“It’s great, it’s the best place we’ve been to by far ... this is only the second place we’ve been to,” Sir Tony said. 

“I’ve probably seen more (in Ballarat) than the tourists because we’ve been everywhere these last few days.” 

As part of his 10-part documentary series Tony Robinson’s Tour of Duty, the acclaimed actor and historian will spend the next few days listening to war stories from Ballarat residents. 

The series will air on the History Channel next year to coincide with the 100 year anniversary of Gallipoli. 

Sir Tony is hoping to speak to about 30 people during his visit, including AFL great Ted Lovett and the granddaughter of VC medallist Bill Dunstan. 

The series will also explore the origins of Vegemite and its inventor Cyril Callister and the legacy behind the Lucas ladies who raised money to build the Arch of Victory and the Avenue of Honour. 

Sir Tony said Ballarat was selected six months ago as one of the 10 locations the documentary would visit.

The next stops on the list include Dunedin in New Zealand, Bathurst, Toowoomba and Auckland. 

“The theme in this show is community, it’s not about my experiences, it’s about the people,” he said. 

Sir Tony is a British actor, comedian, historian and television host, best known for his role as Baldrick in the Blackadder series, and as host of archaeology series Time Team.

On Saturday, residents with interesting war memorabilia are invited to attend a community event with a Rotary sausage sizzle at the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial at Lake Wendouree between 12.30pm and 5.30pm.