The city of Bendigo was founded on the discovery of gold, in the mid 1800s it was the greatest goldfield in Victoria extending over 360 square kilometres and during the boom the city held 35 gold bearing reefs with a total output of more than 22 million ounces of gold.

The riches of Bendigo built a grand city, and the city remains one of the centrepieces of Victoria's goldfield history, a city where history and the flamboyance of the gold field has been meticulously preserved. Its main streets echo a pride which is still felt today and a journey down its side streets reveals extraordinary buildings, Baroque mansions, Gothic cathedrals and Georgian style homes of incredible beauty regarded as the finest example of Victorian architecture in the State and possibly Australia.

Today 'Talking Trams' carry visitors through the city streets amidst superb architecture and grand design providing visitors with a unique view of Bendigo and a commentary on the city's history, its famous people, and its magnificent buildings. These vintage trams start and end at the Central Deborah Mine taking visitors on an eight kilometre tour of the city identifying points of interest and the city's many attractions.


Historical Attractions

Bendigo is a city steeped in tradition and full of buildings of great architectural and historical significance. It was men from this city that were instrumental in bringing Australia's States together in Federation and its streets proudly attest to the optimism and vivacity of the era through the wonderfully ornate buildings of the time. There are a number of wonderful historical sites and heritage buildings to visit, many classified by the National Trust.

The Bendigo Tram depot commissioned in 1903 is the oldest operating tram depot in Australia. Bendigo Tramways has a collection of 30 trams and a number of those on display are among the finest in the world including five of the worlds 16 Birney cars.

The city has a number of mines to explore including Central Deborah Mine where visitors can turn their hand to rock drilling and experience an authentic Bendigo goldmine above and below the ground. The Central Deborah Mine shaft passes through 17 levels to a depth of almost 700 metres and was the last of the deep-reef mines to close having produced 29,000 ounces of gold. Today the mine has been fully restored as a working public exhibit. For those with more than a passing interest in gold, Bendigo Goldseeker Tours offer a range of prospecting tours, metal detecting and gold panning excursions.

Sandhurst Town is one of Bendigo's most popular attractions, the town completely recreates the atmosphere of the gold era and visitors can relive the spirit and excitement of the goldrush with recreations of not only the buildings of bygone days but also the lifestyles.

Sandhurst Town boasts the largest and most authentic gold panning area in Gold Wash Gully and has gold diggings, a eucalyptus distillery and an authentic Red rattler train that visitors can ride through the Whipstick Forest to the Gold Wash Gully Diggings. The Town provides visitors with an accurate view of life on the diggings and has a number of stores and interesting displays true to the time period. Live street theatre re-enactments of bushrangers, fossickers and other characters common to the era provide visitors with an insight into other influences within Bendigo's history .

Sandhurst celebrates the annual Red Ribbon Rebellion enacting the events that set the scene for the famous Eureka Stockade and features a number of other historical events including those associated with bushrangers and of course the discovery of gold.

Heritage Buildings

The optimism of Bendigo's gold era led to the creation of many fabulously ornate buildings and many remarkably grand structures. Strolling down the beautiful tree-lined Pall Mall, Bendigo's main boulevard, visitors can see some of the city's most opulent building designs including the Italianite Post Office 1887, the Law Courts 1896, the Beehive Store 1850, and the Shamrock Hotel.

Bendigo's Post Office is the largest post office in Victoria outside Melbourne. The buildings magnificent clock tower stands 43 metres high and is one of Bendigo's finest buildings. The old Town Hall building is another of Bendigo's superb buildings, the existing hall was built in 1885 around the original 1856 hall and has a magnificent clock tower which stands 36.5 metres high.

The Beehive Store was first built in the mid 1850s by the Francis brothers. This building was replaced by a two story building built in 1864, the first floor housing a Gold Exchange and a brokers office, but this building was destroyed by fire in 1864 and was replaced by the current building in 1871. The existing Beehive Store was remodelled in 1988 and is one of Bendigo's many delights.

At the height of the boom the Bendigo region boasted more than 500 hotels, today only 50 of the finest remain intact and in operation. At the Rifle Brigade diners can sample boutique brews, while the beautiful Metropolitan and the iron-laced Goldmines Hotels boast fine restaurants.

The Shamrock Hotel is a spectacular example of 19th century boom style Baroque architecture. A Hotel since the early days of settlement in Bendigo, the current building is the third hotel on the site, the first destroyed by fire and the second demolished and rebuilt in 1897. The Hotel was formerly named the Exchange Hotel becoming the Shamrock in 1855 and is one of the highlights of a tour of the city.

The Shamrock has a grand sense of history and visitors to the Hotel will hear a collection of wonderful tales about the myriad of colourful personalities and famous historical figures who have stayed in the Hotel over the years including the time that Dame Nellie Melba stayed at the Hotel and town officials silenced the post office clock so that the great singer could enjoy an uninterrupted sleep.

The affluence and style of the gold era is also reflected in many elegant homes built by Victoria's gold barons, 'Fortuna' is one of these beautiful villas. Fortuna was once the largest private residence in Australia, home to Bendigo's "Quartz King", George Lansell, a mine owner who was a prime influence in determining Bendigo's direction. The mansion is open for inspection at 1pm on Sundays and has excellent examples of joinery, moulded ceilings and stained glass window.

Alexandra Fountain is another of Bendigo's prominent land marks. Built of Harcourt granite, the fountain which stands nine metres high was opened in 1881 by the then Prince of Wales Prince Albert. This superb fountain remains in operation more than a century later.

