Begonia Festival 2023: flower display wow visitors to Ballarat

Some visitors made the trip from Melbourne especially to see the star of the festival, the flowers.

Among them was Sapana Saini who brought along her family and were seeing the flowers for the first time.

"I saw them on the internet and I was amazed and wanted to see them physically," she said.

Ms Saini was also able to watch the performance from Sway, aerial acrobats who were performing at the festival in Ballarat for the first time.

"I think the artists were amazing, they had grace and it was an awesome performance," she said.

While there were some out of town visitors, others were local to the area and keen to enjoy part of their weekend out in the sun.

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Ballarat local Charisma Boothroyd said she was returning to the festival after visiting a number of years ago.

She said she was surprised and glad to see so many people at the festival.

"It's just nice to see everyone out and about again and interacting with each other," Ms Boothroyd said.

Shelley Birrell, a new Ballarat resident was visiting the festival for the first time with her son Angus and said the event surpassed her expectations.

"We love being in the garden, so any excuse to see flowers and be outside," Ms Birrell said.

They had managed to see the begonia display in the Robert Clark Conservatory before the line was too long.

Angus said he was able to spot his favorite flowers, the red ones.

"It's been great with all the activities focused on the kids," Ms Birrell said.

Central Highlands Water and Corangamite Central Management Authorities both had stalls at the festival geared to engaging younger children.

Corangamite CMA citizen science project officer, Kristen Lees said she had gathered a number of water bugs from Lake Wendouree for the children to see on Saturday.

She said it was important for both children and adults to realise the bugs "show us how healthy the water is".

Ms Lees said it was great to see young people showing a general interest in science.

Festival goers were also able to sign their name to a water pipe that will be installed underneath the Ballarat CBD as part of CHW Big Sewer Project.

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Other travelers made their way straight to the garden stalls.

Harry Patsamanis from Melbourne made an important addition to his garden with a new begonia.

He said he comes to the festival each year to add a unique plant he doesn't own to his collection.

So far his trip to Ballarat had been well worth it and he described the flowers as spectacular.

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