Historical information

Established in 1953 the Ballarat Begonia Festival was inspired by Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival.

From 1953 to1993 the Ballarat Begonia Festival hosts the Queen of Begonias competition. A judging panel would select one woman to become the annual Queen of Begonias. Her role was to promote the festival and appear in the parade.  

The official opening of the first Begonia Festival on Saturday 8 March 1953 was marked by the symbolic arrival of a Cobb & Co coach, completing a trip from Ballarat to Melbourne and Geelong then return.

Physical description

Colour images of the Ballarat Begonia Parade, with Beverly Coles as Begonia Queen.