FRIDAY'S HISTORY LESSON: BENDIGO, PART 1.

This morning we drove to Woodend Train Station to catch the V/Line Train to Bendigo. Not before we travelled up top of Mt Macedon to have a look if there was any snow. Nope, the weather was not quite cool enough. But, we were driving up so high that we were inside the white clouds. The gardens of the houses on the Mount are spectacular. Buds are beginning to appear..a sign of Spring to come.

Woodend Station...Platform 1. The opening of the railway line linking Melbourne to Woodend took place in 1861.

Melbourne bound.

Atop the footbridge looking Bendigo bound.

Our train is approaching.

We arrive at Bendigo and walk down to take the talking tram tour. The tram runs along the main thoroughfare of Bendigo. As it goes along a narration plays for the passengers about the history of Bendigo.

Monument to those men that have fallen who served their country and came from Bendigo and its surrounds.

Rosalind Park Bendigo. The glass conservatorium you see pictured was erected in 1897. It is home to many a flower show. Namely the Chrysanthemum Association display on an annual basis. It is empty at the moment yet still lovely to view.

This is the gateway to the History of Chinese settlement in Bendigo. Back when the Chinese first came to Australia chasing the Gold Rush that had hit this region, the people got off the ships in Adelaide in South Australia and walked all the way to Bendigo. They have a remarkable place in the history of Bendigo's mining, and are still to this day a large part of the town's Culture. Beyond this entrance is the Golden Dragon Museum. It houses the famous Sun Loog Dragon, the longest imperial dragon in the World. During the Easter Fair in Bendigo, Sun Loog makes an its annual appearance. This is an image of the Bendigo Steam Tram. C. 1892. When these were in use, they used alot of water and were, for the most part, very noisy for passengers. It is said that the noise alarmed many people taking the tram, whether it was to work in the mines, to go to the station or to go to church on a Sunday. Needless to say, they were phased out.

There are up to 40 tram cars in the depot being worked on or waiting to be repaired back to their original condition. Being that it takes time and of course money, this is something that will take a good deal of years to accomplish. One of the tram cars they had there was in a very bad state. It had been found out back of an old ladie's place, thought to have been used as a storage shed or chook shed.

A picture of Sarah with her Great Grandad. He was very excited to see us all up in Bendigo.

An image of the Gas Works in Bendigo.It was built in 1859 and was in operation for over 100 years. It is the largest coal gas producing plant with horizontal retorts left in Australia. Bendigo had gas lighting as early as 1861. These gas works closed in 1973 due to the arrival of natural gas.

Due to the influx of people to this area during the peak of the Goldrush there was a problem. People had machines set up all along the Bendigo Creek, as many as 1200 at one time. These sorted the rock and dirt out and hopefully showed some glistening of gold. The by product of this, being that water was needed and a point of drainage also needed, was lurky muddy water. In order to combat this, the council of the time lined the canal with concrete, rocks and wooden sides. Which can be seen in the image above. Right now, the water level is low due to the drought. Yes, there has been some rain in this area, but not enough to fill any reservoir or this canal

Anyhow, there is much more to this tour, and much more to Bendigo..stay tuned for next week's Part 2 of Bendigo History.