A Brief History
Bendigo (Ben-dig-oh) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the
geographical
centre of the state and approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) north-west of Melbourne, the state
capital.
As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991 making it Australia's 19th-largest city,
fourth-largest inland city, and the fourth-most populous city in Victoria. It is the administrative
centre
of
the City of Greater
Bendigo, which encompasses outlying towns spanning an area of approximately 3,000 km2 (1,158 sq miles)
and
over
111,000 people.
The traditional owners of the land are the Dja Dja Wurrung (Ja-Ja-war-rung) people are
Aboriginal
Australians.
The discovery of gold on Bendigo Creek in 1851 transformed the area from a sheep station into one of
colonial Australia's largest boomtowns. News of the finds intensified the Victorian gold rush, bringing
an
influx of
migrants from around the world, particularly Europe and China. Bendigo became eastern Australia's
largest
19th-century gold-mining economy and the wealth generated during this period is reflected today in the
city's
Victorian
architectural heritage. From 1853 until 1891, Bendigo was officially named Sandhurst.
Bendigo's boom period lasted until the early 20th century and after a temporary decline in population
and
employment, renewed growth occurred from the 1930s as the city consolidated as a manufacturing and
regional
service
centre. Although gold mining continues, recent population growth has been most heavily concentrated in
suburban
areas. With
the completion of the Calder Freeway linking Melbourne and Bendigo in 2009, and the region's proximity
to
Melbourne, Bendigo has become one of the fastest-growing regional centres in Victoria.
Read more on Wikipedia!
