This year’s entry was built around a four-day ‘Expect the Unexpected’ itinerary for the millennial market, which is a pretty good excuse to spend four days exploring Bendigo.
And there’s plenty to fill those four days.
You can head underground at Central Deborah Gold Mine, wander through the Golden Dragon Museum, jump aboard a vintage tram, explore Bendigo Botanic Gardens, get creative at Bendigo Pottery or join a walking tour with Djaara guides. Then there’s the food, local shops, galleries, history and plenty of places to stop for a coffee, lunch or something a little stronger.
The itinerary also included local accommodation and dining recommendations, along with tips to help visitors find some of the things that make Bendigo a little different.
The submission was judged on the written itinerary, a video showcasing the region, online reviews of key attractions and a Bendigo editorial feature. The public also got a say, with votes contributing to the final score.
The Silver adds to Bendigo’s growing collection of Top Tourism Town awards, with two Golds and now three Silvers from six years as a finalist.
Not bad at all.
And we think the best part is that the award gives visitors a pretty handy list of reasons to put Bendigo on the weekend-away list.
Gold mines, dragons, vintage trams, great food, plenty of history, creative stuff, beautiful gardens and a few unexpected finds along the way.
All just a short trip from Melbourne.
We might be biased, but Bendigo makes a very good case for itself.
IMAGE SOURCE: City of Greater Bendigo (Instagram)
