23 fun-fuelled things to do in Bendigo

If you swoon at the sight of heritage architecture and love the finer things in life (read: food, wine, art), make a beeline for the best things to do in Bendigo.

Drive north of Melbourne along the Calder Freeway and in just under two hours you’ll arrive at Bendigo, a gold rush town that has grown into a thriving regional centre experiencing yet another boom. As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, culinary experiences should be at the top of your agenda when travelling to Bendigo, but there’s much more to see and do beyond dining at top-rated restaurants. Here’s our pick of the best things to do in Bendigo for memorable moments.

1. Sip your way through Bendigo wine country

an aerial view of Balgownie Estate, Bendigo — Balgownie Estate Bendigo is the region’s oldest working commercial winery. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A regional Victorian city that straddles the past and the future with aplomb, Bendigo is also blessed with some of the most ideal grape growing soil in the country. It’s why Bendigo’s best wineries are renowned for scooping up gongs in the national small batch stakes, as independent winemakers claim their stake across the region. Proximity pit stops include Balgownie Estate and St. Anne’s Winery , while Harvest Food & Wine arranges tastings out of its elegant, centrally located location on View St.

2. Get pampered at a Bendigo day spa

Sure, action-packed activity comes on tap around here, but when it’s time to unwind and recharge, nothing beats slipping into a fluffy robe and leaning into a serene day spa. Bendigo is home to several divine offerings including Silk Day Spa , which uses Aveda products, on McIvor Rd, Endota Spa Bendigo on Lyttleton Terrace and Refresh Day Spa and Remedial Clinic in two locations throughout town. Bendigo Wellness Centre on Langston St also does beauty treatments, skin treatments, float therapy and more.

3. Get your craft on at Bendigo pottery

an artisan creating pottery at Bendigo Pottery — Catch local artisans in action at Bendigo Pottery. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Established back in 1858, a visit to Bendigo Pottery is a shopping trip, history lesson and art class rolled into one. Want to pick up new skills? Book in for a wheel throwing lesson, attend a clay decorating workshop or try some simple clay play – there’s plenty of interactive experiences to enjoy here. If you want to keep your hands clean, you’re also invited to watch artisans creating the famous pottery that’s found in homes Australia-wide, in addition to shop for homewares and unique vintage finds at the Antiques and Collectibles Centre. The creations are truly beautiful, so be prepared to flex your plastics.

4. Find fresh inspiration at Bendigo Art Gallery

a woman admiring a painting at Bendigo Art Gallery — Bendigo Art Gallery offers a fascinating mix of contemporary and historical paintings. (Image: Visit Victoria)

One of Australia’s oldest and largest regional galleries, Bendigo Art Gallery is a must-do when you’re in town. Founded in 1887, the gallery on View St has hosted many noteworthy international exhibitions that sell out in advance, so hop online and check the gallery’s website to see what touring exhibitions are scheduled during your stay. Regardless of what’s on, well-curated gallery spaces are always filled with a fascinating mix of contemporary and historical paintings, sculptures and ceramics from near and far. The Gallery Shop is also a top spot to pick up a piece of Bendigo to take home with you.

5. Get your bearings on a vintage talking tram tour

a Vintage Talking Tram touring around Bendigo — Explore Bendigo aboard a vintage tram. (Image: Visit Victoria)

See Bendigo’s noteworthy landmarks and monuments while learning about the city’s past aboard a charming Vintage Talking Tram tour . Easily one of the most fun ways to get the lay of the land in a new city, jumping on and off at your own pace reveals tales from the gold rush, architectural trivia and stories of local legends. Your ticket, which starts from $15 per adult and $10 per child aged 3-15, is valid for a full day and includes entry to the wheelchair accessible Explore the Surface of Central Deborah Gold Mine . Speaking of which…

6. Head underground at Central Deborah Gold Mine

a mother and child exploring Central Deborah Gold Mine — Don a hard hat and mining scrubs at the Central Deborah Gold Mine. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Your entire clan will love putting on a hard hat to learn about Bendigo’s gold rush history at the Central Deborah Gold Mine . Sixty-one metres below the earth’s surface, you’ll get to walk in the footsteps of the miners who worked hard in the underground tunnels searching for gold in challenging conditions. Above ground, you’ll also be able to see heritage-listed buildings including an engine room and blacksmith’s shop.

