Bendigo.

Bendigo is the fourth largest town in the state of Victoria, Australia, and located roughly in the centre of that state.

A charming and elegant regional city, Bendigo is an ideal base to explore Victoria's rich golden heritage.

In the centre of town, gold rush era architecture nestles among century-old gardens, sidewalk cafés, art galleries and antique stores.

Impressive Victorian era buildings line the wide streets as a reminder of the heady days when Bendigo was the centre of one of the world's most exciting gold rushes.

Today there are new treasures to be discovered in this thriving city.

Set amidst this wonderfully historic background an exciting arts and cultural community exists.

Prominent, and very talented artists and artisans are making the Bendigo region their home and bringing with them talents and skills that are giving birth to a renewed creativity in the community.

Together with the rich cultural heritage this is adding significantly to the wonderful ambience that is evident on every street corner and in every café.

Discover Bendigo's vibrant arts precinct with a wander along View Street.

Here you’ll find the Bendigo Art Gallery containing a collection of Australian art dating back to the 1850s, a special collection of art from the Bendigo goldfields and 19th century European paintings, sculptures and decorative arts.

The Bendigo Art Gallery also continually attracts significant exhibitions from across the globe.

Also check out the Performing Arts Centre and a host of smaller galleries and antique stores.

Dozens of smaller studios and galleries across the region exhibit artists who work in many different mediums including glass, paint, metal, printmaking and pottery.

Many galleries can be found in the villages and towns surrounding Bendigo, including Heathcote, Castlemaine and Maldon.

Another rich aspect of the Bendigo cultural landscape is the Chinese history of the region.

During the gold rush of the 1850s many thousands of Chinese arrived in Bendigo seeking their fortune.

Within ten years the Chinese miners and merchants made up 20% of the Bendigo population and in the 1890s an impressive Chinese imperial dragon known as Loong was sent from China.

Loong is believed to be the oldest Imperial (five-clawed) dragon in the world.

Bendigo's original Dragon made his first appearance in 1892 and continued to parade the streets of Bendigo during festivals and celebrations every year until his retirement                                    in 1970.

The Golden Dragon Museum houses Loong as well as an impressive collection of other artefacts.

It offers a world-class cultural experience.

It really is very good…

The Bendigo Pottery is also just as famous with its display and sales complex set around vast old beehive kilns.

Dozens of smaller studios and galleries in Bendigo profile artists of the region.

For the curious and those with a sweet tooth there’s a great experience for you at Confectionery Capers and a guided tour of Bendigo’s magnificent Town Hall is a must.

For the more adventurous there’s Australia’s highest Vertical Slide at Discovery Science & Technology Centre and a host of other challenges at Life Adventure Park.

For an even more active visit try a walking trail or cycling trail through Bendigo's fabulous city centre or beyond.

A bush-walk through the tranquil Whipstick Forest, fossicking for gold near historic Maldon or cycling around beautiful wineries on route to Castlemaine could be just wheat you need.

There’s the authentic deep-shaft mine experience at the Central Deborah gold mine, where you get to travel underground in a miners’ cage and you must take a ride on the famous Vintage Talking Tram Tour that weaves through the streets of Bendigo, telling wonderful stories of days gone by.

Well we've made that easy for you, just fill in the squares in the little box on the right and we'll take you to our page of Bendigo hotels where you'll find a list of all the accommodation in Bendigo, their prices, facilities, pictures and just about eveything else you could want to know.

Go there now and check it out.

Yes, Bendigo is a place where art, culture, food, wine and heritage attractions are in abundance, just as the gold was in the late 1850's.

Visit us soon and …………….enjoy,

John.

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