Visit Bendigo and experience a vibrant regional city jam-packed with creativity, great food and drinks, happening festivals and happy locals, all thriving in a heritage setting that pays tribute to the grand European cities that inspired it.
Bendigo was awarded Silver in the 2026 Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards, while local operator Bendigo Guided Tours took home Gold in the New Tourism Business category – a nice recognition of just how much our region has to offer.
Gold may have put Bendigo on the map in the 1850s, but there’s much more to the city today.
The gold rush left behind beautiful architecture, gardens and historic streetscapes, while modern Bendigo has developed its own personality – with a strong mix of art, food and wine, live music, sport, events and outdoor experiences. Wander the city, find a good coffee, explore the surrounding region or simply see where the day takes you.
Bendigo’s history is a big part of its story, but it’s what’s happening here now that makes it such an interesting place to visit.
One of the things that makes Bendigo interesting is the way old and new sit side by side. Beautiful heritage buildings that once housed banks, factories and public halls have found new lives as restaurants, wine bars, theatres and creative spaces.
There’s a strong arts and cultural scene, with major exhibitions, live performances and festivals throughout the year, along with independent shops, local makers, vintage finds and plenty of good places to stop for coffee or something to eat.
Bendigo’s gold rush history is never far away, but the city continues to evolve and find new ways to use its beautiful old spaces, giving you something a little different to discover each time you visit.
You don’t have to look too hard to find Bendigo’s past – you can walk through it, ride through it and even head underground into it.
Explore the city’s gold mining story below ground, discover the important role the Chinese community played in shaping the goldfields, or visit a pottery that has been operating since the 1850s and is still producing pieces today.
Old trams still travel through the city, historic sites have been given new life, and many of the stories that shaped Bendigo are surprisingly easy to experience first-hand.
It’s a great way to discover how Bendigo became the city it is today, with plenty of the original story still here to see.
There’s a good chance something will be happening in Bendigo while you’re here.
The city has a busy calendar of events throughout the year, from food and wine weekends and major exhibitions to live music, markets and sporting events.
Then there are the Bendigo favourites that return year after year, including the Bendigo Easter Festival, which has been bringing crowds into the city for generations.
It’s always worth checking the events calendar before your visit – you might find something you didn’t know was on.
Check out Bendigo Tourism's What's On pages to see what events are coming up.
The city’s finest musicians will be making the tram their stage, ensuring that no two nights are ever the same!
With strictly limited tickets available, the Groove Tram is one of the most exclusive parties in town.
Gather your family and friends, book your tickets online, and get ready to groove the night away.
GROOVE TRAM DETAILS:
Founded in 1858, Bendigo Pottery in Epsom is Australia’s oldest working pottery. Set within a heritage-listed site with historic wood-fired kilns, it showcases over 150 years of ceramic craftsmanship and innovation.
Visitors enjoy a rich, hands-on experience through exhibitions, demonstrations, artisan studios, and shopping — all in an accessible, welcoming setting.
The Central Deborah Gold Mine was the last commercial mine to operate in Bendigo, running from 1939 until 1954- it was no small operation! Around 357 miners worked across 17 underground levels, with roughly 15km of tunnels reaching as deep as 412 metres below the surface.
During its working life, the mine produced 929kg of gold – almost 30,000 ounces – worth more than $70 million today.
When Central Deborah closed in late 1954, it marked the end of Bendigo’s commercial gold mining era. Today, you can head underground yourself and get a much better idea of what working down there would have actually been like.
Go 61 metres underground with a guide to discover life as a gold rush miner.
Wander heritage-listed buildings, historic equipment & museum exhibits (incl. Hand of Faith replica).
You certainly don’t expect to find the largest stupa in the Western world just outside Bendigo – but that’s exactly what’s here.
A stupa, sometimes known as a pagoda, is one of the most sacred structures in Buddhism, representing the enlightened mind and the path to enlightenment.
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is almost 50 metres high and 50 metres wide, and is modelled on the Great Stupa of Gyantse in Tibet.
You don’t need to be Buddhist to visit, either. It’s an impressive place to wander around, learn a little about Buddhist culture and enjoy the peaceful surroundings – and its sheer size is something you really need to see in person.