7. Explore the botanical beauty of Rosalind Park

colourful flowerbeds at Rosalind Park — Colourful blooms grow inside the park’s manicured gardens. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Right in the centre of Bendigo you’ll find one of Bendigo’s most beautiful greenspaces, Rosalind Park . A paradise packed with horticultural treasures, on a hot day you’ll be able to cool yourself under the shade of grand, old elms and oaks. During spring, be sure to see the park’s annual display of colourful tulips. All year round, the walled Yi Yuan Chinese Gardens are a peaceful spot for quiet reflection. With a conservatory, fernery and several water features to see, set aside an hour or two to take it all in.

8. Find zen at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion

an aerial view of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo — See the largest Buddhist stupa in the Western world. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Fifty metres high, the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is the biggest stupa (or pagoda) in the Western world. A place for people to seek peace and learn about Buddhism, this sacred spot sits within 200-plus acres of bushland in the Whipstick Forest, so it’s perfect for spending a few hours navigating a self-guided, free tour.

After you’ve explored the stupa, wander through the Peace Park where you can spin prayer wheels clockwise to send compassionate energy out into the world. The StupaView Cafe is also open daily from 10.30am, dishing up lunch and sweet treats, plus refreshments.

9. Roam free at Bendigo Botanic Gardens

Located in the White Hills area of Bendigo, the sprawling Bendigo Botanic Gardens are nearly as old as Bendigo itself. The perfect spot to enjoy a picnic lunch followed by a wander, you’ll be able to see a wide variety of seasonal flowers in bloom during the warmer months. Kids getting restless? Reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, the whimsical children’s playspace is so impressive it’s won awards.

10. Be awed by the Discover Science & Technology Centre

a woman admiring a planetarium installation at Discover Science & Technology Centre — Go on an interplanetary journey.

If you’ve got budding scientists in your family, then pencil in a trip to Bendigo’s Discovery Science & Technology Centre . With more than 100 interactive exhibits, learning about physics, chemistry and beyond is pure exhilaration within these four walls. Head into the planetarium to go on an interplanetary journey, feel a rush on the vertical slide, or build something with blocks in the Kaleidoscope space – there are activities for all ages and abilities here.

11. Chase a strike at Bendigo Bowling Centre

a man playing at Bendigo Bowling Centre — Good times await at the Bendigo Bowling Centre.

Looking for a fun rainy-day activity? Book an afternoon bowling session at the Bendigo Bowling Centre . Operating since the 1960s, this longstanding ten-pin bowling centre is the official home of old-school fun in Bendigo. An on-site cafe also provides comfort food like hot dogs and pizzas, plus you can get your caffeine hit thanks to barista-made coffee from Barth Lane Coffee Roasters.

12. Feast like royalty at Bendigo’s best eateries

a table-top view of food and wine at Ms Batterhams, Bendigo — Head chef Travis Rodwell’s Chef’s Share menu at Ms Batterhams pays homage to European culture. (Image: Visit Victoria)

As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy , Bendigo boasts some next-level wining and dining. To sample some highlights, head to Ms Batterhams , located in the basement of an old school hall, where Head Chef Travis Rodwell’s Share set menu showcases seasonally inspired fare and ingredients. Alium Dining is another standout where you can choose to dine inside a gorgeous, light-drenched space or under the sun in its al fresco street-side setting.

13. Pick up a paintbrush at Pinot & Picasso

participants at a painting (and drinking) session at Pinot & Picasso Bendigo — Join a paint and sip session at Pinot & Picasso.

Sipping wine while painting a canvas is a fun way to get to know each other on another level. Book a painting (and drinking) session at Pinot & Picasso Bendigo and you’ll get to leave with a unique memento of your trip to Bendigo to hang in your home. Who knows, you might uncover some hidden creative talents too.

14. Roll on good times aboard the Blues Tram

Enjoy live music, local brews and a tour of the city all at once aboard Bendigo’s beloved Blues Tram – a heritage tram that rattles through town carrying passengers and musicians. Inviting two musical performances on every trip, the fabulous initiative is also an invaluable opportunity for local musos to gain fresh exposure. Upcoming artists are listed on the website to make sure you check it out before you take a ride.

15. Uncover local history at the Golden Dragon Museum

a look inside the Golden Dragon Museum — Discover the rich cultural heritage at the Golden Dragon Museum. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You might be surprised to know that Chinese immigrants who arrived during the gold rush played an important role in shaping Bendigo. Opened in 1991, the Golden Dragon Museum is a cultural centre dedicated to preserving the heritage of Chinese culture in Australia. Spend a few hours here wandering around the beautiful gardens and seeing Loong, the world’s oldest surviving complete processional dragon. Feeling peckish? Visit the museum’s restaurant, Emperor’s Dragon, to feast on authentic cuisine.

