The City of Greater Bendigo has announced the following changes to service delivery to help limit the spread of COVID-19. 

• The City is asking residents to log a customer request online at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/requests, email [email protected] or phone the City on 5434 6000 rather than visit Customer Service Centres at Hopetoun Street, Bendigo or High Street, Heathcote
• For planning and building enquiries: Planning – 5434 6355 or [email protected]. Building – 5434 6347 or [email protected]. Residents are asked to manage planning and building enquiries by phone or email first. Face-to-face enquiries will be by appointment only, which can be made by contacting planning or building staff via the above phone numbers or email addresses. 
• Bendigo Venues and Events (The Capital, Ulumbarra, The Engine Room, Dudley House and Bendigo Town Hall, outside of Council meetings) will close its venues and cancel all performances from 5pm today for the duration of the month-long Victorian State of Emergency. Ticketholders will be contacted to arrange refunds for performances affected by this closure. For further enquiries please contact the Box Office on 5434 6100 or [email protected]. The actual Box Office, located in The Capital, will be closed.
• Bendigo Writers Festival Big Bookmark event, to have taken place May 8-10, has been cancelled.
• Bendigo Art Gallery has cancelled its public programming (e.g. tours, talks and workshops), however the Gallery is still open at this stage and there are no current ticketed exhibitions.
• Goldfields Libraries will remain open for the time being, however all programs have been cancelled.

Wednesday’s Council meeting will be open to the public but residents are strongly discouraged to attend. The meeting will continue to be live streamed on Facebook and broadcast on Phoenix 106.7FM or online at www.phoenixfm.org.au. There will be less chairs available for seating in the gallery, with further seating available downstairs in the Town Hall where a screen showing the live stream will be set up. 

Visitor Centres and swimming pools will remain open for the time being, and services such as Aged Care, Maternal and Child Health, Immunisation and Early Years (child care centres) will continue to operate but in line with advice from the Victorian Government and Chief Health Officer. 

City Chief Executive Officer Craig Niemann said decision making was based on ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff and the community, while still continuing to provide services for residents. 

“This situation will continue to be monitored and further action may include temporary closure or limiting public access. The community will be advised of any changes,” Mr Niemann said. 

“The decision was made to close our theatres and related venues due to the close proximity that people sit and interact with each other, while places like Bendigo Art Gallery and libraries provide more space for people to move around and create some distance (social distancing) from each other. 

“We also ask for residents to be patient over the coming months when contacting the City. It is likely our capacity to respond will decrease as the COVID-19 disease spreads and we will have to prioritise service delivery and enquiries.”