Objectives of the Great Stupa:
Inspire a peaceful and spiritual path
Serve as a global Buddhist pilgrimage site
Offer a refuge of serenity for all
Educate people about Buddhism
Host major teachings and seminars
Benefit as many beings as possible
Annual Events Held at the Great Stupa:
Festival of Light
Peaceful Land of Joy Meditation Retreats
Vegetarian Food Festival
Wellbeing Festival
Sacred Music & Dance of Tibet
Buddha's Day & Multicultural Festival
Interfaith Forums and Ceremonies
School and Group Tours
One of the easiest – and most Bendigo – ways to have a look around the city is aboard a Vintage Talking Tram.
Hop on, take a seat and listen as the tram shares stories about Bendigo while passing some of the city’s best-known landmarks. It’s a handy way to get your bearings when you first arrive, particularly if you’re not quite sure where to start.
Your ticket is valid for the whole day, so you can hop on and off at different tram stops, have a wander, grab some lunch or visit an attraction, then jump back aboard when you're ready.
And a handy one for anyone travelling with their four-legged family member – the Vintage Talking Trams are dog-friendly too!
Bringing a four-legged family member on holiday? Good news — Bendigo is packed with dog-friendly places to walk, dine, relax, and explore. Whether it’s lakeside strolls, café stops, or wine tastings, there’s something for every good dog and their best mate.
🐕🦺 Lake Weeroona Walk & Whitby Café
🌸 Botanical Gardens & Omari Café
🐾 Harcourt Dog Park
🐾 Allingham Reserve Dog Park
The Great Stupa
Located in a beautiful historic Railway Goods Shed near the Bendigo Railway Station, Discovery is a not-for -profit centre where science comes alive for curious minds of all ages.
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
Step into a world where imagination meets innovation at CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks.
This immersive exhibition invites you to explore the foundations of our universe through hands-on creativity and play. Journey across eras and into the cosmos as you uncover the science behind engineering marvels and decode the logic of mathematical thinking — all through the power of LEGO® bricks.
Experiment, design, and construct your own creations while discovering how simple pieces can inspire big ideas. Whether you're a future engineer, a budding mathematician, or simply curious about how things work, this experience is your chance to build knowledge brick by brick.
MORE!
Crusoe Reservoir and No. 7 Park covers 210 hectares surrounded by the Greater Bendigo National Park. The area is known for its beautiful landscape, indigenous vegetation, rich cultural heritage, and outstanding recreational opportunities.
Crusoe Reservoir offers excellent water-based activities including swimming, fishing, canoeing, and other non-powered boating. The reservoir is surrounded by abundant flora and fauna, with seating and picnic areas located throughout, making it perfect for family outings.
Fishing
Crusoe Reservoir is home to:
Walking & Cycling Tracks
All tracks are sign-posted and colour-coded:
Number 7 Park
Number 7 Park is an important part of Bendigo’s gold mining history. The reservoir and its water purification system were the first of their kind in Australia, supplying treated drinking water to Bendigo’s miners in the 1860s. Visitors can still see the settling ponds, basin, and channel system while exploring the interpretive walking tracks through the surrounding Box-Ironbark forest.
Park Features
The network of tracks is sign-posted and colour-coded for different distances, suitable for both casual visitors and serious runners.
Please Note: Crusoe Reservoir & Number 7 Park is a high conservation area and has a No Dog and No Bin policy.
An old 1860s gaol probably isn’t the first place you’d expect to find a modern theatre – but that’s exactly what happened in Bendigo.
The former Sandhurst Gaol has been cleverly transformed into the beautiful Ulumbarra Theatre, with much of the original prison still incorporated into the building.
Take a guided tour and wander through the old gaol while hearing some of the stories of the people who once lived and worked behind its walls. You’ll also see how the historic building was transformed into the theatre and performance space it is today.
The name Ulumbarra means ‘gather together’ in the language of the Dja Dja Wurrung people, which is particularly fitting for a site that has had several very different lives over the years.
Tours: Tuesdays at 2pm
Bookings are essential through the Bendigo Visitor Centre.
It’s a fascinating way to see a side of the building you might otherwise walk straight past – part history, part architecture and definitely not your average theatre tour.
Great Places to Explore Without Spending a Fortune
You don't have to spend big to enjoy a few days in Bendigo. From beautiful gardens and historic streets to great coffee, gelato and plenty of places to get outdoors, there's lots to see and do without spending a fortune.
Whether you're planning a family getaway, a couple of nights away or bringing your four-legged family member along, here are a few ideas for exploring Bendigo while keeping the costs down.
