Sovereign Hill's 40th Anniversary

Join us to celebrate 40 years of success! This year, Sovereign Hill will celebrate its 40th birthday. A whole year of activities has been planned to mark the occasion. They began with a Sovereign HiIl launch at which Board President, Annmaree Perry, unveiled the logo for the year’s celebrations, released a calendar of events and officially announced Ballarat Olympian, Steve Moneghetti, and Australian Netball Team Captain, Sharelle McMahon, as Ambassadors for the year. Our 40th Anniversary Patron for the year, David Hobson – Ballarat born tenor and composer – was announced at a media launch in Melbourne on 4 February 2010.

In this section including

sound-and-light show

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z6i-KpOZzw&feature=player_embedded

Trapped

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z6i-KpOZzw&feature=player_embedded


Sovereign Hill Memories Album


History Week

History Week at Sovereign Hill and Narmbool

Sunday 24th October to Saturday 30 OctoberAsk about our special package deals which include day entry to Sovereign Hill, dinner, show and on-site accommodation at Sovereign Hill Lodge. Bookings are essential to avoid disappointment.
Telephone (03) 5337 1199
Fax (03) 5332 9740
Email bosc@sovereignhill.com.au

History Of Sovereign Hill

Sovereign Hill is located on the site of one of Ballarat's major gold diggings. The discovery on August 21st 1851 by James Dunlop and James Reagan that sparked the Ballarat Gold Rush was at the base of the hill a couple of hundred metres from Sovereign Hill park and the "Welcome" nugget - found by a Cornish miner in 1858, and being the second largest gold nugget in the world - was also found on the site of 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.