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HOLIDAY RESORTS.
BALLARAT—"The Garden
City."
At this season of the year the city of
Ballarat is always crowded with visitors.
Apart from those who go to spend their
holiday in this progressive inland city
with a wonderful history, Ballarat at
Christmas time reclaims its own in greater
numbers probably than any other place in
Victoria. Without any organising, the
"old boys" of "the Golden city" find the
magnet operating in December, and they
go home for the festive season. But the
sightseer and holiday maker who seeks to
know Victoria will always regard Bal-
larat as one of the principal holiday re-
sorts of the State.
From "the Golden City" Ballarat' has
passed to "the Garden City" and "the
City of Statues." The title of "Garden
city" may be disputed by the patriots of
other places, but there is no doubt that
Ballarat supports its claim with substan-
tial evidence. The botanic gardens are
among the loveliest spots in Victoria.
Near by, the vastly-improved Lake Wen-
douree is a sparkling scenic jewel and an
attractive place for aquatic pastimes. The
general planning of the city, with its wide
and famous Sturt-street—the street of
statues—the scheme of ornamentation, the
ample water supply and fine public build-
ings makes it one of the most charming
of the cities in the Commonwealth, and
stands as a tribute to the pioneers, who
spent freely, planned wisely and built
faithfully.
From the tourists' point of view, a holi-
day spent in Ballarat can be most profit-
ably employed in excursions round about
the district. The famous Avenue of Honor,
in continuation of Sturt-street, and run-
ning out to Lake Burrumbeet and on to
Learmouth, is becoming one of the show
places not only of the district, but of the
State. This avenue is the Lucas girls'
tribute to Ballarat soldiers, and is planted
on a three-chain highway for a distance
of 14 miles. One of the favorite trips
for tourists is that to the Ballarat water
supply reserve. This large area contains
a series or reservoirs extending for a
distance of about 11 miles, and the drive
around the great lakes makes a very plea-
sant trip. The reserve is a recognised and
popular picnic resort, and is particularly
attractive in autumn when the trees, with
varied foliage, are seen at their best. The
Water Commission has planted 250,000
pine trees in the reserve.
Other excursions among many that may
be taken in all directions over a district
now closely settled and highly prosperous
are those to Lake Burrumbeet and Lake
Learmouth to Lai Lai Falls, Moorabool
Falls, Mount Buninyong and Mount War-
renheip. Numerous circular tours have
been planned, and when the motor road to
the summit of Mount Buninyong is com-
pleted. Ballarat will have added attrac-
tions as the base of operations for a motor-
ing holiday.
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