Explore Bendigo's historic streets
Bendigo's gold rush history is one of the things that makes the city so interesting to explore. Take a wander along View Street, admire the grand old buildings and enjoy the architecture that gives Bendigo its character.
Right in the heart of the city, Rosalind Park is a lovely place to spend some time. Explore the gardens, wander through the fernery and check out the historic Poppet Head Lookout.
Sacred Heart Cathedral is also worth a look while you're in town, with its impressive architecture and beautiful stained-glass windows.
Coffee, gelato and a little something sweet
A day exploring wouldn't be complete without a good coffee stop! There are several cafés close to Rosalind Park, including Out of Order, Peachy, Pogo Espresso and Ghosty's Diner. Grab a takeaway coffee and enjoy it while wandering through the park or exploring the nearby streets.
If you've got a sweet tooth, there are plenty of tempting stops too. Pick up a gelato from Augustus Gelatery, check out Dessert Factory or Heavenly Melts, or treat yourself to something from Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates.
These little stops are an easy way to enjoy the city, whether you're out exploring as a couple or treating the kids to something special.
Enjoy the outdoors
Some of Bendigo's best outings are the simple ones.
Lake Weeroona is a favourite for a walk, a picnic or a visit to the playground. Bendigo Botanic Gardens in White Hills are another lovely spot to explore, with plenty of greenery and space to wander.
If you enjoy walking or cycling, the O'Keefe Rail Trailoffers a great way to get out and enjoy the local landscape, while Greater Bendigo National Park has bushland and walking opportunities to explore.
Just outside the city, the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is an impressive landmark and a unique place to visit, with self-guided visits available by donation.
For more inspiration, take a look at Visit Bendigo's guide to free things to do.
Affordable accommodation for your Bendigo getaway
Of course, accommodation is part of the cost of a trip, too. At BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park, we have options to suit different travellers and budgets.
Our budget-friendly dog-friendly cabins are a handy option if you'd like to bring your dog along, while our one-bedroom studios offer a comfortable base for couples or smaller groups. Travelling with your own caravan or camping setup? Keep an eye on our specials page for offers such as Stay 3, Pay 2 and weekly rates on caravan and camping sites.
And there's plenty to enjoy back at the park, too. Families can make the most of the pedal karts, pump track, jumping pillow, games room, swimming pool and spa between trips into Bendigo.
With so many places to explore, you can enjoy a great Bendigo getaway without having to spend money on an activity every day.
For some cheap dining options check out: https://insidebendigo.com.au/eat-drink/best-cheap-eats-bendigo
You might have walked past Bendigo’s beautiful old Post Office plenty of times, but there’s a lot more to the building than you can see from the street.
Built in 1887, the former Post Office is one of Bendigo’s most recognisable buildings, complete with gargoyles, lions and a 43-metre clock tower.
And here's a good little Bendigo story – the clock tower's bells are believed to have once been silenced at the request of famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, who was trying to sleep across the road at the Hotel Shamrock!
Take a guided tour and you'll get to explore inside, hear stories about the people who occupied the building over the years and even venture into secret spaces beneath it.
It served as Bendigo’s Post Office for more than a century and today is home to the Bendigo Visitor Centre.
If you enjoy discovering the bits of old buildings you don't normally get to see, this one is worth knowing about.
Immerse yourself in the rich stories of a golden past. Explore stunning heritage architecture fashioned in a time when Bendigo was the wealthiest city in the world!
Bendigo Town Hall Tours operate regularly on Wednesdays at 2 pm, and Sundays at 11 am.
During the height of the gold rush, the civic fathers of Bendigo were displeased with the basic appearance of their municipal building. A redevelopment was commissioned to reflect the abundance and splendour of Bendigo's golden age. The masterpiece that now commands the site was the creation of W.C Vahland who went on to become one of the city's most revered architects.
Decorative plaster adorned with 22-carat gold leaf, befitting a European palace, holds the stories of a city built on gold. Restoration of the splendid building was completed in 2003. It remains as it was at the turn of the century, the jewel in Bendigo's crown.
Your guide will take you on a fascinating journey through the Town Hall. Explore the current city council chambers and take a selfie at the Mayor's table!
Tucked away beside the state forest, Sandhurst Ridge is a family-run boutique winery that has been producing award-winning wines since its first vintage in 1995.
