Bendigo

Taking advantage of the last few weeks of the holiday break, I recently took a trip up to Bendigo. I didn’t know what to expect, or what would be on offer once we arrived, but was really pleasantly surprised by the amount of activities available. I hope this very brief summary inspires you to head out on a road trip of your own to one of Victoria’s beautiful country towns.

On the first afternoon we stumbled upon ‘Book Now’ on Farmer Lane. Housing rare and out of print second hand books, ‘Book Now’ has a fantastic collection spanning all genres, and classic children’s novels with beautiful vintage covers from all the way back in the 1940s.

The Bendigo Art Gallery has a beautiful permanent collection with both classic and modern art works on display, but it was their temporary collection featuring the work of artist Ben Quilty that was my must see. Large scale canvases depicting his take on the invasion of Australian land and his self-portraits, all created with his signature 3-D brushstrokes feature in a bright contemporary space. The exhibition will be running until the 1st of March.

The Golden Dragon Museum houses traditional Chinese textiles, clothing items and vintage homewares. The Bendigo Chinese Association use this museum as a means to provide tourists with an insight into both the rich history of Chinese culture, but also the challenges associated with living as a member of the Chinese community during the Gold Rush. Quick tours around the museum are conducted daily and really help to give the key pieces in the museum more meaning, as well as providing interesting recounts of life in Bendigo during the Gold Rush.  Serene gardens with Chinese architecture and landscaping can also be found on the grounds. 

Bendigo also has some beautiful natural spaces, Rosalind Park was gorgeous and had we had a little more time it would have been a beautiful spot for a picnic. Hiring a bike and going for a ride around Lake Weeroona or through the Botanic Gardens are also lovely options if you’re after something more outdoorsy.  

We stayed at The Schaller Studio, a really fresh and modern place, with artist Mark Schaller’s work featuring throughout the hotel and in every room. You can book through the hotel’s website but great deals can also be found on Wotif.com


-M