16. Witness true talent at Ulumbarra Theatre

the front view of Ulumbarra Theatre in Bendigo — This heritage-listed venue hosts a variety of performances all year round. (Image: Joel Bramley)

Bendigo’s renowned Ulumbarra Theatre was once a gaol, but these days, the heritage-listed venue hosts a rotating calendar of events all year round. From rock bands to stand-up comedy, classical music recitals, contemporary dance performances and beyond, this thriving hub is where creativity and culture come to life in Central Victoria.

17. Step back in time at the Star Cinema

filmgoers watching a movie inside Star Cinema — The Star Cinema offers a nostalgic movie experience. (Image: Supplied)

Located within the old Eaglehawk Town Hall, Star Cinema is considered one of Australia’s most beautiful cinemas. Showing a range of new releases and classic movies, a night in this vintage cinema’s plush couches will delight film fans. An active events calendar spans expert Q&A panels, film festivals and cultural collaborations, so stay across the website to ensure you don’t miss a trick.

18. Toast your trip at Bendigo’s classiest bars

two women enjoying cocktails while admiring the view at Nimbus Rooftop, Bendigo — Admire the view while sipping on cocktails at Nimbus Rooftop. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Unwinding with a drink is a standard holiday ritual, so let’s break down the must-visits. When it’s sunny, head to Nimbus Rooftop , one of the best Bendigo bars and pubs, for cocktails served with the best views in town. On High Street you’ll find Harpoon Social Club , a hipster spot for Japanese beer, sake or frozen cocktails (stick around and order some ramen or bao too). On the ground floor of the Piano Bar , Hargreaves is a moody wine and cocktail bar that’s open late most nights. Stop in for an espresso martini to kick off proceedings or cosy up in a nook and polish off a bottle of pinot noir while grazing on an antipasto.

19. Tuck into pies and ales at a classic country pub

pouring tap beer into a glass at Tooborac Hotel & Brewery — Tooborac Hotel & Brewery serves up craft beers on tap. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Hop in the car, drive 50 minutes southeast and you’ll hit the small town of Tooborac. With a population hovering at around 300 people, this town punches above its weight thanks to the legendary bluestone Tooborac Hotel & Brewery – the oldest National Trust-listed country pub in Victoria. Enjoy a hearty Sunday roast by the fire washed down with a porter or pale ale. Or pop into Tooborac’s pie shop for a just-baked beef and ale pie instead.

20. Get some fresh air in Harcourt

Drive half an hour south of Bendigo and you’ll hit the town of Harcourt, which is home to wineries, distilleries and one of the best spots to mountain bike in Victoria. La Larr Ba Gauwa Park is a mecca for mountain bikers and it’s a top hiking and picnicking spot too. With a range of trails suitable for different levels of experience and fitness, jumps and drops will thrill mountain bikers of all descriptions. Prefer to kick back with a picnic lunch? Head to the magical Oak Forest to soak up the serenity in the shade.

21. Go on an antique hunting road trip

two people talking and laughing inside a vintage bazaar at Castlemaine, Bendigo — Shop great finds at the vintage bazaar. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Central Victoria is home to many well-preserved gold rush-era towns packed with vintage and antique shops. Castlemaine, Maldon and Chewton can all be reached in under half an hour from Bendigo. Spend your day fossicking in this area’s incredible vintage stores, antique shops and op-shops to find one-of-a-kind homewares, vinyl records and rare books. Fair warning: you’ll need to set aside a few hours to hunt through all of Castlemaine Vintage Bazaar ’s treasures.

22. Enjoy a tour with Victorian Goldfields Railway

Train enthusiasts won’t want to miss riding an old steam train along the Victorian Goldfields Railway . Stretching between Maldon and Castlemaine, the journey winds its way through forests and farmland, offering passengers incredible views as well as insight into how steam trains operate. Run by a band of passionate volunteers, this is a feel-good trip that all ages will delight in.

23. Tire the kids out at Lake Weeroona Playspace

a kid playing in Lake Weeroona Playspace — Lake Weeroona Playspace comes with a toddler playground, extensive lawns and a water play feature. (Image: City of Greater Bendigo)

One of the best family-friendly time-killers in Central Victoria, the Lake Weeroona Playspace on Napier St is expertly designed to fuel the imaginations of little ones. Think a massive timber fort, trickling water play trails, multiple slides, sturdy swing sets, a dedicated toddler’s playground and plenty of lush grass for picnicking. The real clincher? It’s fully fenced so parents can kick back with peace of mind.

Originally written by Jo Stewart with updates by Kristie Lau-Adams

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.