During the 1850s gold rush, thousands flocked to the goldfields in search of their fortune, and this year, visitors of the feathered and furry variety are flocking to Sovereign Hill! From Saturday 23rd September – Sunday 8th October, Sovereign Hill will come alive with the sounds of bleating, baa-ing, and squawking as they welcome a range of animals to the outdoor museum.

From magnificent birds of prey to donkeys, chickens and horses, visitors can get up close and personal with some of these animals, and learn about how animals contributed to life on the goldfields.

Animals played an important part of life on the goldfields, with reports that a wide range of animals made the goldfields their home, including the occasional monkey or peacock!

These school holidays, visitors will be able to experience the following activities:

– Meet the Beaks: meet two of our beautiful birds of prey at close range, including a magnificent Barn Owl, and learn about why a Barn Owl was once called the ‘night hag’, and the Kestrel a ‘Windhover’. Monday – Saturday,12noon, Victoria Theatre.

– Sky Hunters: learn about the amazing adaptions of birds of prey and how we can help them to survive. Watch these awesome predators go through their paces. Running from Monday – Saturday, 2pm, Victoria Theatre.

– Animals on the Goldfields: Meet chickens, miniature donkeys, horses and other animals that live on the goldfields on this guided tour. 11am, 12noon, and 3pm daily, meet at the Victoria Theatre. Also visit the Baby Animals Nursery, and meet the youngest members of Sovereign Hill’s menagerie – 11.30am, 12.30pm and 3.30pm at the Horse Bazaar.

– Goat Milking and Butter Churning: Watch Sovereign Hill’s house goat being milked by hand, and then help make butter the old-fashioned way!

– Little Red Riding Hood Performance: Is it Little Red Riding Hood or Robin Hood? Well, the owners of the Victorian Theatre at Sovereign Hill can’t agree which story to tell. So, to the delight of audiences, they present both at the same time! This is classic, hilarious pantomime with a wonderful new twist.

From searching for gold in the creek to going on an underground mine tour, from watching boiled sweets get made to trying your hand at writing with ink and nib in an 1850s school, come and spend a day in the life of the people – and animals – you would have met on the goldfields. There will also be craft activities and garden tours with the Sovereign Hill gardener.