Ararat
City in Victoria
Description
Ararat is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, about 198 kilometres west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway on the eastern slopes of the Ararat Hills and Cemetery Creek valley between Victoria’s Western District and the Wimmera.
Attractions
Aradale Asylum
Aradale housed Victoria’s mentally ill from 1865 to 1998, and guided tours of this large institution are now available
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Located in Ararat’s grand town hall building, this textile art gallery showcases touring exhibitions, in-house works a dedicated collection of textile and fibre art.
Ararat Performing Arts Centre
This cultural hub is housed in the stately building of Ararat’s former Town Hall. It hosts a wide range of live performances and events including concerts, plays and comedy shows.
Ararat Regional Park
Located at the north-western edge of town, it consists of 1000 hectares straddling ancient hills that offer panoramic views of the surrounding area including the Pioneer Memorial Lookout at One Tree Hill
Grampians National Park
Renowned for its rugged mountain ranges and stunning wildflower displays, the Grampians National Park features creeks, lakes and waterfalls. There are over 50 walking tracks and many spectacular lookouts.
Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre
Illustrating the influence of Chinese culture on the economic, cultural and social development of Australia
J Ward Museum
The former prison dating back to the days of the goldrush is now a museum depicting its past with guided tours of the complex
Langi Ghiran State Park
Consists of rugged granite peaks and gentle sloping open woodlands
Langi Morgala Museum
sites.google.com/museumlangimorgala
Displaying historical collections of objects that were made or used by people in the local district
Mount Buangor State Park
This park is noted for its variety of landscapes. There are eucalypt forests, creek flats, waterfalls, steep escarpments and Mount Buangor – the area’s highest peak. Explore over 15 kilometres of walking tracks within the park, some of which extend into the neighbouring Mount Cole State Forest.