365 Places: Bendigo

Day 12: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Today’s post is focused on a journey we will be making very soon – to Bendigo to see a preview of a friend’s first play. The play is being presented by the Bendigo Theatre Company, and I am really excited to be there with her to share this momentous occasion.

As we had never been to Bendigo before, I was keen to soak up some of its rich history as a gold town in the 1800s. I booked us into the Shamrock hotel, which has many stories to tell. Melanie Ball’s article in the Sydney Morning Herald titled Nothing Like a Dame, details the history of this magnificent building in terms of its musical heritage. She also refers to the Shamrock as the “Queen of Bendigo Accommodation”.  I can’t wait!

Ball goes on to say:

The Shamrock – the third hotel on this site – was designed to outshine all other Bendigo establishments and rival Melbourne’s Grand (now Windsor), and the opulent, five-storey Italianate landmark opened in 1897.

I truly love discovering new places, especially if it involves a road trip. As the Dalai Lama says “Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before.”

Here are the details of Sue’s play:

Turning Tables
Written and Directed by Sue Walker

Bendigo Theatre Company Art’s Shed
15-17 Allingham Street, Golden Square

Contact: bendigotheatrec@tpg.com.au