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Ballarat has been named as a top travel destination by a prestigious tourism website, beating locations such as Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast. Tourism website Experience Oz ranked Ballarat as number five in its top 10 major destinations list this week, talking up the city’s rich history and architecture. “Full of heritage both in its landmarks and architecture as a result of its early development during the Australian Gold Rush period, the city is large and brimming with examples of Victorian-era buildings that remain in top condition to this day,” its website read. “As a result of its strong gold mining heritage, a visit to Ballarat is akin in many ways to stepping back in time, and many history-oriented attractions that document the interesting and sometimes-tumultuous past of Ballarat to visitors can be experienced firsthand.” Mayor Samantha McIntosh was thrilled Ballarat was punching above its weight on a national stage. “What a spectacular position for a regional city to hold, ahead of many places you could imagine being positioned higher,” she said. “It’s not just about spruiking how great our city is, but it’s also good for business, hospitality, accommodation and venues.” Warmer destinations outranked Ballarat on Experience Oz’s list. The most popular major destination was the Whitsundays, followed by Mackay, the Kimberley, and Cairns. It comes after new figures show more than 789,000 people attended Sovereign Hill in 2015-16. Sovereign Hill chief executive Jeremy Johnson previously said the report’s figures showed the site was one of the largest tourist attractions in regional Victoria. Mr Johnson said it further confirmed its award-winning reputation as a magnet for new tourists to Ballarat.

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