Victoria celebrates the Year of the Dog

Ballarat Wildlife Park - Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival is widely celebrated across the globe. Over 14 days in February, Victoria’s multicultural communities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Filipino and Korean) embrace the opportunity to wish for luck and prosperity for all. Family and friends gather, welcome the new season, and celebrate food and ceremonies.

Goldfields

In Ballarat, an authentic Chinese New Year gold rush celebration will on available for visitors to Sovereign Hill on Sunday 18 February and Sunday 25 February 2017. The Chinese Australian Cultural Society Ballarat Inc will provide hands on activities for children, calligraphy, traditional music, dance, Tai Chi lessons and lion dance performances. 39 Bradshaw Street, Ballarat, +61 (03) 5337 1199

Ballarat Wildlife Park will be hosting Chinese New Year celebrations on Saturday, 27 January 2018 from 11.00am. Activities on the day will include, a Chinese traditional cultural show, face painting, Chinese hand writing exhibition, pan flute music by folk musicians, lantern making, professional western massage, Tai Chi and the famous Chinese Lion dance. There will also be a magic show, Peking Opera performance, Sichuan Opera performance, Chinese Kong Fu exhibition by children and Zither music performance. Visitors will also get a chance to take photos with alpine dingoes, koalas and wombats. Cnr of York & Fussell Streets Ballarat East, 3350 Victoria, (03) 5333 5933

Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka (MADE) will also be celebrating Chinese New Year through a new display of objects that explore Chinese diaspora on the Australian goldfields. Chinese in Australia kept many of their customs during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They blended their traditions with western ones, most notably with parades and pageants to raise money to build hospitals and benevolent asylums. The display forms part of the permanent exhibition, currently showing at MADE. 102 Stawell St South, Ballarat, Victoria, 3350, 1800 287 113

Or visitors can celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Dog with the Bendigo Chinese Association at the Dai Gum San Precinct, Bridge Street, Bendigo on Saturday, 17 February 2018 and watch the helium dragon Fei Loong soar over the Chinese Precinct while enjoying food and refreshments from 6.00pm and an entertaining multi-cultural performance program from 7.00pm 1-11 Bridge St, Bendigo, 0490 525 832

Great Ocean Road

Parks Victoria rangers, Wenbo Chen and Eugena Han will be conducting guided walks in both English and Mandarin at one of Victoria’s most iconic locations, the Twelve Apostles at Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road. Walks will focus on the geology, history and native plants and animals of the area, as well as information about how to help care for the precious coastal environments. The 15-minute guided walk will take place at the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard visitor sites and no bookings are required. Visitors can simply look for details on the information board at the Twelve Apostles kiosk in the car park. 26 Morris Street, Port Campbell, Victoria, 3269 13 1963.

Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges

Guests at looking to celebrate Lunar New Year in regional Victoria can stay with Chateau Yering this festive season. The special Lunar New Year packages include accommodation, breakfast/dinner, a Lunar New Year welcome gift, whole fruit bowl in the suite on arrival and a Lucky Chinese knot. Bookings essential, quote Lunar New Year package when booking. 42 Melba Highway, Yering Victoria 3770, 03 9237 3333

Source - Visit Victoria