Major projects
The City of Greater Bendigo is proud to partner with State and Federal governments, all sides of politics and the private sector to deliver major projects and other initiatives on behalf of our community. Below is a list of the current priority projects awaiting funding.
Bendigo Art Gallery Expansion
The success of Bendigo Art Gallery has caused it to outgrow its current facilities. The expansion project is Council’s number one infrastructure project.
Total project cost - $54M
- Australian Government - $15M
- Victorian Government - $21M (confirmed)
- City of Greater Bendigo - $9M (confirmed)
- Bendigo Art Gallery Board - $3M (confirmed)
- Philanthropic - $6M+
Expansion of the entire site will deliver a multi-storey building that enhances the capacity for major exhibitions and visitor attraction, and creates new engagement and public spaces, including:
- 600m² new world-class learning centre for students, families and community
- Traditional Owner recognition via Place of Keeping for the Dja Dja Wurrung collection
- Large, second level blockbuster exhibition space
- Redeveloped restaurant with a City of Gastronomy offering
- Expanded access to free and collection-based exhibitions and displays
- Expanded commercial opportunities via a Gallery shop and pop up blockbuster exhibition shop
- Accessible amenities and expanded public spaces
Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct
An industrial precinct is essential and urgent to support central Victoria’s advanced manufacturing sector. The Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct (BREP), located in Marong, will provide a long-term pipeline of industrial land to meet growing industry needs and will secure jobs close to a growing residential population. It will also reduce land use conflicts and reduce freight movements through central Bendigo.
To date, the Victorian Government has invested $6M towards preparations for the site. This funding has been split into five main projects:
- Water pipeline upgrade (partnership project with Coliban Water)
- Marong Western Freight Corridor and Multi-modal Connections Assessment
- Development Strategy, Infrastructure Strategy and business case
- Integrated Water Strategy
- Implementation of priority utility works
These projects will determine the level of future government investment required to establish BREP. Early modelling expects the site will be complete by 2028, with businesses able to move in from 2028/2029.
World Heritage Listing - Victorian Goldfields
Victoria has the world’s best example of a gold rush cultural landscape. This includes its geography and biodiversity, First Nations history, international migration, historic settlements, industry and mining landscapes.
National and international experts have found that Victoria has the world’s most extensive and best surviving gold rush landscape, when compared to gold rush landscapes around the world and in Australia.
Fifteen councils have joined together to achieve UNESCO World Heritage Listing, which would share the extraordinary story of the Victorian Goldfields with people from across the globe and create social, cultural and economic opportunities across the region.
Work is currently underway to identify sites that demonstrate the best gold rush heritage examples that will be included in the listing.
- Seeking to achieve World Heritage Tentative Listing by February 1, 2025 (determined by the Federal Government, to be put forward for consideration by UNESCO)
- Seeking to achieve formal World Heritage Listing by 2028 (determined by UNESCO)