A very enjoyable and warm atmosphere. Jackie's has a great selection of Asian cuisine (see the website for the menu) as well as delicious lunchtime snacks (smashed avocado, etc). It's well worth trying their dumplings too.

The staff are very friendly and helpful. When we arrived before opening time one day, they very kindly let us in and were willing to take our orders straight away.

Jackie's is open for brunch, lunch and dinner and also has an evening takeaway service. There are some well-priced options that should delight and fill the hungry tummy.

The parking can be tight, as it's the main street of Daylesford. There are usually spots around the corner if there are none available outside of the venue.

Have been to Jackie's several times and would definitely return. <3

Approximate cost: $15

For $30/hr, this is a very reasonable service. The company was recommended by the Salvos where I bought a couple of heavy items.

I agreed upon a time with Luke at Little Green Truck and he was actually early. Everything was handled carefully and it was a quick and easy transaction.

I had the impression that this company is fairly busy around town. I would suggest plenty of notice for bigger jobs - e.g. moving house.

Approximate cost: $30

I was very impressed by the service at Learmonth Rd Smash Repairs. I simply chose them because they were an approved repairer by my insurer. I turned up for a quote and was still shaken up from the accident which was only 24 hours previously. The reception staff and the man who undertook the quote were very polite and considerate. I received some useful advice about dealing with the claim - I was most grateful for that and it made the process somewhat easier. They forwarded the quotation to the insurer once I had a
claim number.

The only issue I had was that I had to wait six weeks to get my vehicle fixed. It was well worth the wait, as they did an amazing job and it was ready within one day. Although I did have that wait, they were willing to repair my tail light earlier so that I could safely drive the car in the mean time. By the end, my 12 year old car looks new again.

For me, the Gravy Spot has become like a second home. Around lunch time, it operates as a cafe, serving coffees, sweets, soup, homemade pies, cheesy pasta and other delicious fare. I highly recommend the lamb pies and the pasta is wonderful on a chilly Ballarat day. For sweets, the lemon friands and the brownie slices are mouth watering.

Most importantly, the customer service at the Gravy Spot is fantastic. The staff are always cheerful and never fail to ask how our day is going. Nearly everything is made on the premises which is immaculately clean.

In the evenings, the Gravy Spot is more of a fast food service serving old favourites such as chips, cheese and gravy, for the late night crowd.

I have used their catering service for functions where I work and we were not disappointed. The rates were very reasonable.

Definitely worth a lunch time visit.

This practice filled a gap in the Ballarat community. There is an ongoing doctor shortage in this district and a few years back, Health First opened with five young doctors. The clinic has proven so popular that they are unable to take in new patients. If they open the books again, I would highly recommend these doctors.

I mostly see Dr Smith who is very dedicated to his role and spends time checking out additional information about my various illnesses. A very approachable and easy going person. Also the appointments are scheduled for more time so that patients do not feel rushed.

I have also seen Dr Pilkington who was very thorough and listened carefully as I described my symptoms.

Health First bulk bills which is a bonus for anyone on a pension or low-income health card.

Parking can be a bit of an issue, so one would have to allow time for that. There is parking next door which is first come first served. It's a busy part of town, so cannot take anything for granted as far as parking goes.

PRO: There is a pharmacy conveniently located in the same building.

I use this practice as my back-up. My regular doctor is sometimes booked out. 28 Drummond was recommended to me by someone else in Ballarat.

I've seen three different doctors over time and they are mostly punctual and attentive. I've seen Heather McAllum, Sangeeta Tewari and Phil ?. I'm grateful that Dr Phil pushed me to get one particular issue checked out. I am now seeing a specialist and receiving treatment. I really like Sangeeta Tewari who is a very considerate and caring lady. If I didn't have my own family doctor, I would probably choose someone like Sangeeta. The knowledge of all three doctors appears to be very good.

The waiting area is adequate, although a bit dingy. It's not the whole deal. The reception staff are very friendly and welcoming which can matter when one feels THAT sick.

Pensioners would need to check first about bulk billing. They do not bulk bill for me because I work, so there is a gap payment. They do process the Medicare claim on the spot, which is a bonus for me.

