Bendigo in a Day

Earlier this year in September I took a trip to to the regional town of Bendigo to visit a friend. Bendigo is located near the geographical centre of the state of Victoria, about 150km north west of Melbourne. The discovery of gold in Bendigo Creek in 1851 transformed the area from a sheep station to one of Australia's largest gold producers. The gold mining economy here was huge, generating large amounts of wealth. Whilst the amount of mining has declined from it's peak, Bendigo is one of Victoria's fastest-growing regional centres. From Southern Cross Station you can take a 2 hour train to Bendigo station. I visited only for a day, but I think that's enough time to see all the main attractions the town has to offer.

Central Deborah Gold Mine

Our first stop was Central Deborah Gold Mine, which operated from 1939-1954 and extracted 929kg of gold (worth $85 million today). At it's peak, the Gold Mine reached a depth of 412m. It had 15km worth of underground tunnels and operation in the mine was very labour-intensive due to operating costs, hence Central Deborah being a 'hands-on' mine.

We did an underground guided tour of the mine, which took us 61m beneath the surface and led us through some of the original tunnels that were used during operation. A lot of the original mining equipment was still there, with the tour explaining how gold was identified, extracted and transported back to ground level. I would recommend doing this tour if you do come to visit - it gives a great insight into the operations of a mine that you wouldn't get if you just walked around on the surface. Note that the tunnels are often damp the floor can be wet, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear and clothing.

Bendigo Landmarks

As we were making our way through the town, I thought it would be good to mention some of the sights that you will pass by, but not necessarily spend any time at (maybe a few minutes to grab a picture or two)

Sacred Heart Cathedral

This cathedral was designed in the 1895, and is listed as a heritage site. It is one of Australia's largest churches and the 3rd tallest. The building itself is 75m long and has a ceiling height of 24m. The main spire is 87m high.

Alexandra Fountain

This is one of the city's most famous landmarks, and can be found in the Charing Cross area of the city. It stands opposite the main entrance of Rosalind Park (more on that to come later). The fountain is 8.5m high, with a 15m diameter. It is constructed from 20 tonnes of granite, cast iron and stone. The fountain is a symbol for the success Bendigo has had in the goldfields.

La Trobe University Bendigo Campus

Seeing as my friend was studying at La Trobe, we decided to have a wander around the Bendigo Campus. I was surprised as how much space this campus had. The Parkville Campus of UniMelb was much bigger than Imperial's South Kensington Campus, but the Bendigo Campus was far larger than UniMelb's. Despite having so may facilities and buildings, I did find the campus pretty quiet compared to Melbourne's. La Trobe's Campus is also slightly outside the centre of Bendigo, so it does feel a lot more like suburban Australia

Lake Weeroona

After catching a bus to get to our next stop (there's no trams in Bendigo), we arrived at Lake Weeroona. The weather was great the day I visited, so it was nice to chill by the water and take in the scenery. It has plenty of space for walking, rowing on the lake and green spaces. The lake and reserve set on 18 hectares was actually transformed from a dusty mining area in the 1870s.

Rosalind Park

Rosalind Park is Bendigo's most popular park. It's located in the centre of Bendigo, making it easy to access and get to. It has historic trees, structures and bats! This park is also heritage listed.

The Conservatory Gardens

The greenhouse was built in 1897 and has various flowers and plants - it's located in the park so worth a visit if you're nearby.

Poppet Head Lookout Tower

Another feature you should definitely check out in Rosalind Park is the lookout tower. It was originally used during the gold rush to process mining tailings and to hoist flags indicating that mail had arrived. After climbing all the way to the top, you can get a great view of the town.

And that pretty much covers my time in Bendigo! Overall, it's a great place for a day trip, especially when coming from Melbourne. The absence of high-rise buildings, excessive noise, less traffic and more greenery gives Bendigo a 'town' or suburb feel. You probably don't need more than a day in the city to see everything (I did all of the above in a single day), but it could also make a nice weekend getaway if you do want to spend a night here. Bendigo was also my first experience of visiting another city in Victoria besides Melbourne and venturing into regional Victoria - reminding me just how spread out Australia is!

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