CULTURAL TREASURES IN THE Goldfields

The Goldfields region of country Victoria is perhaps the richest and most cultural landscape outside the capital cities of Australia.

The fine architectural legacy evident from the gold-rush era of the mid 19th Century is complemented by a thriving and innovative commitment to the arts. Nowhere is this more evident than in the main Goldfields towns of Bendigo and Ballarat.

The oldest and largest regional gallery in Australia is the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, which was established in 1884 and houses the original Eureka Stockade Flag from Australia’s most famous insurrection. Also in Ballarat, the Eureka Centre stands on the site of the rebellion of 1854. There are five galleries where you can reflect on the events of that time and its impact on the political and social process that gave rise to modern Australia.
Her Majesty’s Theatre in Ballarat is one of Australia’s finest and has a busy program of productions throughout the year. Check for shows at www.hermaj.com when planning a trip to this region.

Luxury accommodation & cottages in Goldfields, VIC

Easter in Bendigo is festival time, and visitors enjoy a full program of parades, carnival rides, music, comedy and great food and wine. The Bendigo Easter Festival and street procession is the oldest in Australia, having started in 1871 and remaining an integral part of the cultural life of the city ever since.

Another exhibition of note in Bendigo is the “Making a Nation Federation”, housed in the Old Post Office, one of the city’s finest Victorian establishments. The exhibition highlights the city’s role in the Federation debate, which dominated discourse in the final years of the 19th Century.

Highly recommended by The Age Good Food Guide, the Penny School Gallery & Cafe at Maldron features exhibitions by some of Australia’s leading artists and is open seven days.

The Goldfields deserve more than a weekend.