Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BENDIGO
POP 82,800
You don't have to look far to find evidence of Bendigo's heritage, whether in the magnifi-
cent Shamrock Hotel, the Central Deborah Goldmine or the Chinese dragons that awaken
for the Easter Festival. At the same time, modern-day Bendigo is a prosperous, upbeat and
thoroughly enjoyable regional city with one of the best regional art galleries in Australia,
plenty of family attractions and some great wineries in the surrounding district. It's also a
place with star potential where things seem to be moving - watch this space.
History
The fantastically rich Bendigo Diggings covered more than 360 sq km after gold was dis-
covered in nearby Ravenswood in 1851, and later Bendigo Creek. It is said the maids at the
Shamrock Hotel mopped the floor every night to collect the gold dust brought in on the
drinkers' boots. The arrival of thousands of Chinese miners in 1854 had a lasting effect on
the town, despite the racial tensions that surfaced.
In the 1860s the scene changed again as independent miners were outclassed by the
powerful mining companies with their heavy machinery. The companies poured money in-
to the town and some 35 quartz reefs were found. The ground underneath Bendigo is still
honeycombed with mine shafts, and the gold is still around - Bendigo Mining successfully
resumed operations at the Kangaroo Flat mine in 2008.
