50-463: The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is a Buddhist monument near Bendigo in central Victoria , Australia . The basic idea for building the stupa came from Lama Yeshe and then, after Lama Yeshe's death, from Lama Zopa Rinpoche , who decided to model the stupa ( kumbum ) on the Great Stupa of Gyantse which is 600 years old. When completed, the stupa's exterior will be an exact replica of
100-551: A humid subtropical / cold semi-arid transitional climate zone ( Cfa/BSk ), due to its location being on the boundary of the hot, sultry inland areas to the north and the cool, damp Southern Ocean to the south. Bendigo gets 109.9 clear days annually. The mean minimum temperature in January is 14.4 °C (57.9 °F) and the maximum 30.3 °C (86.5 °F), although temperatures above 35 °C (95.0 °F) are commonly reached. The highest temperature officially recorded
150-634: A plan of the Mount Alexander gold workings, and his order that he mark out a reserve at the junction of Golden Gully with Bendigo Creek, and the camp on the west side of the creek below the junction. In late August La Trobe wanted him to report urgently on the best reserves for agriculture in the district. By 26 November he had mapped Bendigo Creek and Myers Creek, and his survey of the Bendigo Valley and environs marked township reserves at Bullock Creek, Ravenswood and Happy Jack where settlement
200-561: A style that was soon adopted across the state of Victoria. Vahland also designed more than 80 buildings, including the Alexandra Fountain , arguably the most prominent monument in Bendigo, with its granite dolphins, unicorns, nymphs and allegorical figures. A tram network was established by 1890, some of which is still in operation as a tourism service currently. After a temporary drop in population, renewed growth occurred from
250-437: A tent city, the boomtown grew rapidly into a major urban centre with many grand public buildings. The municipality became a borough in 1863, officially known as Sandhurst until 1891, but always unofficially as Bendigo. The railway had reached Bendigo by 1862, stimulating rapid growth, with flour mills, woollen mills, tanneries, quarries, foundries, eucalyptus oil production, food production industries, and timber cutting. When
300-532: Is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state. It covers an area of 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 121,470. It includes the city of Bendigo and the towns of Axedale , Elmore , Heathcote , Marong , Raywood and Strathfieldsaye . It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the former City of Bendigo with
350-552: Is a city in north-central Victoria , Australia , located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-west of Melbourne , the state capital. As of 2022, Bendigo has a population of 103,818 making it Australia's 19th-largest city by population . Bendigo is the fourth-largest inland city in Australia and the fourth-most populous city in Victoria . Bendigo
400-553: Is administered by the City of Greater Bendigo , formerly the City of Bendigo . The council area encompasses roughly 3,000 square kilometres, the city is surrounded by smaller towns such as Castlemaine , Heathcote , Kyneton , Maryborough , Elmore , Rochester , Goornong and Axedale . The traditional owners of the area are the Dja Dja Wurrung (Djaara) people. The discovery of gold on Bendigo Creek in 1851 transformed
450-690: Is built on top of a wide bridge that spans the viaduct . The park elevates toward Camp Hill, which features a historic school and a lookout – a former mine poppet head . Further from the city is Lake Weeroona , a large, ornamental lake adjacent to the Bendigo Creek. The Bendigo Botanic Gardens , which opened in 1869, are further downstream. Major redevelopment of the gardens has taken place in recent years. The gardens are home to many native species of animals, including brushtailed and ring-tailed possums, ducks, coots, purple swamp hens, microbats (small insect-eating bats), several species of lizards, owls,
500-606: Is currently banned. Bendigo was affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. A fire to the west of the city burned out 500 hectares (1,200 acres). The fire broke out at about 4.30 pm on the afternoon of 7 February, and burned through Long Gully and Eaglehawk, coming within 2 km (1.2 mi) of central Bendigo, before it was brought under control late on 8 February. It destroyed about 58 houses in Bendigo's western suburbs, and damaged an electricity transmission line, resulting in blackouts to substantial parts of
