Bendigo is a former Gold Rush city in Central Victoria and certainly one of our common regional locations with the children. Town affords grand Victorian buildings, pretty streetscapes and a slower tempo of life, whereas nonetheless boasting attention-grabbing cultural and culinary sights. It’s only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne or 90-120 minutes by way of V/Line from Southern Cross Station.
Listed below are my recommendations on issues to do in Bendigo with youngsters, together with the place to remain, go to, play and eat.
Issues to do in Bendigo with Children
1. Bendigo Artwork Gallery
Bendigo Artwork Gallery is Australia’s largest regional gallery and prior to now few years it has hosted some world-class exhibitions. Their newest exhibition is ‘Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits‘ with works borrowed from the Nationwide Portrait Gallery, London (16 March – 14 July 2019).
It’s an exhibition that’s in all probability price visiting alone, however if you happen to do go along with youngsters (underneath 5s are free) you may bribe them with a deal with from the kid-friendly Gallery Cafe.
Bendigo Artwork Gallery 42 View St, Bendigo 03 5434 6088
2. Golden Dragon Museum
The Golden Dragon Museum payments itself because the ‘Chinese language Cultural Centre of Australia’ and your $11 entry (Youngsters (5-14 $6) contains entry into the museum shows, the Chinese language gardens and the Kuan Yin Temple.
As a first-generation Chinese language immigrant I discover it fascinating to be taught in regards to the historic significance of Chinese language folks in Australia. It charts the origins of nearly all of the Chinese language miners who got here for the gold rush within the 1850s with artefacts, furnishings and on a regular basis items and follows their assimilation into Anglo Australian society and their contributions to the communities of Bendigo and Victoria.
On a balcony surrounding the round central gallery is a group of the Chinese language Dragons and their related regalia used within the Bendigo’s annual Easter procession.
Golden Dragon Museum 1-11 Bridge St, Bendigo +61 3 5441 5044
3. Bendigo Easter Pageant
The Bendigo Easter Pageant is an annual occasion that gives numerous free/low-cost leisure for households, when the climate is usually gentle. The entire metropolis comes alive with parades and festivities!
4. Discovery Science and Know-how Centre
Bendigo’s model to Questacon or Scienceworks is an inexpensive day trip, even from Melbourne because the VLine station is throughout the street.
Take your Museum Victoria membership card to get free entry into Discovery Science Centre. Learn my evaluation.
Discovery Science and Know-how Centre, 7 Railway Pl, Bendigo, 03 5444 4400
5. Camp Hill playground
Inside Bendigo’s big central park, Rosalind Park, you may discover a good fenced playground with numerous ramps and walkways, slides, climbing sculptures and rocks and piles for extra climbing. There are water faucets contained in the fence and Rosalind Park has public bogs.
Word that as a result of it’s the playground for Camp Hill faculty it’s only open to the general public outdoors of college hours.
Camp Hill playground, Rosalind Park, 50 Objective Rd, Bendigo
6. Eaglehawk Playspace
An enormous playground in suburban Eaglehawk impressed by the A.B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson’s poem ‘Mulga Invoice’s Bicycle’ and the form of the eaglehawk, or wedge-tailed eagle.
You may see references to Mulga Invoice within the artworks, play gear and features from the poem etched into logs. The lake even options Mulga Invoice’s premature finish! Learn my evaluation.
Eaglehawk Playspace, Napier St, Eaglehawk
7. Lake Weeroona Journey Playground
On the shores of Lake Weeroona is a big totally fenced playground. The primary construction options numerous ramps, tunnels, slides and bridges. Standing aside from the principle space are 4 swings. The bottom is all smooth fall and on the perimeter are roadways and roadsigns for scooters and bikes.
The playground has some pure shade and there are shaded and unshaded seats throughout the fenced space. Outdoors the fence there are shelters with tables and bogs.
Lake Weeroona Journey Playground, Napier St, Bendigo
8. Enjoyable Loong playground
OK I admit it. I simply LOVE the title of this playground!
The playground at Hargreaves Road mall takes its title from Solar Loong, the world’s largest imperial dragon housed within the Golden Dragon Museum and Bendigo’s satisfaction. It’s a extremely vibrant, well-designed and semi-shaded house in pedestrian mall and a helpful cease in case you are within the centre of city or doing a little purchasing.
