RTW Day 48 - Ballarat

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Today’s destination is Ballarat. I’ve never been there before but I’ve watched 36 episodes of the Dr Blake Mysteries (more than once) so it feels very familiar.

We start at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka, venue of the Eureka Stockade; a miners’ uprising violently put down by government forces. The museum covers the uprising and democracy in general. (Oh, and features in Dr Blake series 3 episode 4). It’s the old man’s birthday so he gets his first senior discount, which makes him happy.

Then on to Ballarat town centre to Lydiard Street and its grand Victorian buildings built during the height of the gold rush (that coincidentally feature heavily in Dr Blake). We tour the art gallery which has a great collection of Australian art (series 2 episode 8).

Then we buy picnic supplies - including an entire discounted chocolate mousse cake which has to be eaten today - and have lunch on the shores of the beautiful Lake Wendouree (series 1 episode 1).

Finally a walk round the lake to the botanical gardens. We’ve been to a few gardens on our trip, but this is one of the best.

Back to the B&B to watch the start of the Commonwealth Games, which is in there somewhere amidst the adverts.

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