Things to do in Goldfields
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Victorian Goldfields Railway
Maldon train station was built in 1884. Harry Potter types can go by steam with the Victorian Goldfields Railway along the original track through the Muckleford Forest to Castlemaine. For a little extra, go first class (adult/child/family $40/23/93, Sunday only) in an oak-lined viewing carriage. Magical!
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Old Post Office
The Old Post Office built in 1870, was the childhood home of Henry Handel Richardson. She (yes, she!) writes about it in her autobiography, Myself When Young (1950).
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Restorers Barn
The famous Restorers Barn is literally dripping interesting bric-a-brac, collectables and tools.
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Theatre Royal
In the evening, catch a live band or film at the historic Theatre Royal.
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Central Deborah Goldmine
The 500m-deep Central Deborah Goldmine, worked on 17 levels, became operational in the 1940s and was connected with two Deborah shafts that date back to the 1860s. About one tonne of gold was removed before it closed in 1954. The mine is one of Bendigo’s major tourist attractions, with exhibits and photographs from the mid-1800s onwards. After donning hard hats and lights, you’re taken 61m down the shaft to inspect the ongoing operations, complete with drilling demonstrations. There’s a combined ticket (adult/child $34/18.50) for the mine tour plus a ride on the Talking Tram.
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Golden Dragon Museum & Chinese Gardens
Bendigo’s proud Chinese heritage can be explored at the wonderful Golden Dragon Museum & Chinese Gardens. Two enormous processional dragons, Old Loong (the world’s oldest) and Sun Loong (the world’s longest), reside here. Old Loong arrived in 1892 for the annual Bendigo Easter Festival, and Sun Loong took over in 1970 when Old Loong retired. The museum traces the involvement of the Chinese community in the development of Bendigo. Across the road are the pretty ornamental Chinese gardens and there’s a tearoom serving light meals and yum cha.
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Bendigo Talking Tram
Bendigo’s tram system was closed down in 1972, but Bendigo residents took direct action and resuscitated the trams, which now run as a tourist feature. The Bendigo Talking Tram runs with a commentary from the Central Deborah Goldmine, through the centre of the city, out to the Tramways Museum and on to the Chinese Joss House. It leaves the mine every half hour, or five minutes later from Alexandra fountain in Charing Cross.
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Rosalind Park
In the city centre, this lovely green space has lawns, big old trees, fernery and the fabulous Cascades Fountain, which was excavated after being buried for 120 years. Climb to the top of the lookout tower for sensational 360-degree views or wander through the Conservatory Gardens.
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Castlemaine Botanic Gardens
Enjoy a stroll in the gardens, just north of the town centre; it's one of the oldest and best in regional Victoria.
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Bendigo Pottery
Australia's oldest pottery works, the Bendigo Pottery was founded in 1857 and is classified by the National Trust. The historic kilns are still used; watch potters at work, admire the gorgeous ceramic pieces or throw a pot yourself (half-/full day $12/18). The attached museum (adult/child $8/4) tells the story of pottery through the ages. It's 7km northeast of the centre.
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Bendigo Art Gallery
One of Victoria's finest regional galleries, the permanent collection here includes outstanding colonial and contemporary Australian art, such as work by Charles Blackman, Fred Williams, Rupert Bunny and Lloyd Rees; the annual temporary exhibitions are cutting edge. The Gallery Café overlooks Rosalind Park.
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Maryborough Railway Station
Maryborough’s main attraction is the magnificent 1892 Maryborough Railway Station, which Mark Twain once described as ‘a train station with a town attached’. Passenger trains don’t stop any more, but the building houses an excellent antiques and fine-art emporium, gallery, wine centre and cafe.
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Talbot Observatory
Arrive in quaint, quiet Talbot at night and visit the Talbot Observatory. You’ll not only see the rings of Saturn and learn about Brown Dwarfs, but you can also join in a ‘star-b-que’. Ring to inquire or to arrange your own times.
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Coiltek Gold Centre
If you’d like to learn the tricks to unearthing a gold nugget, Coiltek Gold Centre runs full-day prospecting tours (one/two people $120/200), which include hire of a metal detector and showing you what to look for. They also sell and hire out prospecting gear.
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GPO
The food and atmosphere here is superb and rated highly by locals. Confit pork belly and roasted kingfish grace the Mediterranean menu, or go for the innovative pizzas and pasta or tapas plates.
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Sacred Heart Cathedral
You can't miss the soaring steeple of this wonderful cathedral. Inside, beneath the high vaulted ceiling, there's a magnificently carved bishop's chair, some beautiful stained-glass windows, and wooden angels jutting out of the ceiling arches.
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Confectionery Capers
It’s fun, fun, fun at Confectionery Capers. No lollies here (8km southeast of town), just an amazing display of whirls, whizzes and word plays: Barbie dolls in a line? A tree in a toilet? You have to go there for it all to make sense…
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Tangled Maze
Lose yourself amidst climbing plants and delightful perfumed pathways at the botanical Tangled Maze. There’s 18 holes of minigolf in its landscaped setting between the café, bocce green, nursery and mystery maze puzzles.
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Goldfields Historical Museum
The world’s largest alluvial nugget, the 72kg Welcome Stranger, was found in Moliagul in 1869 by John Deason and Richard Oates, who hid it for two days before concealing it in a wagon and taking it to DunollyGoldfields Historical Museum.
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Lavandula
Just north of Hepburn Springs, Lavandula is a Swiss-Italian farm and stone cottage where you can meet the farm animals, check out the gardens and produce, wander between lavender bushes and enjoy lunch in the Ticinese grotto.
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Ironbark Riding Centre
About 4km north of the town centre is the Ironbark Complex where the Ironbark Riding Centre organises various horse rides including the Great Australian Pub Ride to Allies Hotel in Myers Flat (with lunch $75)
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Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum
The impressive museum, in a superb art-deco building, has a collection of colonial and contemporary Australian art including works by Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts; downstairs is a local history museum.
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Whirrakee Restaurant & Wine Bar
In one of Bendigo’s historic buildings with a view to Alexandra fountain, the French-influenced menu features Wagyu beef and tortellini of blue swimmer crab. Downstairs there’s a small wine bar with cosy sofas.
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Piyawat Thai
Tucked away in a cosy house a couple of blocks south of the centre, this authentic Thai restaurant serves fabulously fragrant curries, noodles and Thai stir-fries at affordable prices.
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Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings
Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings is a section of an 1850s diggings. Take a self-guided tour and pan in the old sluicing dam (just in case you think the old-timers left anything behind).
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