550-605: Is located at the council headquarters in Bendigo, it also has service centres located in Heathcote, Huntly, Marong and a couple of other locations within Bendigo. The city is named after the main urban settlement lying in the centre-west of the LGA, that is Bendigo, which is also the LGA's most populous urban area with a population of 99,122. The council is composed of three wards and nine councillors, with three councillors per ward elected to represent each ward. The most recent election
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#1732765402000600-565: Is located next to the art gallery in View Street and hosts performing arts and live music. It also hosts the annual Bendigo Writers Festival which was founded in 2012. The Ulumbarra Theatre was opened on 16 April 2015. It was originally the Sandhurst/Old Bendigo Gaol. The new theatre which seats nearly 1,000 people sits within the walls and structure of the gaol and retains some original architectural features of
650-416: Is now a performing-arts centre. Bendigo's Joss House , a historic temple, was built in the 1860s by Chinese miners and is the only surviving building of its kind in regional Victoria, which continues to be used as a place of worship. The historic Bendigo Tram Sheds and Power Station (1903) now house Bendigo's tramway museum . The Queen Elizabeth Oval still retains its ornate 1901 grandstand. The central city
700-400: Is skirted by Rosalind Park , a Victorian-style garden featuring statuary and a large blue stone viaduct . The main entrance corner of the park is on the intersection known as Charing Cross , formerly the intersection of two main tram lines (now only one). It features a large statue of Queen Victoria . The Charing Cross junction features the large and ornate Alexandra Fountain (1881) and
750-661: Is the Midland Highway, the section running through the CBD is also known as Pall Mall , while the main shopping area is centred around Hargreaves Mall. The contiguous urban area of Bendigo covers roughly 82 km of the local government area's 3048 km . Generally the suburbs occupy the catchment of the Bendigo Creek and its tributaries. Bendigo has several suburbs, some of which (such as Eaglehawk) were once independent satellite townships and many that extend into
800-596: The Bendigo Box-Ironbark Region Important Bird Area , identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for swift parrots and other woodland birds. A dozen species of insect-eating bats and the pollinating grey-headed flying fox inhabit the area. Bendigo has a relatively dry temperate climate with warm, variable summers and cool winters. Under the Köppen-Geiger classification , it lies on
850-679: The Borough of Eaglehawk , Shire of Strathfieldsaye , Shire of Huntly and parts of the Rural City of Marong and Shire of McIvor . It is the state's third largest economy base and is considered a service and infrastructure centre for north central Victoria. The city is surrounded by 40,000 hectares of regional, state and national parkland. The city is governed and administered by the Greater Bendigo City Council ; its seat of local government and administrative centre
900-478: The Coliban River . The architect William Charles Vahland (1828–1915) left an important mark on Bendigo during this period. He is credited with the popular cottage design known as a Vahland House. The cottage design that has vastly been customised shares a common theme of a central door, a sash window either side, a central hallway that runs the entire length of the house and verandahs ordained in iron lace,
950-506: The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace , the world's largest gem-quality jade Buddha statue. As of 2016 , Buddhism was followed by 1.4% of Bendigo people, and Islam by about 0.5%. In 2019, despite protests by several far-right and anti-Islam organisations, construction began on Bendigo's first mosque and Islamic community centre. The central area (CBD) of Bendigo consists of around 20 blocks of mixed-use area. The main street
1000-731: The Ravenswood run, earlier known as the Mount Alexander North run, in October 1851. The creek had been named "Bendigo Creek" after a local shepherd and employee of the Mount Alexander North run nicknamed for the English bare-knuckle prizefighter William Abednego "Bendigo" Thompson . The area was transformed in less than a year as tens of thousands of people arrived during the great gold rush in 1852. Widespread gold mining caused environmental devastation and permanent damage in