Bendigo also has a number of superb historical churches including St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, originally St Paul's Sandhurst Church, Killian's Church and the stunningly ornate Sacred Heart Cathedral. Sacred Heart is one of Bendigo's most spectacular buildings, dating back to 1877. The building of this English Gothic designed Cathedral began with the funds from the estate of Rev Backhaus and was finally completed in 1977. The majestic Sacred Heart is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the southern hemisphere standing nearly 90 metres high .

Though in stark contrast to Bendigo's ornate buildings, the meagre single-fronted cottages built by Bendigo's miners are also of great historical and architectural value. These cottages many now used to house boutique stores and galleries as well as Bendigo's commercial and public buildings contribute to the wonderful character of the city.

Australia's oldest ceramic manufacturer, Bendigo Pottery is located in Epsom just outside Bendigo. Bendigo Pottery was created by George Guthrie in 1858 and touring the working property, visitors can soak up the rustic pleasures of the property, exploring the wonderful National Trust classified buildings and the massive bottle neck kilns that are also of great historical value.

Arts & Museums

Bendigo's Regional Art Gallery has the largest collection of paintings by Lois Buvelot and an outstanding collection of 19th century works by other European and Australian masters. Many of the works were bequeathed to the gallery by the region's gold barons including an extensive collection of arts from the goldfields. The Gallery also houses a fine collection of decorative arts including porcelain, silver and furniture.

Another of Bendigo's galleries, the Colonial Bank Gallery, is housed in the historic National Bank building. Built in 1887 as the Colonial Bank, the upstairs Gallery rooms have a wonderful collection of works including crafts, pottery, jewellery and sculpture. The splendid old banking chamber is home to a delightful cafe where visitors can enjoy delicious teas and light meals.

Other galleries in the area include the Gail Tavener Studio where visitors will find a collection of water colours, oil and pastel paintings as well as prints and cards featuring local landmarks; Insights Gallery which holds a collection of abstract and surreal arts and the Little Gallery on High where the works of renowned Bendigo artist Ruth Ellis-Davey are on display.

Peter Gasson Axedale Bluestone Stables Gallery is another of Bendigo's interesting galleries. The Gallery was formerly the stables of an old Cobb & Co hotel and specialises in original oil paintings of the working horse. The Gallery also has a resident potter and visitors will be fascinated by the history of the buildings and surroundings.

A large portion of Bendigo's rich heritage is due to the influence of the Chinese, and as a tribute to the significant role Chinese migrants played on the gold fields The Golden Dragon Museum provides visitors with a living history of the Chinese people in the Bendigo region from the goldrush of the 1850s to the present day.

The Museum houses a variety of beautiful Chinese arts and crafts and hosts the finest collection of imperial regalia outside China including Bendigo's famous fire breathing dragons. The Golden Dragon Museum has the world's longest Imperial Dragon, Sun Loong over 100 metres long and one of the oldest , Loong. Each Easter the Dragons come to life and the Awakening of the Dragon prepares for the oriental pageantry of the annual Chinese Procession.

The brilliant red Chinese Joss House is another of Bendigo's wonderful Chinese heritage attractions. Bright banners, sacred offerings and a variety of tiny alters are found inside. Aspects of Chinese life are also portrayed at the Dai Gum San Wax Museum.

Many local producers and the works of a variety of crafts people can be found in the many delightful local markets in the Bendigo region. At the many markets held throughout the region visitors will find many wonderful unique bargains and sumptuous wares.

Outside of Bendigo within the Bendigo Pottery Complex at Epsom is the Central Victorian Motor Museum, Central Victoria's premier motoring museum. The Museum holds 40 exhibits of historic motor vehicles including vintage motor cycles and memorabilia and is also home to the National Holden Museum, a world famous collection of restored Holden vehicles.

Wineries

Bendigo's soils and climate are suited to both red and white grape varieties and the vineyards and wineries around the Bendigo region enjoy a wonderful reputation for producing quality vintages. In the heady days of the 1870s, the region's wines were world famous, and on one now celebrated occasion European judges sought to ban them from competition believing them to be fine French wines masquerading as a regional colonial product. Today visitors can enjoy the beautiful views of wine country as well as sample some of the regions great wines at the cellar door.

Natural Attractions

Bendigo offers wonderful bushlands and gardens to explore. The Whipstick State Park features many distinctive natural features and offers visitors a superb variety of flora and fauna. The Park covers 14,000 hectares and incorporates the Whipstick and Kamarooka State Parks and the Eaglehawk Regional Park.

Whipstick, which is some believe took its name from the particular type of grass which grows in the region used by bullockies in the city's early days to move their teams, is a feast of wildlife with more than 170 species of birds, a number of native animals and abundant wildflowers. Visitors may also see the odd relic from the gold days as they make their way through the Park. Within the Park visitors can enjoy picnics in areas that were formerly eucalyptus oil distilleries, camping and recreational fossicking in designated areas.

The Bendigo Cactus Gardens established in 1937 and now classified by the National Trust also makes for an interesting visit, as does Rosalind Park. Rosalind Park was established in 1857 resulting from a 26ha land grant, the Park contains magnificent examples of European and native trees, a splendid fernery and Conservatory and a number of other wonderful historical buildings including police barracks and a school.

Other attractions within Bendigo include Sedgwick's Camel Farm which offers a unique way of touring the region's attractions and a Mohair Farm. Sedgwick's offer adventure camel rides and camel treks ranging from half day tours to overnight rides touring through picturesque bushland and enjoying picnics and BBQs. While at the Bendigo Mohair Farm visitors can see and touch goats, watch shearing in action and follow the production cycle of the wool as it is used in the creation of a number of garments and items.

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