Victoria Park Inclusive Playspace
The Victoria Park Inclusive Playspace was opened in 2016. It was a community partnership with the City of Ballarat and the Touched by Olivia Foundation. Since its opening, it has become a major attraction with over 170,000 people visiting the site annually.
The site was designed as a hub where families of all abilities could come and play together. It features sealed pathways throughout, ramps to play equipment, a variety of activities for all abilities including a large range of play panels for children with cognitive disabilities.
The playground includes both accessible toilet facilities and a full “Changing Places” adult change room with full-service hoist.
The picnic facilities includes accessible picnic tables throughout and there are accessible drinking fountains across the play area.
Windmill Playground Lake Wendouree Ballarat
The Windmill Playground on the shoreline of Lake Wendouree is an older style wooden structure that is a great example of an accessible playspace. It is ramped throughout and has made provision for children using wheelchairs on most of its activities. Rubberized surfaces have been used allowing children and parents with a disability to access all areas. The playground also contains a variety of play activities to suit children with cognitive disabilities. Adjacent to the playground is a Liberty Swing.
The picnic area next to the playground had accessible picnic tables and a lower height BBQ.
Disabled parking was available in front of the playground.
Ballarat Primavera
Ballarat Primavera is private accommodation that can be rented as a whole house or by individual room. It is 8 minutes by car from the centre of Ballarat.
The house consists of four spacious rooms each with an ensuite. There is a purpose built bathroom for guests with a disability that consists of and accessible toilet with handrails at the side and back as well as a padded backrest. The bathroom is large with ample wheelchair turning space.. The handbasin has a lever mixer tap and clear space below it. The shower is equipped with a fold down shower seat and easy to reach lever mixer controls. The accessible bathroom is accessible from the bedroom or the main hall and can be locked off from either so it can be used as a private ensuite or as a communal accessible bathroom for the entire house. This feature makes the house suitable for a group of disabled guests with a common bathroom.
The other three bedrooms are all very spacious and all have large bathrooms. They are not equipped with toilet bars or shower chairs but may be suitable for some people with a disability. The house does have three portable shower chairs that are available on request.
The living areas are large and consist of a kitchen/dining area and a lounge and second dining area.
The property also features and indoor lap pool, gymnasium, lock up garage and an outdoor dining area.
The property provides direct access to the Yarrowee Trail. The Ballarat Visitors Information centre has a Trailrider which can be borrowed for the duration of a stay.
Sovereign Hill Hotel
The Sovereign Hill Hotel sits above and adjacent to Sovereign Hill Museum. There is a designated disabled parking space at reception, to the left next to the brown building. A brick path/ramp leads to reception. The cafe/restaurant area is behind the reception counter which has a lower height bench with knee clearance at the side. Off the servery is an accessible toilet. Double doors lead out to the veranda.
Disabled parking is available outside the accommodation wing. The hotel has two accessible units with full roll-in shower. There is a third unit with the same facilities but it also has an adjoining room for a carer or family members. The toilets have side and rear rails with a padded backrest. Each unit has a private outdoor deck with ramped access.
Ramped brick pathways give access to the full hotel site.
There is a rear gate that gives access to the Sovereign Hill museum site. Note that the hotel sites at the top of the hill and the roadway down into the main museum area is steep. Easiest access to the museum is gained by driving down to the main entry and parking in the disabled parking bays provided.
The George Hotel, The Lane Cafe & Heritage on Lydiard
he George Hotel is the second oldest licensed hotel in Ballarat.
Accessible entry to the hotel is via the laneway.
The Lane Cafe is open with a variety of seating options. The floor is tile and polished concrete.
The public areas are all accessible with one accessible toilet located on the ground floor. The toilet is right-hand transfer with side and back rails with a padded backrest. The bar and main dining areas are also spacious and easy to move around with a variety of seating options.
The hotel has one accessible room with a queen and single bed configuration with a roll-in shower and a fixed shower seat. Both beds provide under bed clearance for a patient hoist.
The Heritage also has an accessible room with a queen bed. Clearance under the bed is provided and the room has a roll-in shower and fixed shower seat. There is a lounge area and a writing desk that provides knee clearance.
