VICMining
Bendigo
Deep gold paid for a grand city.
1851Gold rush begins
WHAT STARTED IT
Gold along Bendigo Creek brought miners in 1851. Rich reefs supported long-lived underground mining, allowing a town to develop well beyond a temporary digging camp.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
Deep reef mining extended the gold economy well beyond the first rush. Trades, civic institutions and regional services accumulated alongside it; health, education, finance and manufacturing now broaden the city’s base.
Read the fuller history
Officially called Sandhurst for decades, the city grew wealthy through mining. Chinese communities, trades and institutions shaped its life, while civic buildings advertised its prosperity.
TURNING POINTS
1851The rush begins.
1853The township is officially named Sandhurst.
1891The name Bendigo is adopted officially.
2019Regular Qantas flights to Sydney began from the upgraded Bendigo Airport, restoring a direct interstate air link.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
A major regional centre with health, education, finance, manufacturing and cultural tourism. Its architectural wealth remains a visible dividend of the gold era.