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Festival celebrates Greater Bendigo's heritage

Media release

Greater Bendigo’s rich and diverse heritage is celebrated as part of the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival, which runs until Sunday May 18.

The festival features a multitude of events ranging from exclusive access to significant places and spaces, talks, heritage walks, workshops, exhibitions, collections, webinars and special events in the Goldfields region.

City events

Pick to Pixel: Unearthing Bendigo's Tech Heritage

As part of the festival, the City of Greater Bendigo is hosting its inaugural heritage forum From Pick to Pixel: Unearthing Bendigo’s Tech Heritage on Thursday May 8 from 6pm to 8.30pm at Dja Dja Wurrung’s new cultural venue, Larnangurrak in Hattam Street, Golden Square.

The forum topics include:

  • A major landscape mapping project undertaken by Djaara
  • 3D laser scanning projects on heritage buildings
  • Using digital access to uncover information from titles
  • The Bendigo Military Museum’s digital storytelling project: Faces of Peace: Central Victoria’s Peacekeepers, Peacebuilders and Peacemakers
  • A case study of integrating sustainability into a heritage building
  • The Victorian Central Goldfields World Heritage Listing

To register for the free forum, visit:

Humanitix: From Pick to Pixel

Unearthing Gold Histories

The City is also involved in a three part Heritage Festival Webinar Series, Unearthing Gold Histories presented in partnership with The Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid. The webinars are from 2pm to 2.30pm on May 2, May 19 and May 16. 

To access the free webinars, visit:

Australian Heritage Festival: Unearthing Gold Histories

Heritage talks at Star Cinema

The Star Cinema in Eaglehawk is welcoming those interested in history, cinema, wine, heritage architecture and hidden spaces during the festival.

Each Friday evening between 5pm and 7pm, The Chambers (upstairs from Star cinema) will be reimagined as a wine bar to host special heritage talks. The City of Greater Bendigo’s Built Heritage Adviser Janita Norman will be the guest speaker on May 9 and the City’s Heritage Collections Officer Simone Ewenson will be The Chamber’s guest speaker on May 16. Booking is essential.

To book, visit: 

Australian Heritage Festival: Chambers Wine Bar at the Star Cinema

Australian Heritage Festival

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the festival program enabled community members and visitors to experience and explore many heritage places.

“Greater Bendigo has a rich and diverse range of heritage places and open spaces that collectively illustrate the region’s history.” Cr Metcalf said.

“The festival program brings heritage to life including exclusive access to all kinds of special historical places from miners cottages to the former Gas Works site.”

National Trust Bendigo & District Branch President Peter Cox OAM said the annual Heritage Festival was an opportunity for people of all ages to celebrate the region’s heritage in many different ways.

“At the Heritage Festival, you can hear stories of the unusual and unknown from amazing experts and guides. With tours, talks, workshops and special events, there’s something for curious minds of all ages,” Mr Cox said.

“It is not often that people get the chance to gain access to incredible places and it’s a sneak peek not to be missed so I encourage you to browse the program and register for events.”

Other highlights from the festival program for Greater Bendigo include:

  • A free Open Day on May 17 at Bendigo Heritage Attractions’ sites including Central Deborah Gold Mine, Bendigo Tramways and the Bendigo Joss House Temple
  • A tour of the former Bendigo Post Office with a guide on May 10. Prebooking and entry fee applies
  • Join Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson on Country (Castlemaine and surrounds) from 10am to 4pm on May 3. Booking and fees apply
  • A rare glimpse of the former Gas Works on May 11 with a special tour of the site. It is one of around three remaining intact 19th century gas works in the world, and the only one in Australia. Prebooking and entry fee applies
  • An exclusive behind the scenes at the Bendigo Military Museum including the breathtaking band rotunda with panoramic views of Bendigo’s stunning streetscape on May 10. Prebooking and entry fee apply
  • Visit three miners cottages and hear two talks on heritage by noted historians on May 3. Prebooking and entry fee applies
  • Exclusive tours of the former Bendigo Law Courts on May 1, May 4 and May 10. Prebooking and entry fee applies

For the full program, visit:

Australian Heritage Festival website
Locations:
Greater Bendigo