Archive for December, 2009

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

The most prominent building in a city of beautiful architecture would have to be Sacred Heart Cathedral in the heart of Bendigo, Victoria, about an hour and a half drive from Melbourne.

This magnificent building was commenced in the 1890s and was officially opened in 1901. Built in the midst of a depression – to give out of work miners an income – it is a lasting and glorious testament to the vision of the early settlers of this lovely city. While the official opening may have been in 1901, work continued on the building for the next 100 years.

While I didn’t enter the cathedral on this visit I did so some years ago. It is an unforgettable experience in a land where there are few grand structures on this scale.

You can read a great deal more information about the cathedral here.

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, Victoria

Christmas Greetings

Laughing Kookaburras

Laughing Kookaburras

Christmas greetings to all of my loyal readers. I hope that you have a wonderful day.

May you also have a great New Year and I look forward to sharing more photos and accounts of my travels in the coming year.

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

The Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo, Victoria

Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo, Victoria

Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo, Victoria

Another of the wonderful historic buildings in the regional city of Bendigo is the Hotel Shamrock, pictured on this page.  This city bristles with beautiful old buildings like this one. I haven’t ever stayed in this hotel, in fact, I haven’t even been inside it.

If the interior is as beautiful as the outside, it is sure to be magnificent.

Bendigo is about an hour and a half car trip from Melbourne, along a fine modern freeway.

Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo, Victoria

Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo is a beautiful regional city in a lovely rural setting in the central north of Victoria. It is situated about an hour and a half drive from Melbourne along a modern freeway.

Bendigo has a rich and colourful history, built initially on the gold mining which brought great wealth to the area. Now it is a regional centre, tourist destination and boats many beautiful old buildings of the Victorian era.

One of those beautiful buildings is the historic old Bendigo Post Office, shown in the photos on this page. For more details of this building click here.

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo Post Office, Victoria

Bendigo trams, Victoria

Bendigo, Victoria

Bendigo, Victoria

Bendigo is well known for its historic trams running through the streets of this beautiful central Victorian city. Many of them are still actively used by commuters, while several are set aside especially as tourist trams. These take tourists on guided tours of the city complete with running commentary on the historic features of the city.

Bendigo, Victoria

Bendigo, Victoria

Historic tourist tram, Bendigo, Victoria

Historic tourist tram, Bendigo, Victoria