Ballarat Tramway Museum

Travel back in time with the Ballarat Tramway Museum. Take a ride in one of the 100 year old trams which provided Ballarat's public transport until 1971. The journey covers almost one and a half kilometres of original line through the beautiful Botanical Gardens situated on the western shores of the tranquil Lake Wendouree. The journey takes about 20 minutes. The museum was formed to keep alive a tramway experience that has otherwise disappeared from the streets of Ballarat. It is run by one of a few purely volunteer groups in the world operating tramcars on a public road and over a section of original track. At the depot the story of the Ballarat trams and its people is told through photographs, historic films and tramway memorabilia. The tramcar fleet and workshop can also be inspected. Guided tours can be arranged. Souvenir items may be purchased. The collection includes Ballarat Horse Tram No. 1, dating from 1887 and two trams, under restoration, from the original Electric Supply Company of Victoria fleet. The running fleet includes nine tramcars which initially ran in Melbourne and arrived in Ballarat between 1930 and 1951, and four acquired directly from Melbourne by the Museum.