Brothers Paul and George Greblo continue a family winemaking tradition that began generations ago in northern Italy. Paul is the winemaker and George manages the vineyard, so there’s a good chance the person pouring your wine knows a thing or two about exactly how it got from vine to glass.
The vineyard produces Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, along with Nebbiolo - a lovely nod to the family’s Italian heritage.
The cellar door is relaxed and personal, with tastings of current releases as well as some older vintages. A great little Bendigo winery to add to the list if you enjoy good wine without too much fuss.
There’s something pretty special about travelling through the countryside behind a real steam locomotive -particularly when you're in no hurry to get anywhere.
The Victorian Goldfields Railway runs between the historic goldfields towns of Castlemaine and Maldon, with the journey taking around 45 minutes each way.
Families can settle into a compartment and watch the countryside roll past while the steam train works its way through the hills. Or, for something a little different, travel First Class in one of the beautifully restored heritage carriages, complete with a bar and an open viewing platform at the end of the parlour car.
Depending on your trip, there’s time to get off in Maldon, find somewhere for lunch, have a wander through town and then climb back aboard for the return journey.
The railway is run by volunteers, who help keep the old trains, carriages and railway experience alive.
Trains generally operate on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as during school holidays, but it's worth checking the timetable before you go.
Even if you're not particularly interested in trains, there's something quite nice about slowing things down and enjoying the journey for a change.
There’s something nice about buying your food directly from the people who grow, bake and make it.
The Bendigo Community Farmers Market brings together more than 50 stalls showcasing fresh, seasonal produce from Bendigo and the surrounding region. Think fruit and veggies, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, fresh bread, sweet treats, pantry goodies, artisan drinks, flowers, coffee and plenty that’s ready to eat there and then.
It’s a relaxed Saturday morning wander, a chance to pick up some genuinely local produce and meet some of the farmers and producers behind it.
When: Second Saturday of every month
Time: 9am – 12:30pm
Where: Bendigo Foodshare, 227 Breen Street, Golden Square
There’s also a Good Food Market every Friday from 10am–3pm at the same location, selling seasonal produce grown locally at Golden Gums Farm and sourced from other local suppliers.
Bring a bag and see what’s in season!
The Golden Dragon Museum is Victoria’s first accredited museum, showcasing a stunning collection of Chinese cultural history. Inside, you’ll find:
Traditional processional regalia
Beautifully carved furniture
Exquisite costumes embroidered with gold bullion thread
Historic artefacts dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1026 BC)
Explore the living history of the Chinese community in Bendigo, from the 1850s gold rush through to modern day, at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Australia.
What you’ll find on-site:
A well-stocked gift shop
Tea rooms for a relaxing break
An education centre
A research library
The surrounding Chinese precinct also includes:
The tranquil Yi Yuan Gardens
The Guan Yin Temple
The Dai Gum San forecourt
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Open 7 days during Victorian school holidays (including Mondays)
If you want to see what gold-rush wealth looked like when someone really went to town with it, Fortuna Villa is worth a look.
The story of Fortuna Villa is closely tied to mining magnate George Lansell, who bought the property in 1871 and continued adding to and decorating it for almost 40 years. The result is quite something – elaborate ceilings, stained and etched glass, a grand timber staircase, marble baths and rooms filled with incredible detail.
The grounds are just as interesting, with an ornamental lake, Roman Bath, Pompeii Fountain, old stables and coach house, along with remnants of the original gold-processing works.
And the property has had a few different lives. During World War II it was taken over for military use and went on to be associated with the Army’s mapping and survey work for decades.
Fortuna is now a private property, but open days, tours and special events give visitors the chance to have a look inside and explore the grounds. It’s one of those Bendigo places where the building itself tells a pretty remarkable story.
The ultimate venue for FUN in Bendigo!
The Zone offers a range of adrenaline-packed activities that provide a challenging and lasting experience. Ideal for kids (and big kids), The Zone has an adventure waiting for everyone and is the perfect day out for the whole family.
Laser Tag – Skating – Go Karts – Mini Golf – Archery Tag – Paintball – Indoor Play Centre – Jumping Castle – Outdoor Maze – Slot Cars – Arcades.
Get the adrenaline pumping with the fantastic activities. Or sit back, relax and recharge with a coffee and a bite to eat in the cafe. Groups are welcome for a BBQ or party. They also welcome birthday parties and corporate functions.
Image credit: letsgokids.com.au
