culture
Ballarat's Best Street Art: Walking Tours Reveal Hidden Murals
Ballarat's growing collection of murals offers residents and visitors a direct way to explore the city's neighborhoods on foot or by bike this winter.
How we reported this
Ballarat added 28 new murals to its public walls in the first half of 2026, bringing the total documented pieces above 140 across the central city and surrounding suburbs.
The surge follows the City of Ballarat's 2025 public art allocation, which directed $180,000 toward facade work on vacant buildings and laneways. Local artists now compete for commissions that pay between $4,000 and $12,000 per wall, with applications closing each March and September. The program sits alongside private commissions from businesses on Sturt Street and in the Bridge Mall precinct, where owners pay for pieces that double as shopfront advertising.
Key locations to visit this month
Start on Lydiard Street North, where a 25-metre-long piece completed in April covers the side of the former Provincial Hotel. The work shows layered images of the 1854 Eureka Stockade alongside current rail workers. Two blocks south, the laneway behind the Ballarat Central Shopping Centre holds three smaller murals updated last month by the Ballarat Street Art Collective, including one that incorporates QR codes linking to audio stories recorded by nearby residents. Further out, the old railway underpass on Doveton Street features a 2026 addition by artist collective Murals Ballarat that uses reflective paint visible after dark.
Visitors can pick up a free printed map at the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre on Sturt Street or download the updated digital version from the council website. Self-guided walks take roughly 90 minutes at a steady pace and cover eight to ten pieces; the same route can be cycled in under 45 minutes using the shared path along the Yarrowee River.
Practical details and costs
Guided tours run every Saturday at 10am and 2pm through July, departing from the Art Gallery of Ballarat forecourt. Tickets cost $22 for adults and $12 for concession holders, with the July 11 session already sold out according to the gallery's booking system. Private group bookings for up to 12 people start at $180 and must be arranged at least five days ahead. Several cafes along Armstrong Street now offer a 10 percent discount to anyone showing a stamped map from the tour operator.
Weather this weekend is forecast to stay dry until Sunday evening, making the outdoor route comfortable. Those planning to photograph the works should note that the Lydiard Street piece faces east and catches morning light between 8am and 10am, while the Doveton Street underpass requires a torch after 5pm. Updated locations and any temporary closures appear each Monday on the council's public art page.