1050-552: The 1930s, as the city consolidated as a manufacturing and regional service centre, though gold mining continues. Recent growth has been most heavily concentrated in areas such as Epsom, Kangaroo Flat, Strathdale, and Strathfieldsaye. On 28 March 2013, the Dja Dja Wurrung people were formally recognised as the traditional owners for part of Central Victoria, including the land on which the City of Greater Bendigo sits. In 1994, under municipal reforms of Victoria's Kennett government ,
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#17327654020001100-423: The 2.5 metre Jade Buddha for Universal Peace statue, the world’s largest gem-quality jade Buddha statue. There is a vast collection of Asian sacred relics and statues on display at the stupa's exhibition centre. 36°43′13″S 144°11′12″E / 36.720173°S 144.186716°E / -36.720173; 144.186716 Bendigo Bendigo ( / ˈ b ɛ n d ɪ ɡ oʊ / BEN -dig-oh )
1150-696: The City of Bendigo was abolished and merged with the Borough of Eaglehawk, the Huntly and Strathfieldsaye shires, and the Rural City of Marong to form the larger City of Greater Bendigo. The population of the city increased from around 78,000 in 1991 to about 100,617 in 2012. Bendigo is currently one of the fastest-growing regional centres in Victoria. The city is surrounded by components of the Greater Bendigo National Park , as well as
1200-529: The Great Stupa of Gyantse. It will be 50 metres (160 ft) high and its four sides will each be 50 metres (160 ft) long, making it one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the Western world . Buddhists say that viewing the stupa will help purify the mind. The stupa has been designed to last 1,000 years. The interior has teaching rooms, a central temple, a library and 80 ornate shrine rooms. It houses
1250-810: The Institute of Technology, and the Memorial Military Museum (1921), all in the Second Empire style. The architect William Vahland encouraged European artisans to emigrate to the Sandhurst goldfields and so create a "Vienna of the South". Bendigo's Sacred Heart Cathedral , a large sandstone church, is the third-largest cathedral in Australia and one of the largest cathedrals in the Southern Hemisphere . The main building
1300-476: The alluvial gold ran out, extraction of quartz-based gold continued in deep shafts using industrial systems. Selection in the future county of Bendigo (created in 1869) commenced under the Land Act of 1865, with most settlement occurring around Sandhurst and Eaglehawk . Bendigo was declared a city in 1871. Rapid population growth brought a water shortage, partially solved with a new viaduct that harnessed
1350-575: The annual Groovin' the Moo music festival. It is held at the Bendigo Showgrounds and is usually held in late April or early May. The festival regularly sells out and brings many Australian and international acts to the city. It also attracts thousands of people from around Victoria to the city for the weekend. The Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival has been taking place each November since 2011. With over 80 artists from all over Australia,
1400-503: The area from a sheep station into one of colonial Australia's largest boomtowns . News of the finds intensified the Victorian gold rush , bringing an influx of migrants from around the world, particularly Europe and China. Bendigo became Eastern Australia's largest 19th-century gold-mining economy, and the wealth generated during this period is reflected today in the city's Victorian architectural heritage. From 1853 until 1891, Bendigo
1450-493: The area of Bendigo, and although rare, the 2003 Bendigo tornado passed through Eaglehawk and other parts of the city, causing major damage to homes and businesses. Bendigo was in severe drought from 2006 to 2010, and during this time, the city had some of the harshest water restrictions in Australia, with no watering outside the household. Heavy rains from the middle to later months of 2010 filled most reservoirs to capacity and only wasteful water use (e.g. hosing down footpaths)
1500-541: The benefit of the church which, in 1897, enabled the construction of Sacred Heart Cathedral . Completed in 1977, it is the largest church building in provincial Australia. As of 2016, Catholicism is still practised by 22% of the population. In the 2016 census, 36.2% reported having "no religion". The Sandhurst Methodist Circuit (1854) serviced five Wesleyan churches which had been built in previous years. There were several church schools, but they were attended by one-fifteenth of Bendigo's school children. The Chinese, who in