Enjoyable Loong playground, Hargreaves St Mall, Bendigo
9. Cooinda Park playground
After an arson assault in 2016, this suburban playground has rebuilt its financial institution of superior rainbow wave slides. We visited when the slides weren’t there and whereas it was enjoyable, it was not likely price a particular journey except you’re within the space.
Cooinda Park playground, Cnr Norma Road and McKenzie Road West, Golden Sq.
Discover Motels and Airbnbs in Bendigo
10. The Nice Stupa of Common Compassion
In the course of the bush is an unlikely sight – The Nice Stupa of Common Compassion. It’s a sacred Buddhist monument and is modelled on the Nice Stupa of Gyantse, which is 600 years previous. When it’s completed it will likely be the best stupa within the Western World.
You do not have to be Buddhist to go to, simply be respectful.
The Peace Park showcases symbols from many religions together with Catholic, Sikh, Islam and Hindu.
It’s free to enter and there’s a self-guided tour. The Stupaview Cafe serves low cost vegetarian meals with vegan choices.
The Nice Stupa of Common Compassion, 25 Sandhurst City Highway, Myers Flat, Bendigo
11. Bendigo Pottery
For over 150 years Bendigo Pottery has creating high-quality ceramics and it’s the oldest working pottery in Australia. There you may discover a store and cafe, demonstrations of hand throwing by potters and hands-on actions, notably throughout faculty holidays.
Bendigo Pottery, 146 Midland Hwy, Epsom, 03 5448 4404
12. Central Deborah Gold Mine
Discover the hidden underground tunnels of an actual gold mine that operated throughout the gold rush growth of the 1900s. It is certainly one of Bendigo’s greatest vacationer sights however we’re but to go as the children are nonetheless freaked out by darkish enclosed areas!
Central Deborah Gold Mine, 76 Violet St, Bendigo, 03 5443 8322
13. Park Lane Play
Park Lane Play is an indoor play centre in Bendigo, appropriate for youths 3 – 14 years, with a toddler space for youths underneath 4. They’ve additionally received a leaping pillow outdoors, and BBQ amenities.
The multi degree indoor play construction contains 5 slides, a smooth ball cannon play zone, two trampolines, a big ball pit, a flying fox and extra.
Park Lane Play, 761 McIvor Hwy, Bendigo, 03 5449 3335
14. Bendigo Cinemas
There are 6 theatres at Bendigo Cinemas, exhibiting the newest releases. There’s a vary of particular offers and screenings on provide (various every now and then) together with a Film of the Week for $10, discounted youngsters motion pictures and an on a regular basis low value. Additionally they have Sensory Pleasant Movies with the lights turned up and the sound turned down.
Bendigo Cinemas, 107 Queen St, Bendigo, 03 5440 8000
15. Confectionery Capers
This isn’t what you assume! Though they do have a number of confectionery on the market, it isn’t a lolly store.
Confectionery Capers is a gallery of types, full to the brim with machines and engines that wiggle and wobble and transfer (many with lollies displayed on high) in an eccentric celebration of the wheel as man’s biggest invention. There are additionally numerous Capergrams and Caperphrases on show – performs on phrases that always end in humour.
Confectionery Capers, 1028 McIvor Hwy, Junortoun, 03 5449 3111
The place to buy in Bendigo
16. E-book Now
E-book Now holds the mystique of previous dusty tomes ready to be found with the grandeur of a two-levelled Bodleian-esque library. We go to each time we go to Bendigo.
Books are sorted by class (with seating in nooks and crannies between cabinets) with highlights together with the non-fiction literature and antiquarian collections. It is received a small assortment of kids’s books within the again nook however predominantly it is a store higher for grownup readers.
E-book Now, 1 Farmers Lane, Bendigo 03 5443 8587
17. The Epicurean
The Epicurean is an Italian connoisseur deli and providore which has a considerable vary of take-home meals together with bread, smallgoods, cheeses and truffles and sweets (you can too dine in). You may fill a big tub for $15.50 and a small tub for $9 and given a big tub simply feeds two to a few folks it’s a whole discount.
The Epicurean 79 Mitchell St. Bendigo 03 5443 2699
18. Bendigo Farmers Market
Each second Saturday of the month Bendigo holds a Farmers Market from 9-1pm on the Rosalind Park finish of Williamson St. The market sells recent, regional and seasonal produce.
