Discover Ararat: Art, History and Views

In Ararat, art collections and places of remembrance sit alongside gardens and a lookout point with views over the city and the surrounding landscape. This offers different ways to shape your trip: you might be interested in exhibitions and history, or prefer to focus on spending time outdoors. If you want to combine several themes, Ararat offers both cultural stops and places that turn your attention to the city and its surroundings.

Art and history in Ararat

Ararat Gallery TAMA has three exhibition spaces for its collections. This makes the gallery a place to visit if you want to focus on art and collections during your trip. For wheelchair users, access to the gallery is via a gentle slope from the eastern side of the footpath on Vincent Street. This specific access route may be a factor when planning your gallery visit.

The Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre connects Ararat’s history with a broader view of Australia: it tells the story of Ararat’s beginnings as Australia’s only city founded by Chinese people and shows the influence of Chinese culture on the country’s economic, cultural and social development. Both the city’s history and the contributions of Chinese culture are at the centre of the experience.

Another historic site is J Ward. The museum complex is located in the original prison buildings and is dedicated to documenting and preserving their history. J Ward can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Bear this condition in mind when planning your visit.

Langi Morgala Museum displays photographs, dressed mannequins, clothing and agricultural machinery reflecting the 1856 gold rush. It also presents the Mooney and Charles Best collections, which feature Aboriginal cultural artefacts. The varied displays offer several points of interest: the gold rush era, agricultural machinery and clothing, as well as the two collections.

Gardens and views

Alexandra Gardens offer a different focus. They feature lakeside paths, barbecue and picnic areas, colourful flower beds and terraced lawns that slope down to an ornamental pond. The garden is shaped by a variety of elements: water, planted areas and open lawns, along with places to picnic and barbecue. If you would like to include green spaces in your plans alongside museum visits, this offers another side of Ararat.

For views over the city, head to the lookout on One Tree Hill. From there, you can see across Ararat and the surrounding landscape. The lookout is accessible by car, bicycle or on foot; check the current access arrangements before your visit, as they may change. These three ways of getting there allow for different plans without requiring a particular route.

Planning a stay in Ararat

When choosing a hotel in Ararat, you can start by considering which aspect of the city is most interesting to you: art and collections, the history of the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre and J Ward, the exhibitions at Langi Morgala Museum, or gardens and views. These points of interest can help you decide what you would like to include in your stay. You can then look for hotels in Ararat for your trip and check the specific details for each property.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Thomastown, Sea Lake, Tawonga, Hamilton, Warrnambool, Inverleigh, Bright.

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