Bendigo is literally a city built on gold. It was the second highest producing gold field in Australia, after Kalgoorlie, and the legacy of Victoria’s quite astonishing gold rush is visible wherever you look. From across the world people came in their droves to seek fame and fortune and between 1850 and 1900 more gold was found here than anywhere else in the world.
Today Bendigo remains a thriving, vital city to explore. The graceful, wide streets are lined with impressive Victorian buildings and some of the most notable architecture, sculptures, and gardens in Australia. All, a lasting legacy of a rich heritage.
Whilst the gold may be gone, Bendigo is awash with new treasures waiting to be discovered. The arts and cultural precinct is home to vintage goods, independent boutiques and trades that would otherwise have been lost forever. It’s a place of creativity and innovation.
Hop on the vintage Bendigo talking tram and trundle through the past, then don overalls and a hard hat to head underground in the Central Deborah Gold Mine. If you’re feeling creative, you can try your hand at the potter’s wheel in Australia’s oldest working pottery.
Perhaps less well known is the fact that Bendigo has been recently designated a UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy. Dine in laneways and basement restaurants, former glass factories and heritage buildings or join a food fossickers tour to meet the makers and producers putting Bendigo on the map.
Be Inspired
- Head underground in search of gold in one of Bendigo’s key mines from the 19th century.
- Flex your wallet in Chancery Lane home to an eclectic mix of fashion , art, food and beverages.
- Take in the works of many contemporary Australian artists and International exhibitions at renowned Bendigo Art Gallery.
- Taste and sample your way around the culinary delights of Bendigo on a foodie tour.
- Explore the O’Keefe Rail Trail – a 49km ride or walk that follows an old railway track.
- Chinese culture has been prevalent in Bendigo since the gold rush and the Golden Dragon Museum pays homage to the stories and traditions.
- Sample award winnings reds from over 60 cellars doors in the Bendigo and Heathcote wine regions.
- Climb and take in the views from the largest Buddhist temple in the Western World
