Wreaths have been laid in Ballarat to remember the 30 gold diggers and six soldiers who died in the Eureka Stockade, 150 years ago today.

About 2,000 people have gathered at dawn for the ceremony on the original site of the uprising.

Actor John Flaus told the story of Australia's only organised civil uprising, as the crowd surrounded a lake lit by small flames.

"One-hundred-and-fifty years ago to the day, to the hour, a small band of about 100 diggers stood up for what they believed in, and some of them died for it," he said.

Four choirs and a trade union bag-piper performed in the ceremony that lasted 30 minutes - the time it took to put down the original rebellion.

Many descendents of miners and troopers are in Ballarat for today's Eureka events, as well as the Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, Opposition Leader Robert Doyle, and Greens leader Bob Brown.

Peter Lalor, the great-grandson of the rebellion leader, says he is proud of his heritage.

"Slowly but surely, even the conservative elements can see that Eureka was a fundamental stand for human rights and liberties, not for revolution, not for breaking laws, not for bringing down governments, but for sound democratic principles," he said.