Bendigo!
(or is it London - Pall-Mall, Charring Cross, Queen Victoria, King George V.......)
Wow! What a treasure! Beautiful leafy streets and Victorian buildings created from one of the world's greatest gold rushes 150 years ago! Imagine - tents came first and then with the wealth from the gold came elaborate homes, public buildings and monuments that are still here today for us to enjoy!
Arrived here at lunchtime after a drive from Shepparton through the farmland of Central Victoria - very dry at the moment.
After settling into the Tourist Park we did our daily exercise and walked the 4klms into the CBD admiring the lovely colonial architecture of the homes.
A visit to the Tourist Information Centre, housed in the old Post Office, saw us armed with plenty of things to do and see over the next few days. We spent the afternoon doing a walk around the city viewing the beautiful buildings and finished with a stroll through the peaceful grounds and gardens of the stately Victorian inspired Rosalind Park - an oasis in the centre of this "golden oldie".
We caught the bus home - senior cards are handy!- $1.20 each and had a quick plunge in the pool to cool off before dinner.
Join us on our drive from Shepparton to Bendigo and our orientation stroll around historic Bendigo.............................
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Never seen so many orchards!
(Sorry about the squashed insect on the windscreen!) |
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| A huge hydroponic tomato farm - this is just one of the buildings! |
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| Central Victoria farmland - they need rain badly! |
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| The lovely old homes abound in Bendigo |
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Lake Weeroona, a large ornamental lake surrounded by lovely parkland and
is a much used recreation venue |
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| More lovely old homes |
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The Chinese Arch, entrance to the Golden Dragon Museum
A living history of the Chinese people of Bendigo from the gold rush to the present |
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| The School of Mines and Industries Building |
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| Love the trams! |
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| The Law Courts |
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The old Post Office , now the Tourist Information Centre
Front above, side below |
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The Shamrock Hotel
Front above, side below |
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| Lovely original lacework on this old hotel |
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| Tree lined and leafy Bull Street leads to City Hall |
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Colonial Bank.
This magnificent building was designed by Vahland.
It began in 1859 as a tent on the Goldfields. |
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Beehive Store.
First erected by the Francis brothers in he mid 1850's, replaced by a two storey building in 1864,
razed by fire and replaced by the present building in 1871; remodelled in 1988.
The first floor housed Gold Exchangea nd brokers offices |
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City Family Hotel (Circa 1872)
Designed by Vahland and Getzchmann for flour miller, Jean Baptiste Loridan. |
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Looking along Pall-Mall - looks very stately and regal lined with the
Victorian architecture and statuary |
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| Queen Victoria's Statue takes pride of place in Rosalind Park overlooking Pall-Mall |
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Soldiers Memorial Hall
The building is over a mine shaft |
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| Named after Rosalind in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing |
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Alexandra Fountain (Circa July 5,1881)
Named after Alexandra, Princess of Wales.
Designed by Vahland and partially built of Harcourt granite. |
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| Old bank buildings line the street behind the fountain |
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St Johns Presbyterian Church (c1863)
Th spire is 36.5 metres |
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A contrast to the historic buildings in the town-
the Bendigo Bank Head Office
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Gorgeous!
Interesting name - "Euroma" |
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Inside the beautiful Sacred Heart Cathedral
Always marvel at the intricacy of contruction -
amazing architecture and craftsmanship! |
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The stunning stained glass window
and the huge Organ feature in the gallery |
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| The imposing Sacred Heart Cathedral |
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This Gothic design building is over 87 metres in height.
Commenced in 1897 with funds from the estate of Rev Dr Backhaus, ceased in 1901 due to lack of funds.
Work began again in the 1950's and was finally completed in 1977. |
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The gargoyles to protect the cathedral - very Gothic
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite,[1] with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. |
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| Lady of Lourdes Grotto in the grounds of the Cathedral |
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| Who's that appearing out of the bushes!!!??? |
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Peter?!
As we walked along the road at the top of the Grotto a gust of wind whipped his straw hat off and
it went sailing down into the Grotto Garden - he thought - never to found!
He found it! Could it be......... |
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| Click to enlarge |
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Former Penfold's Fine Art Gallery (Circa 1879)
Former medical practice and residence of the Grand Old Man of Bendigo Dr Oliver Penfold (1844-1929)
surgeon, pharmacist, musician and composer. |
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| Bendigo Art Gallery |
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| Lots of nice sidewalk cafes and restaurants |
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The Capital Theatre
Bendigo's Performing Arts Centre |
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Historical Fire Station built in 1896
To the left - Dudley House (Circa 1859) - the first permanent District Lands and Survey Office.
This is the oldest surviving ex-governmental office in Bendigo, and a fine example of the gold era architecture.
Classified by the National Trust |
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| Queen Elizabeth Oval and the historic Grandstand |
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Rosalind Park Poppet Head Tower on Camp Hill
A gift from the Bendigo Amalgamated Goldfields Company, ex Garden Gully Mining Company,
on April 4,1931.
Climb the 124 steps and you are rewarded with great views of Bendigo.............. |
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| Strolling through lovely Rosalind Park |
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Camp Hill School overlooks the Park
Erected by Thomas Corley(c1878).
The fire brigade used the tower as a lookout for many years until a reliable telephone service was installed |
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| The Rotunda in the Park |
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| Bendigo High School also overlooks the Park |
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| A serene and cool Fernery in the Park - a tribute to all good mothers |
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| In the Park are gardens planted for Bendigo's sister cities |
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| The Penzance Garden |
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| The blue stone viaduct which runs through the Park |
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| Victorian style garden |
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| The Conservatory in the Park |
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| George V Statue and the Conservatory |
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| A statue in memory of George V 1910- 1936 |
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| The Law Courts |
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| The City Hall |
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| Click to enlarge |
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Statue in commemoration of the discovery of gold in Bendigo in 1851,
by the committee of the Victorian Gold Jubilee Exhibition held 1901-2 |
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Dai Gum San (Chinese Precinct)
The Golden Dragon Museum behind |
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| Interesting garden art in the Chinese precinct |
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The Chinese Arch entrance to the Chinese precinct and the Golden Dragon Museum
The School of Mines and Industries Building across the road - the TAFE occupies
part of the building |
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| Another tram shuttles by! |
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| The welcome plunge! |
A very pleasant and interesting afternoon!
Can't wait to go down into a gold mine tomorrow!!!!!!!!
and we were told "Bendigonians" live here in Bendigo!!!!
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