Bendigo Farmers Market Williamson St, Bendigo
The place to eat in Bendigo with Children
19. The Woodhouse
Genuine steakhouse and pizzeria the place every little thing is cooked, roasted, baked or grilled with sustainable redgum wooden from Barmah. It’s homely, rustic fare finished with panache and no fuel! We tried their wood-fired pizzas with a crispy, barely bready, base, and I extremely advocate the stuffed poussin with roasted veg. The dessert platter can be a feast to behold and is de facto appropriate for 3 to 4 folks, not simply two!
The Woodhouse 101 Williamson St, Bendigo, 03 5443 8671
20. Percy and Percy
Percy and Percy is a former grocer turned pleasant neighbourhood cafe. The café is spacious, with a fundamental eating room, a secluded personal room and out of doors courtyard.
The menu is consolation meals finished with an imaginative twist and there’s a babies’s menu.
Percy and Percy Cnr Hargreaves & Baxter Sts, Bendigo, 03 5442 2997
21. Cortille Café
Axil Espresso is served from a trailer put in inside Cortille Café, a preferred CBD all day cafe.
The all day breakfast and lunch menu has a particular part only for waffles in order that they’re a must-try!
Cortille Café, 322 Lyttleton Terrace, Bendigo, 03 5444 3082
22. Brewhouse
This specialist espresso roastery and cafe has a match out lifted proper out of the laneways of Melbourne and is a buzzing place on weekends with households and hipsters alike.
For households there’s loads of pram house, a stack of excessive chairs, a youngsters menu and even a separate play house!
Brewhouse Espresso Roasters 402 Hargreaves St, Bendigo, 03 5442 8224
23. The Good Loaf
Bendigo’s first and solely sourdough bakery is housed in an previous service station. It’s a small house (they will present a excessive chair) and as you may think about the menu could be very bread heavy. Extremely advocate their polenta bread and semi-sourdough corn bread.
The Good Loaf, 404 Hargreaves St, Bendigo, 03 5444 2171, 26 Mercy St, Bendigo, 03 5444 3130
24. Edwards Providore
Edwards Providore is barely out of city however this produce retailer and café would not be amiss within the prosperous leafy suburbs of Melbourne.
All the things on the menu within the café is comprised of the recent meals that they promote. Additionally they have produce and meals to take house on the market.
Edwards Providore, 150 Condon St, Kennington, 03 5444 2244
25. Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane off Pall Mall is Bendigo’s laneway of meals and artwork within the CBD, with the bustling wine bar The Dispensary and the Spanish-inspired El Gordo cafe. Being small, slim eating places they don’t seem to be notably little one/pram pleasant by way of amenities however youngsters are welcome – our children have each visited these eating places.
Reader suggestions:
- Bendigo Nook Retailer Café 305 View Road 03 5442 2008 – natural espresso and free vary produce with a yard for the kids to play in. The shop portion of the café sells milk, bread and newspapers plus different comfort objects.
- Bendigo Wholefoods – 314 Lyttleton Terrace (03) 5443 9492 – Group meals retailer with domestically grown and made merchandise and adjoining cafe.
- Outdated Inexperienced Bean 179 Lyttleton Tce, Bendigo 5444 3173 – classic retailer, espresso roastery and cafe.
26. All Seasons Resort Bendigo
The All Seasons Bistro is contained in the All Seasons Resort, and it has a youngsters play space. There’s video games consoles and a toddler space. There are additionally loads of meal choices, together with a snacks menu.
All Seasons Bistro, All Seasons Resort, 171-183 McIvor Hwy, Bendigo, 03 5443 8166
The place to remain in Bendigo with youngsters
I search for lodging on the Bendigo Tourism website and Airbnb.
27. Big4 Bendigo Park Lane
BIG4 Bendigo Park Lane Vacation Park is situated about quarter-hour drive from Bendigo CBD, close to Junorton. Like all Big4 caravan parks it’s supremely household pleasant, with a pool, leaping pillow, pedal go-karts and Bendigo’s greatest indoor playground Parky’s Wonderland!
BIG4 Bendigo Park Lane Vacation Park, 761 McIvor Freeway, Junortoun Bendigo
For extra lodging choices in Bendigo, I like to recommend testing what’s accessible on Airbnb.
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