1550-513: The city's annual rainfall of 510.0 millimetres (20.08 in) falls between June and September as cold fronts. Snowfalls are rare; however, sleet occurs and rain commonly falls at temperatures below 5 °C (41 °F) on account of the city's exposed location. Frosts are a common occurrence during the winter and spring, though hampered by the frequent cloud cover. A series of great floods occurred in Bendigo in 1859. Substantial flooding also occurred in 1903. Tornadoes have been seen around
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1600-529: The city. One fatality from the fire occurred. Flash floods occurred across Bendigo during 2010, the first in March and the most severe at the beginning of September. The region also has had flooding events in October of 2022 and January of 2024. According to the 2016 census of population, 92,379 people were in Bendigo Urban Centre. According to the City of Greater Bendigo Community Profile,
1650-520: The district, decimating and displacing the Dja Dja Wurrung and destroying the infrastructure they created over generations to maximise seasonal drainage patterns; the channels and weirs they built out of timber stakes, to slow receding summer flows, were wrecked; water holes where the people gathered in smaller groups during periods of scarce rainfall and from which they transported water in skin bags when moving, were muddied, polluted and drained;
1700-406: The first of many vast sheep runs in 1837. The Djadjawurrung peoples experienced two waves of settlement and dispossession: from the south from 1837 and from the north from 1845. The marked decrease in Dja Dja Wurrung population was also due to the arrival of non-indigenous animals; they use their noses to ‘root up’ the nutritious moon-nar tuber (yam daisy); after just a year it was noticed the plant
1750-609: The gaol. The venue hosts performing arts and live music. It also acts as a ceremonial and teaching space for local secondary schools and universities. The city hosts the Bendigo National Swap Meet for car parts every year in early November. It is regarded as the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere and attracts people from all over Australia and the world. The city hosts the Victorian leg of
1800-480: The mid-19th century constituted 20% of Bendigo's population, built the heritage-listed Bendigo Joss House Temple dedicated to Kwan Tai or Lord Guan , where they practised syncretic beliefs involving ancestor worship and the three main religions of China: Buddhism , Taoism and Confucianism . Bendigo is also home to the largest stūpa in the Western world, the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion , which houses
1850-538: The not-for-profit festival is hosted in many of the venues around Bendigo, and is headlined by a large, family-friendly, free concert held in Rosalind Park . The Bendigo Easter Festival is held each year and attracts tens of thousands of tourists to the city over the Easter long weekend. Attractions include parades, exhibitions, and a street carnival. City of Greater Bendigo The City of Greater Bendigo
1900-459: The population estimate for 2019 for this area was 118,093 (0.39 persons per hectare ). In the 19th century, Catholicism was the predominant Christian tradition in Bendigo. Catholic priest and pioneer George Henry Backhaus established a site in 1852 for the first Masses at Golden Square and, by the end of the year, he was camping at the site of Bendigo's first church, St Kilian's Church, completed in 1858. A wealthy man, Backhaus left his estate for
1950-470: The region's proximity to Melbourne, Bendigo has become one of the fastest-growing regional centres in Victoria. The traditional owners of the Mount Alexander , traditionally named Leanganook, area that includes Greater Bendigo , are the Dja Dja Wurrung (Djaara) people. They exploited the rich local hunting grounds from which they were displaced by the arrival by white settlers , who established
2000-463: The soaks they had dug between banks into sandy sediment to tap into the water table were likewise obliterated. Some of their waterholes in rock platforms of creeks that they found or enlarged, then covered with slabs to protect them from animals, may still remain, unidentified. Gold was officially discovered in the area in October 1851, just after the other significant goldfields in neighbouring Castlemaine , from where many diggers migrated, bringing
