Sacred Heart Cathedral is the principle Church of the Diocese of Sandhurst and the home Church of the Cathedral Parish serving the people of central and north west parts of the city of Bendigo and many visitors to the church and the city. It is a lovely piece of architecture to be sure.The Cathedral was built in two stages. The first, comprising the nave and side aisles, was opened in September 1901. There was then a long interval until 1954 when work recommenced. The second stage was finally completed in 1977.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the largest churches in Australia and a major tourist attraction for the city of Bendigo. Its initial construction and final completion were made possible through the remarkable achievements of Rev. Dr. Henry Backhaus, the first priest on the Bendigo goldfields. In addition to his priestly role, he was very active in civic affairs and skilled in financial matters. Between his arrival in 1852 and his death thirty years later, he accumulated considerable property. This was left for the benefit of the church and enabled the Cathedral, among other things, to be built.
At the end of the Talking Tram tour we visited the Central Deborah Gold Mine. It is a well known tourist attraction that offers the unique experience of exploring a real gold mine on one of the underground mine tours. Whether it's touring the surface of the mine with its treasure trove of vintage mining machinery, gold panning for riches or taking one of the spectacular underground mine tours, visitors will never forget a stop at Central Deborah.
Sixty metres underground , don a hard hat and miners lamp and walk in the footsteps of miners who discovered almost one tonne of the world's most precious metal on the Mine Experience Tour. Here are Tomas and Nicholas with their special gear on for their tour with their dad.
All attentive, the boys really had a great time and they learned so much and had heaps to talk about once they all surfaced.
An image of the skips used to bring the rock to surface from beneath in the mine. There was a small cinema that the girls and I, along with my grandad, went into whilst the boys were on their adventure. We got to sit and relax and watch the history of the mine and the people who brought about the Gold Rush that occurred in Bendigo and its neighbouring regions. 
Boy, am I glad it was the boys that were beneath the earth there...they did say it was warm, but I doubt it was cosy.
Bendigo is a really nice city to visit. Every building in the central part of Bendigo has some part in its history. The talking tram tour soon points this out, and it is so affordable to go on it... you ought to have a go when you get there!
14 comments:
Wow ... stupid of me, since Australia was invaded by immigrants from the old country, but I never imagined it having beautiful cathedrals like England. It's lovely!
There is something about old churches one of the main reasons i loved europe, the buildings the arches and the art work... truly amazing and humbling. Gives a sence of time and how unimportant your part in it actually is.....
Bendigo sounds like a terrific place to go n see. tnxx Caz!
Keshi.
I love big old cathedrals, but I don't know about going far undergroud. Not my thing really.
Hey, I have been busy at work trying to orient "the talker's" replacement. she is having surgery next week. I love the video of your hubby and the kids. I have something for you but have yet to send it on. I will try very hard to get it to you either this week or the next! Sorry!
I love reading all about a place I never even heard of before. Bendigo is not listed on any of the tours of Australia I have ever seen. Yours is a big country of great variety.
Looks like a lot of fun! When I was a kid my mother took us on cross country trip and we panned for gold out west. It was a blast!
Lovely church! I love touring old churches and cathedrals cuz there's something about it that's just so enigmatic and beautiful... sounds like you had a lot of fun during your getaway ;)
That really looks like fun! Who knows, maybe one day I will have a go there. Thanks for sharing.
The cathedral is beautiful!
Acutually I am afraid of walking in cavity and undergrond.
But usually boys like adventures.
Um Cazzie?
Your boys are Minor Miners?
Hehehe...Thanks for the lesson, I feel like I was there....Galen xox
Bibi, yep, we have so many people from so many countries we are truly multi cultural. Places of worship spring up everywhere that a new community resides. At work, I wish I had some thing like out of a sci fi flick that I could wear aound my neck to babblefish everyone's words so I could understand them. Thing is, we all improvise with mimes.
QOD, it is lovely to see the cathedral.
Aidan, I am same as you mate, I love to stand thgere and gaze at the architecture of such things and I always wonder at how the builders knew what they were doing..amazing stuff.
Your last part of your comment is true. It is why I like Missy Higgins' song "Steer" it is just about the Universe, the stars and how small we are in the scheme of things. Thing is, we are just a speck of it all aren't we.
Keshi, I can come with ya keshi, if ya wanna come down here that is.
Jay, me neither but the boys loved it and the girls wanna go down next time.
Poody, no worries, and take care of yourself, try not to do it all for the talker.
Mom, you are right, tourists often marvel at just how big Australia is, they all think it is so small until theyre here. Some people get off the plane and think they can just bike ride around Ausralia..they can, bu it won't take all of 7 days :)
Captain Corky, panning for Gold is great. We will do this with the kid up Sovereign Hill in a few months time..when the weather is less snowy.
Princess, the whole town of Bendigo gives you the way back when feel..even though there are major shopping centres and Mac Donalds and all that too.
Big Mama, go on, give it a go, we can take you on the tour.
Lucy, your English is great, well done!! Yes, above groundis the place for me too.
G-Man, too funny, it was fun for them.
Cazzie, thank you for all your kindnesses of late...much appreciated. But what I wanted to mention is that have you thought of hauling all your historical and "of interest" stories and pictures together and trying to present them to a publisher as a coffee table type book? Lots of people would be interested forsure and you have just about enough to fill a book by now...think about it.
MC, I shall seriously think it over honey :)
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