Ballarat’s greatest tourist attraction is now its culinary flair, according to a new national survey of travellers.
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The Australian Government’s National Visitor Survey reported more than 55 per cent of domestic overnight visitors said dining at cafes and restaurants in the city was their main activity.
This foodie obsession was closely followed by people visiting friends and relatives (54 per cent), with sightseeing identified as the main activity for only 20 per cent.
It holds true for day visitors as well, with more than 46 per cent rating eating out as their activity of choice.
Visit Ballarat chief executive officer Noel Dempsey said the results weren’t a surprise, with remarkable developments in Ballarat’s food scene ensuring visitors are “exposed to more choice than ever before”.
“Our food and wine scene has grown by leaps and bounds and we have a plethora of fine regional produce which, when served up to locals and visitors alike, makes for a truly unique dining experience,” he said.
It comes as the city gears up for the inaugural Plate Up Ballarat, a month-long culinary celebration of the city’s restaurants and produce.
Many of the festival’s foodie have already sold out, with a 50/50 split of locals and tourists snapping up tickets.
Plate Up Ballarat festival director Kate Davis said Ballarat’s burgeoning food scene can be traced to restaurants, chef and producers working together.
“There’s so many more choices, people are really raising the bar and pushing themselves,” she said.
“Collaboration has been a really key factor over the last five years … working together has contributed to the huge shifts.”
The survey ranked Ballarat number 28 out of the top 50 regions in the country for domestic day trip visitors in the year ending December 2017.
