"Continue the development of a working museum to preserve the style of Ballarat’s former street tramways and trams for the public benefit in a safe environment.”

The Ballarat Tramway Museum was founded in 1971 as the Ballarat Tramway Preservation Society to preserve a short section of the Ballarat tramway system and to operate it as a working museum and tourist attraction.  It and a similar tramway in Bendigo are the only Museum tramways in Australia to run on original trackage in the street.  The Ballarat line is 1.3 kilometres long and runs through the historic Botanical Gardens on the western shores of Lake Wendouree. The line first opened in 1887 as a horse tramway and was electrified in 1905.  The Museum commenced operations in Wendouree Parade 1974.

The Museum is located in the South Gardens Reserve of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, some four kilometres from the centre of the City.  A bus service from the railway station and city runs nearby, otherwise the Gardens can be easily reached by taxi.  The display includes the original horse tram built in 1887.

The tramway is staffed by volunteers and runs in Wendouree Parade all year on weekends, holidays and school holidays between 12.00 noon and 5.00pm including every day from Christmas Day until the end of January.  Trams are also available for functions or group tours at any time.  The Museum and its operations are funded by tram fares, the sale of souvenirs and by donations (which are tax-deductible).

Membership of the Museum is open to all people.  The Museum’s newsletter, “Fares Please”, is published six times a year and Members are entitled to free rides.  The current membership rate for twelve months from July each year is AUD 25.00.