For a Sunday morning in Ballarat, it's either Eureka Clinic or the hospital (as far as I know). I tossed up whether to wait until Monday because I heard that Eureka Centre gets crowded and there's a long wait. I packed a book and a thermos of coffee just in case. ;)

As I went in reasonably early, there weren't too many people waiting. The lady at the desk was efficient and professional, if not warm in her manner.

I had barely sat down and I was called in. I saw Dr Hameedullah who asked all of the right questions and sent me off with a script. It was all done within a reasonable time frame.

This is not the same experience as seeing my regular doctor who is elsewhere. We have a longstanding patient:doctor relationship and there's a certain level of care that I get from going to the same guy for eight years. HOWEVER, the experience at Eureka was professional and thorough. I expected some specific questioning, a diagnosis and a course of treatment. This is what I got and it was more than adequate.

I cannot remember the last time I waited such a short time in the reception area. I know I lucked it in with the wait. I know that some have complained about the ambiance of the waiting area, but I found it to be comfortable and it had lots of natural light. The receptionist told me when I checked in where the toilets are - a courtesy that I've never had at any other clinic. All up, it was a good experience and I haven't had to worry until tomorrow (Monday) about what's wrong with me.

Bulk billed.

Approximate cost: $0.00

I was very happy that Ballarat created MADE so that we can share the experience of democracy through some very interesting exhibits.

I do like the electronic screens, where one can guide one's own discovery/journey. Although, an acquaintance pointed out that it does require some very basic computer literacy, which some of our older citizens may not have. I also like the area where people can contribute ideas in response to a question. When I was there on an election day, the question invited ideas about what was important in that particular election. People simply write a quick response on a piece of "sticky paper" and add it to the wall.

The first time I visited MADE, there did not appear to be many exhibits, but I think this has improved over the last year. It is encouraging to me that the same staff are at the reception desk. They are friendly and helpful.

The current exhibition of political tshirts is interesting and it is worth visiting while this is going on. There are pros and cons about the layout of this exhibition. In some part, it is spread through other exhibition areas, there is a room full of shirts hanging from the ceiling and there are a line of shirts lining the passageway near the cafe. It does ensure that people get to see some of these exhibits wherever they may be, but it was confusing to me at first. I actually wondered whether the collection was pitifully small until I discovered there were more in other places. I was glad to see that there are many shirts in the exhibition and they cover many political campaigns from Australian history.

The cafe is an excellent adjunct. The coffee is of a good standard and the food is above average. I recommend the lemon tarts. There is a grassed area immediately outside and the cafe can provide picnic blankets for patrons so that they might enjoy their refreshments in the fresh air.

NB: MADE is now the home of the Eureka flag. Do not visit without seeing the flag. It is worth spending some time looking at this very special exhibit.

Entry to the museum is free for Ballarat residents and reasonably priced for those who live outside of the area. There is plenty of parking.

Approximate cost: $12

A modest looking cafe with delicious Turkish fare - kebabs, boreks, sweet pastries and sandwiches. It is basically a counter with a few tables nearby, but a rare gem.

Everything is very clean and the food is fresh every day. The lady who serves me said that everything is freshly made on the premises. If you are there early in the morning, you will see a man working out the back of the shop kneading a huge mound of dough.

I commute a long way to the city every day and I usually pick up coffee and something to eat when I reach Melbourne. Most times, I go to "grains galore". This is partly because of the good food and excellent coffee, but also because of the very friendly service. The lady who is there in the mornings remembers how I like my coffee and my favourites from the food offerings. It's a very nice touch when cafe staff remember those things. There is only one other cafe I can think of who offer that friendly touch. We have a short chat which, for me, is a nice way to start the day.

The pricing is very reasonable. $8 for coffee and a borek.

Approximate cost: $8

The chemist on duty did not appear to know how to go about ordering in a drug that I required. He complained to me that it required faxing a letter. I had brought the letter and it was on the counter in front of us. I pointed to it and said, "that is the letter". He went on to say that ordering in the drug also required filling out a form. I truly hope that literacy is a prerequisite to becoming a chemist and that completing a form should not present difficulty to anyone in this profession. It all seemed like too much trouble and no effort was demonstrated to assist me. I said I would go elsewhere. I have bought a lot of things at Chemist Warehouse in Alfredton, but I would not spend another cent there. The attitude was very disappointing. I went to Priceline who were happy to order in the drug and to attend to the bureaucratic niceties in order to get it for me.