TRAVELS WITH KINGDEANO ADVENTURES
As we drove into Ballan, a small country town nestled between Melbourne and Ballarat, Vic, we were immediately struck by the quirky artwork wrapped around the trees. It was a beautiful art installation by one of the local community art groups, setting the tone for our discovery of this charming town.
Our base for the next couple of nights was the Ballan Caravan Park, near the town centre. As we explored the town, we were delighted to find that Ballan was rich in art and culture.
Our first stop was the historic Flack Post & Telegraph Office, now converted into a delightful art gallery and studio space called FlackPTO. This beautiful old building has been in the owner ' s family for six generations since its construction in 1864. Today, it showcases an exhibition space featuring emerging to established artists, with a selection of artworks updated regularly. We were fortunate to meet the owner, who shared the history of the building and the exhibition on display.
Ballan is a treasure trove for heritage-building enthusiasts. We downloaded pamphlets that provided the history of local buildings and directions to find them in the town. The online heritage walking map was an excellent way to learn more about the town ' s history and its former inhabitants.
For lunch, we headed to Zest Cafe, a local favourite with outdoor seating where we could bring our dog, Twyla. The menu offered a variety of delicious meals and we enjoyed our burgers and warm chicken salad.
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