Wandering around the streets of Bendigo you get a sense of the rich gold rush history. The architecture of the stunning buildings gives the first insight into why the Chinese call Bendigo the ‘Big Gold Mountain’. I will be honest, I visited Bendigo many times to enjoy the brilliant food scene, but it wasn’t until we moved to this gorgeous regional city that I explored the history of Bendigo.
The Bendigo Walking Tour helped open my eyes to the type of conditions the young men that worked on the goldfields would have endured and also the displacement of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Tuangurung Indigenous people when the miners arrived in 1851.
Walking slowly through Rosalind Park, past monuments and hearing gold rush stories come to life is a must for all visitors to Bendigo. Rosalind Park was the site of the Government Camp in the 1850s and has now been transformed into a beautiful park space for all to enjoy. So much history took place in this park and understanding a little bit of the history makes a visit there even more special.
With the gold rush came the influx of Chinese miners and merchants. By the mid-1800s they made up 20% of Bendigo’s population and they built the Joss House Temple in 1871, a stunning temple that still stands today. We often visit the Golden Dragon Museum located next to Rosalind Park that contains an amazing array of artifacts and documents showcasing the Chinese history in Bendigo.
Next stop in understanding Bendigo gold rush history and why the Bendigo goldfield has the largest amount of deep mine shafts in the world, is a visit to Central Deborah Gold Mine. A huge amount of history is located on the surface of the mine but going on one of the underground mine tours is a fascinating experience. Arising back to the surface, I finally felt an understanding of what makes up Bendigo’s history. Bendigo is located in central Victoria and is easily accessible from Melbourne by car or train.
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Loved reading about the historical gold rush in Bendigo? This article was submitted by Kate Comer of @Travel Around Bendigo. If you would like to share your Australian yarns and travel tips, contact us on submissions@travelyarnsmag.co.
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