The City of Greater Bendigo is located in the centre of Victoria, covering almost 3,000 square kilometres.
We have a growing population of more than 121,000, and are the state’s third largest economy base in Victoria. We are a service and infrastructure centre for north central Victoria, and surrounded by 40,000 hectares of regional, state and national parkland.
Greater Bendigo snapshot
The City of Greater Bendigo is located in the geographic centre of Victoria, covering almost 3,000 square kilometres. We have a growing population of more than 121,000.
Our municipality includes the thriving smaller communities of Heathcote, Elmore, Goornong, Marong, Redesdale and Axedale.
We are a service and infrastructure centre for north central Victoria, and surrounded by 40,000 hectares of regional, state and national parkland.
The Aboriginal people of the area are the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung language groups of the Central Kulin nation. The 1880s gold rush wealth is evident in our streetscapes and historic buildings.
We enjoy a distinct four seasons climate, and avoid extremes in weather like snow and strong winds. Temperatures average 29 degrees Celsius in summer and sunny winter days of 12 degrees.
We are 150 kilometres north west of Melbourne and 90 minutes from Melbourne Airport. Bendigo is located at the junction of three highways with excellent connections to interstate highways.
Bendigo is now the third largest concentrated economic base in Victoria, with an annual Gross Regional Product (GRP) of over $5.1 billion in 2012.
We are located in the Murray Darling Basin, the North Central Catchment Region and catchments of the Loddon and Campaspe rivers.
Our municipality is surrounded by parkland and nature reserves including the Whipstick and Kamarooka state parks, One Tree Hill and Eaglehawk regional parks, Maiden Gully, Marong, Wellsford and Mandurang state forests, and historic, flora and fauna, and bushland reserves.
Our forests, parks nature and bush reserves are home to more than 200 species of birds including the Grey Shrike-Thrush, White-Wing Chough, 44 species of mammals such as the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Black Wallaby, echidna, 40 species of reptiles and 12 species of frogs.
Regional profile and information
Regional profile and information sourced from external authorities, organisations and the City of Greater Bendigo database, research and surveys.