, then pop into the museum to see a replica of the nugget, as well as other cool relics from the gold rush era.
Walhalla
Distance from Melbourne: 2.5 hours
Moving away from the central Goldfields, to Melbourne’s east lies the sleepy mountainside town of Walhalla. Nestled in a valley, this historic village was a bustling mining town in the late 1800s. Now, it has just 20 residents. Walk through the centre of town and admire the heritage buildings and colourful streetscapes. Then, take a guided tour of the Walhalla Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine. The tour will take you about 260 metres underground, and 300 metres into the hillside, into a large machinery chamber. Tours run daily and take about 50 minutes. This experience is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. For more things to do in Walhalla, click here.
Beechworth
Distance from Melbourne: 3 hours
Gold was first discovered in Beechworth in 1852, and by 1857, over 20,000 people had moved to the town. This well-preserved gold rush town has over 30 buildings listed on the National Trust. Head to the Historic Precinct and see notable spots like the courthouse, the Burke Museum and the Powder Magazine, which was used to store gun powder for mining.
For a bit of nature, follow the track from Powder Magazine to Woolshed Falls. This 5km trail follows Spring Creek down into the Woolshed Valley, which is filled with deep mine shafts and gullies. If you don’t feel like walking, you can simply drive to the falls. For more nature, wander around the Beechworth Chinese Gardens, which celebrates the town’s rich Chinese heritage from the gold rush. Otherwise, check out Lake Sambell, which started as a site for the Rocky Mountain Mining Company, and was later transformed into a lake and reserve. Learn more here.
Yackandandah
Distance from Melbourne: 3.5 hours
Less than 20 minutes away from Beechworth, you’ll find the pretty township of Yackandandah. Gold was discovered in the area in 1852, leading to an influx of miners. Amble along the streets to see historic buildings from the period. For a great dose of gold rush history, take a guided tour of the Karr’s Reef Goldmine. Journey along Commissioner’s Creek all the way to the gold mine, which operated from 1867 to 1884. Venture underground and walk the length of the hand-dug tunnel, all the way to the quartz reef, which is the source of the alluvial gold in the creek.
If you’d prefer to stay outdoors, you can go for a scenic walk along the gorge, which was built as a channel to sluice gravel and sand in the hopes of finding gold. It was first made with pick, shovel and blasting powder, and later deepened with dynamite. Amble by the creek, past cascades and beneath shady trees.