2050-806: The surrounding bushland. As a legacy of the gold boom, Bendigo has many ornate buildings built in a late Victorian colonial style. Many buildings are on the Victorian Heritage Register and registered by the National Trust of Australia . Prominent buildings include the Bendigo Town Hall (1859, 1883–85), the Old Post Office , the Bendigo Law Courts (1892–96), the Shamrock Hotel (1897),
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2100-465: The tawny frogmouth, and though not native to the area, a colony of endangered grey-headed flying foxes ( Pteropus poliocephalus ). The Bendigo Art Gallery is one of Australia's oldest and largest regional art galleries. In March 2012, it hosted a royal visit from Princess Charlene of Monaco at the opening of an exhibition about Grace Kelly . The Capital Theatre , originally the Masonic temple,
2150-493: The total population to 40,000 in less than a year. Many of these diggers were Chinese and their descendants still live in the region. During 1852, under the direction of Surveyor General of Victoria , Robert Hoddle , William Swan Urquhart was making a general survey of Mount Alexander and the surrounding ranges, and of the goldfields, and fixed the site of the township of 'Sandhurst', now Bendigo. On 13 July 1852 Hoddle passed on to Urquhart Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe's request for
2200-612: Was 45.4 °C (113.7 °F), during the 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave . There is also a disputed recording of 47.4 °C (117.3 °F) (on 14 January 1862). Summers are also subject to cold weather: on 2 February 2005, the maximum temperature did not exceed 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) all day. The mean minimum temperature in July is 2.7 °C (36.9 °F) and winter minima below 0 °C (32 °F) are recorded on 26.1 nights per year on average. Mean maximum winter temperatures in July are 12.7 °C (54.9 °F). Most of
2250-459: Was acquired by brothers Stewart and Robert Gibson in 1848, with Frederick Fenton later replacing one of the Gibson brothers. After the discovery of gold in 1851, Fenton sold provisions to the miners and agisted their horses. Becoming the sole owner of the Ravenswood run in 1857, Fenton built its substantial homestead. Gold was officially discovered on Bendigo Creek at the north-eastern boundary of
2300-564: Was already taking place. His plan General Survey of the Bendigo Goldfields showing the proposed reserves for townships. Drawn by W.S. Urquhart, Melbourne, November 1852 recommended sites for national schools, churches, markets and other public purposes reserved from sale. In 1853, a massive protest called The Red Ribbon Rebellion was held over the cost of the licence fee for prospectors, though it passed off peacefully, due to good diplomacy by police and miners' leaders. From being
2350-497: Was becoming scarce. Squatters in the area included: Donald Campbell at Bullock Creek in Ravenswood ; J & R Bakewell to the north of Bendigo; Heap & Gryce to the north-west; Archibald McDougall to the west; Joseph Raleigh and James Robinson along the Campaspe River to the south; and Thomas, Jones, and William Barnett to the east. The Ravenswood "Mount Alexander North run", occupied from c.1840 by Donald Campbell,
2400-475: Was completed between 1896 and 1908 and the spire between 1954 and 1977. Fortuna Villa is a large surviving Victorian mansion, built for Christopher Ballerstedt and later owned by George Lansell. Many other examples of Bendigo's classical architecture rank amongst the finest classical commercial buildings in Australia and include the Colonial Bank building (1887) and the former Masonic Hall (1873–74), which
2450-428: Was held in October 2024. The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Bendigo Town Hall offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at its administrative centre on Lyttleton Terrace in Bendigo and its service centres in Heathcote, Huntly and Marong and also on Hopetoun Street and St Andrews Avenue in Bendigo. In
2500-524: Was officially named Sandhurst. Bendigo's boom period lasted until the early 20th century and after a temporary decline in population and employment, renewed growth occurred from the 1930s as the city consolidated as a manufacturing and regional service centre. Although gold mining continues, recent population growth has been most heavily concentrated in suburban areas. With the completion of the Calder Freeway linking Melbourne and Bendigo in 2009, and
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