Sovereign Hill, a quest for gold | Greet Ruby with a 'G'day'

Sovereign Hill is Australia's most famous gold rush town, located 112 kilometers west of Melbourne in the city of Ballarat. ⚒ In the 19th century, large gold deposits were discovered here, attracting prospectors from all over the world. Today, the gold mines have ceased operations and have been transformed into a tourist destination focused on the gold panning experience. In the town, there are nostalgic buildings from the Victorian era, and the staff are dressed in the everyday clothing of that period, reenacting scenes of life from those days on the streets and in the shops. 🚂 Visitors can take a ride on a mine cart, enter the tunnels, and experience the hardships of gold mining from the past. The mines still retain the original appearance of gold nuggets as they were found, embedded in the earth and poking out like pieces of Ferrero Rocher chocolates; the gold is right before your eyes but cannot be simply taken, as it is all protected by infrared sensors. In the open-air rivers, visitors can personally experience the process of gold panning. The sand in the river contains gold particles, and how much you can pan out is all up to your own skill, and you can take it all away for free!