City of Greater Bendigo

Bendigo is a city in Victoria located near the geographical centre of the state. It is approximately 150 kilometres North West of the state capital, Melbourne. It is a pleasant 90 minute drive or slightly longer rail trip from Melbourne. Bendigo has a population of 82,794 making it the fourth largest inland city in Australia and fourth most populous city in the state. The population is growing by 1.6% per annum. The discovery of gold in the soils of Bendigo during the 1850s made it one of the most significant towns in Australia. The gold rush brought an influx of migrants to the city from around the world. More than 3,000 Chinese settled in Bendigo in 1854. Tourist attractions include the Central Deborah Mine, which offers underground mine tours, and the Talking Tram, which takes passengers on a 5 kilometre journey through Bendigo.