Ballarat Tramway Museum

The Ballarat Tramway Museum is a museum of working trams in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

The museum is run by volunteers and has a tram fleet that operates part of the original horse-drawn tram around Lake Wendouree and the Botanic Gardens. It has a large research collection, an archive of information and over 3,500 articles... The first group to work to save part of the historic tramway was the Lake Wendouree Tramway Museum Committee, which entered into negotiations with the Victorian State Electricity in May 1971 Commission (SEC) which was the operator of the trams.:41 The Ballarat Tramway Preservation Society was also formed in 1971 to start and operate an authentic tramway.:44 In 1978 the society was incorporated as the Ballarat Tourist Tramway.:14 1981 Renamed Ballarat Vintage Tramway.: 14 Renamed Ballarat Tram Museum Inc. in 1995: 51. The original plan was to retain the entire tramway that ran along the shores of Lake Wendouree. However, following discussions with the SEC and the City of Ballarat, only the Botanical Gardens section of track was retained. This included part of the original horse tram, which opened in 1887 and was electrified in 1905.: 11 The SEC donated the equipment, track, overhead wires, and cars.