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drivetime I t boasts a well-earned reputation as a history buff's playground, but dig a little deeper and there's so much more to Victoria's Ballarat. Amid a population boom, it's one of the nation's fastest-growing inland cities, and when I visit it's easy to see why. There's the charm of the town itself, its hilly streets redolent of grandeur, the imposing buildings reflecting the bounties of gold-rush-era wealth. The CBD, much of which stands as it did in the 19th century, boasts median strips wide enough to picnic on and an abundance of roundabouts that keep the traffic to an inoffensive drip. Despite being just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, I feel a world away already. While the CBD is steeped in history, there's plenty of new blood in the town by way of a thriving cafe culture. My pick is Eclectic Tastes, a quirky cafe that dishes up a range of Middle Eastern-inspired and original Aussie fare with a focus on local produce. With its retro decor featuring bric-a-brac, it would be equally at home in a trendy Melbourne laneway. "Twenty years ago we couldn't have done this," says owner Margo Pettit. "Now, there are more young people in Ballarat commuting to Melbourne and people are loving new things." Margo's brekkie of baba ganoush, poached eggs, sumac and pomegranate molasses on Turkish bread is a hearty twist on eggs on toast, and her baked goods verge on the sublime – I can't resist a homemade pear and ginger muffin for the road. Nearby Lake Wendouree, Margo tells me, is considered the heart of the town, and when I arrive it's a hive of activity. Once a swamp teeming with emus, wombats and dingoes, the lake was converted into a dam in 1851 to supply the growing population with water, and in 1956 it hosted Olympic rowing events. Today, locals jog and cycle its six-kilometre perimeter while rowers and graceful black swans stroke its surface. I opt for a more relaxing way to soak up the view and head for the Lakeside Farmers Markets. Nestled among centuryold trees, this fortnightly event is a food lover's haven. Packed with Victorian-only produce that leaps from farm to plate in hours and is sold by growers who call the locals by name, it suddenly makes my weekly supermarket shopping look dull by comparison. Be sure to take a big bag – mine fills up fast with handmade goat's milk soaps in fragrances of rosemary, "Known for its prickly-cold winters, Ballarat shines in spring when the city's streetscape blooms." bergamot and orange rind, and some delicious unfiltered yellow box honey from the Raw Honey beekeepers, a familyrun apiary that moves its hives from forest to forest, chasing the best conditions. If the kids are in tow, rest assured it's a family affair. You can hire a paddleboat, take a ride on the vintage electric tramway or let the littlies run wild in the 'adventure playground' nearby. Think spiral slippery dips, swing bridges and turrets. Many an adult plays, too. Known for its prickly-cold winters, Ballarat shines in the warmer months, such as spring, when the city's streetscape blooms. Established in 1858, the sprawling Ballarat Botanical Gardens is home to an array of grand old trees, a lush fernery and a seasonal floral conservatory with a stunning zigzag glass roof. Twelve classical Italian white marble statues bequeathed to the gardens in the late 1800s adorn the pristine lawns. Wandering through, it's easy to imagine the bonnet- and bustlewearing high-society ladies of yesteryear admiring the collection. I finish my afternoon visit with a history lesson on our nation's past leaders, strolling through the avenue of bronze busts where Prime Minister Julia Gillard is yet to be immortalised. Everywhere I look, Ballarat is steeped in history, but one place where it overflows is The Mill Markets. Just 10 minutes' drive from the CBD, this converted shearing shed covers more than 2,000 square metres and is full of old wares. As a vintage-lover, I've found my mecca. It has a reputation for quality, says stallholder Louise Davids. "We have more than 50 stallholders and there's new stock in every week, Previous page, and above: The grand staircase at Craig's Royal Hotel; Eclectic Tastes is a quirky cafe decked out with junk shop treasures. 25