If you’re looking for a new destination for your annual school camp, Bendigo offers an untapped array of educational experiences only two hours from Melbourne.
Bendigo is home to:
- One of the world’s biggest gold rushes, yielding over 700,000kg between 1851-1954, which would be worth about $39.2 billion in today's prices. Every trip to Bendigo should include a tour underground at Central Deborah Gold Mine to experience pitch darkness and see gold in its natural state.
- Australia's oldest operating heritage tramways, Bendigo Tramways. Named Australia's Cultural Tourism Attraction of the Year in 2016.
- Australia's oldest operating pottery, Bendigo Pottery, established in 1858.
- The world’s longest Chinese dragon, housed at the Golden Dragon Museum.
- The heritage-listed Bendigo Joss House Temple, which opened in 1871.
- Australia’s largest and most impressive regional art museum, Bendigo Art Gallery, founded in 1887.
Bendigo's gold rush wealth has created a city with glorious architecture, magnificent streetscapes and a smorgasbord of educational opportunities that cover arts, culture, science and nature.
With unique food options on offer (traditional miner's pasties served underground) and accommodation options for groups of all sizes, Bendigo really does tick all of the boxes for your next school excursion.
Here’s a teaser of just some of the experiences on offer: