Bendigo
vic 3550

About Bendigo

One of Victoria’s largest cities with a bustling modern heartbeat, while still holding ties to its illustrious history as a gold rush powerhouse.

The Town

With a history steeped in the days of the gold rush, and wonderfully blending grand architecture, picturesque gardens, and a lively food, wine, and arts scene, Bendigo stands tall as one of Victoria’s most exciting and culturally unique regional destinations. Positioned 150 kms north-west of Melbourne’s CBD, Victoria’s 4th largest city is defined by its stunning period residences and landscaped garden, while its abundance of museums and galleries, restaurants and cafes, and quaint boutique shops has all your retail, epicurean, and cultural bases covered. Bendigo’s gold rush history dates back to the 1850s, with the town still being the 2nd largest producing goldfield in Australia and the 7th largest in the world.

The Numbers

(data taken from 2021 Australian Census, click here for more details)

Population: 5,652
Median Age: 43
Married: 37.1%
Never Married: 43.2%
Couple family without children: 46%
Couple family with children: 30.9%
Family households: 56.4%

What To See

Central Deborah Mine (76 Violet Street) offers underground mine tours and the ‘Talking Tram’ which takes passengers on an almost 5 kilometre journey passing through many of the city's most interesting attractions. Bendigo Art Gallery (42 View Street) is one of Australia’s oldest and largest regional galleries and exhibits works from the likes of Patricia Piccinini, Bill Henson, and Dale Frank. The Golden Dragon Museum (1/11 Bridge Street) pays homage to the town’s history with Chinese people and culture. For a scenic walk on a sunny spring or autumn day, head down to Rosalind Park (corner View Street & Pall Mall) for over 60 acres grassy open spaces plus a historic conservatory.

Where To Eat And Drink

Old Green Bean (179 Lyttleton Terrace) is a popular micro-roastery serving aromatic coffee matched by a scrumptious selection of breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare, all with the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral as your backdrop. With funky warehouse vibes and internal street art that will put a smile on your face, the trendy Brewhouse (402 Hargreaves Street) is always in the running for Bendigo’s best coffee crown. The waft of intoxicating smoke will be your inedible first impression as you step inside Bendigo’s only dedicated steakhouse, with the award-winning The Woodhouse (101 Williamson Street) the perfect stop if you’re craving Sher Wagyu or Angus Rump. The Social (100 Pall Mall) is the place to be in Bendigo on Friday and Saturday nights, where you can take advantage of great live music. Finally, if you’re in the mood for a comforting pub meal (be it a hearty chicken parma or steak sandwich), you can’t go past the historic Lake View Hotel (204 McCrae Street) which is everything you could ever want from a warm and welcoming country pub.