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Bendigo, VIC

The city of Bendigo lies at the geographic centre of Victoria State, some 150kms from the state capital, Melbourne. It’s named after Bendigo Creek, the site of massive gold deposit discoveries in the 1850s, which saw the formation of a boomtown. The gold rush saw 40,000 prospectors on site by a year after the discovery became public, and the huge settlement soon became a city with grand public buildings, a hospital and several banks.

Bendigo

Gold mining continued until 1954 when service and manufacturing industries took over, continuing the city’s growth even in the present day. Bendigo is an interesting place to visit for its remaining Victorian and Edwardian architecture including its major landmark, the soaring Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Shamrock Hotel and the Law Courts. Another much-visited landmark is ornate Alexandra Fountain with its carved cherubs, unicorns, dolphins and allegorical figures.

Bendigo is a city of green-lung parks and is surrounded by a number of national and state protected areas of natural beauty, vineyards producing fine wines, agricultural acres and extensive bushlands. The city’s Chinatown is an attraction in itself for the history of the hordes of Chinese migrants who arrived during the gold rush, as shown in the Chinese Museum and the lovely Chinese Gardens.

Bendigo

Culture is alive and thriving in Bendigo’s theatre venues and art galleries, as well as in its lively annual festivals. The Easter Festival, with its parade boasting the world’s largest Chinese paper dragon, its fun street theatre and parties, and its many exhibitions keep the city’s many hotels and other accommodation full year round.

The not-for-profit Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival in November draws visiting artistes from across the country and the larger Groovin’ the Moo Music Festival at the city’s showground is held in April and sees international as well as Australian acts. It’s a sell-out every year and has been held for decades.

Bendigo

Gold was first discovered in 1850, sparking the second gold rush in Victoria. Central Deborah Gold Mine, now a museum, was the last active mine in the area when it closed in 1954. Join a guided tour and go underground into the restored mine, where visitors descend the equivalent of a 30-storey building to explore the main shaft.

Bendigo

Chinese immigration to Australia was sparked by the discovery of rush. Bendigo is still home to a large Chinese community as well as the Golden Dragon Museum and Chinese Garden, which document the history of Chinese migration to country Victoria. Visit the historic Bendigo Pottery – Australia’s oldest working producer of ceramics, view a collection of Australian art dating back to 1850 at the Bendigo Art Gallery, or fossick for gold at the nearby Whipstick State Park. In nearby Castlemaine the local prison was shut in the 1990s but now offers accommodation, walking tours, restaurants and pubs.

Where to stay?

Experiences

  • 18-35's
  • Rural/Country
  • Food and Wine
  • Historic/Heritage
  • Relaxation

Popular Activities

  • City Sightseeing
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Wine Tasting
  • Winery
  • Gold prospecting

About Bendigo

  • Locality: Major urban locality
  • Bendigo Postcode: 3550
  • State: Victoria
  • Region: Goldfields
  • Latitude: -36.75551
  • Longitude: 144.28426
  • Elevation: 218m
  • Population: 5512
  • Median Income: $34164
  • Area (Sq/km): 5.394
  • Timezone: Australia/Melbourne

Tours In Bendigo

Discover some of the tours options around Bendigo

Explore The Outback

Australia has a vast remote interior, much of it largely untouched. By night, the outback is deathly quiet, with the only light provided by the stars and the moon - a perfect oportunity for stargazing. Explore the isolated heart of the country, meet and connect with Aboriginal people and experience one of the oldest living cultures in the world. Go ‘walk-about’ and immerse yourself with Australia’s endless outback horizons.

Outback Experiences

Luxe Accommodation

Enjoy a distinctly Australian luxury experience, such as the unforgettable reefs, islands, beaches and coast; rugged mountain ranges, rainforests and vast national parks; and the many vibrant food and wine regions. Take a once in a lifetime adventure and discover the sheer indulgence of experiencing the wonders of Australia in style and stay in total luxury.

Australia has wide variety of accommodation options to suit most budgets and travelling preferences. Choose from luxury lodges, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks as well as youth and backpacker hostels.

Accommodation

Glasshouse Mountains

The Glasshouse Mountains in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast are actually the cores of 20 million year old volcanoes. The sides of the volcanoes have eroded away leaving only the hardened rock spiremountain cores we see today. Learn more about this awe-inspiring landscape.

Glasshouse Mountains