The Art Gallery of Ballarat has scored a major coup with the first exhibition in Australia of works by famed photographer David LaChapelle.

More than 60 of his photographs spanning the last three decades form the centrepiece of the 2017 Ballarat International Foto​ Biennale.

The biennale's director Fiona Sweet isn't worried by any other galleries  missing out on showing one of the world's major photographers.

"Oh well," she said, with a laugh.

"Wait until they see who I've got in 2019."

LaChapelle's work, which "combines a unique hyper-realistic aesthetic with profound social messages", has appeared in magazines such as Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and Vogue.

Andy Warhol gave him his first job as a photographer at Interview Magazine. His subjects have included Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie, Muhammad Ali, Hilary Clinton, Uma Thurman, Pamela Anderson and Whitney Houston.

That LaChapelle's first and only Australian exhibition should land in a regional Victorian city of just over 100,000 people seems bizarre but it's the result of Fiona Sweet not accepting anything less in creating one of Australia's pre-eminent photographic festivals. 

She said the hardest decision was selecting which photographer to bring to the festival as a big name and once she had decided on LaChapelle, working out how to contact him.

Her breakthrough came in meeting at a party Fiona Drury from Write Angle, a company that specialises in securing the rights, and organising tours, for photographic, art and multimedia exhibitions.

Then it was a matter of negotiating with LaChapelle's people for more than six months to organise the exhibition.

The results are stunning with the massive images mixing celebrity with messages about religion, art, the environment, the excesses of the modern world.

Beyond that, it seems all of Ballarat embraces the biennale. There are exhibitions in cafes, laneways, shopfronts - almost everywhere you turn.

More than 50,000 people are expected to visit the biennale, with more than 100 exhibitions over 30 days.

The biennale is on until September 17. So be quick to get to Ballarat. It's an easy weekend away from Canberra. Ballarat is about a one-hour drive from Melbourne airport. There are also regular trains and buses between Ballarat and Melbourne. And the art gallery is only a few minutes' walk from the train station.

The gallery, the oldest and largest regional gallery in Australia, opening in 1884, also has a stunning permanent collection showing the evolution of Australian art. There are works by artists from John Glover to Howard Arkley; Fred Williams to Jeffery Smart. The gallery also houses the original Eureka Flag.

And there are plenty of other things to do in this very friendly and increasingly cosmopolitan city.

Look out for the gorgeous bouquet above the door at this perfumery in central Ballarat. The store specialises in exclusive perfumes from around the world. You can buy the perfume Princess Diana apparently favoured (Penhaligon's​ Bluebell) or smell like Madonna (with the perfume Fracas).

It also runs regular perfume masterclasses so you can discover your signature scent.

Don't be put off by the industrial estate location of this gin distillery and brewery, once inside the doors it's cosy and hospitable, thanks to owners Chris Pratt and Rebecca Mathews and Scott and Vanessa Wilson-Browne.

Red Duck Brewery started in 2005, at the beginning of the craft beer movement. Its cellar door tastings are a must for all beer nerds and why not take a six-pack home?

The gin distillery is Chris' baby, focusing on premium gin and whiskey. Its signature gins are a London Dry Gin and an Australian Gin. Both are infused with juniper, coriander and a range of carefully selected botanicals

Look out for The Larrikin which features native botanicals including lemon myrtle, lilly pilly and roasted wattle seed. Tastings also on site.

This cosy cafe is connected to the Art Gallery of Ballart so perfect for a bite to eat between wandering the rooms of the gallery.

It uses locally sourced produce, cooking fresh and delicious food. Pick up a little something to take home such as the Ballarat-made Grounded Pleasures drinking chocolate.

A leisurely breakfast is one of the great joys of a weekend away and two of the best places for breakfast in Ballarat are Webster's Market and Cafe and Yellow Espresso.

Webster's Market and Cafe is in beautiful, tree-lined Webster Street, not far from the city centre, where you can amble along and take in some of Ballarat's finest historic homes. And it has probably the best mushrooms we've ever eaten.

People rave about the Axil coffee at Yellow Espresso, all served up in its signature sunny-yellow coffee cups. The all-day breakfast menu also means there's no rush to get there.

All the locals we spoke to sighed with pure pleasure when we told them we'd be eating at Meigas.

And this traditional Spanish tapas bar lived up to all expectations. Food to die for, including paella made fresh. All served up with jugs of sangria. As respected food critic John Lethlean recently summed up about Meigas "lucky Ballarat". Lucky indeed.

With its exposed brick walls, low lighting, comfortable lounges, wine barrel tables and seriously impressive wine list, the Mitchell Harris Wine Bar could be straight out of cool Melbourne, one of Ballarat's real gems.

The staff are attentive and knowledgeable - when we asked for a buttery chardonnay, they recommended a Nick Spencer drop - right from our very own Canberra region. 

The Mitchell Harris Sabre is regarded as one of Australia's finest sparkling wines and it's definitely a winner.

If you feel like stretching your legs after all that food, take a walk around the beautiful Lake Wendouree. The walking track around the lake is 6km - about the same as Lake Tuggeranong - with the added advantage that it passes by streets of magnificent homes, both historic and modern.

The boat sheds around the lake only add to its charm.

For accommodation options, you can't go past The George Hotel which is located literally across the road from the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

The historic property recently underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment and offers a quiet, warm retreat when you want some down time during your stay.

Take a tour around the filming locations in Ballarat for the popular ABC drama, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which harks back to 1950s Ballarat.

The future of the series is unclear, but thousands of fans have signed a petition urging the show to make a return.

This funky beauty salon is run by two Ballarat sisters. It's located in central Ballarat and perfect for a quick pick-me-up during your stay.

And last but definitely not least is this remarkable venture by artists Yuge and David Bromley.

The pair have created an incredible get-away in the historic Peter Lalor Hotel in central Ballarat, under the new moniker, Pub With Two Names.

It is truly a thing of beauty - refurbished apartments jam-packed with art, including David Bromley's signature nudes.

There is nothing bland or ordinary about the interiors, with hand-picked furniture, sculptures, beautiful objects in every room. The art is on the walls - literally - with David painting directly on to the walls of the corridors and stairwells.

It is reminiscent of an eclectic New York hotel. David, who also features regularly on The Block, said he simply wanted to create a place that he and his wife would like to stay in, saying most modern accommodation these days was like a "white goods showroom".

This place is most certainly the antidote to that.

An opening date for the hotel has yet to be decided but we can't wait to stay there.

* For more details on a weekend away to Ballarat go to www.visitballarat.com.au/

Megan Doherty travelled to Ballarat as a guest of Visit Ballarat. This story first appeared in the Canberra Times.