Ernest Morton Vains (1881 - 1951) was a local business man and Bendigo councillor who arrived in Bendigo in 1897 aged 16 from Kerang. In 1916 he founded the firm E M Vains and Co with his brother Sidney and they operated from Hargreaves Street in Bendigo with branches in Elmore, Mitiamo, Dingee, Knowsley, Heathcote and Prairie. E. M. Vains was a member of the City Council from 1922 - 1926 and was elected Mayor on August 29th, 1924. He played a prominent role in many of the City's community and industry groups and was a member of the Rotary Club which was founded in 1925 and a member of the Corona Lodge of Freemasons. Single page invoice from E.M. Vains and Co Auctioneers, Stock and Station Agents Bendigo. Letterhead features the unique R M Vains & Co logo with a bulls head, printed in royal blue ink.city of bendigo mayor, mayor vains, city of greater bendigo commerce, making a nation exhibition, mayoress vains, freemason

When the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Act was passed in June 1902, and a national Postmaster General's Department (the PMG) was established the responsibility the nation's mail and telephone services fell on local Post Offices. The Bendigo Post Office was designed by Public Works architect George W Watson and constructed between 1883 and 1887. The two story brick structure with basement has unpainted rendered facades and a 43m high clock tower complete with 6 bell carillon. The facades are elaborately decorated with Corinthian pilasters, balustrading, lions' heads and the state mansard roof with cast iron ridging and finials. (VHR #4739). Situated on Pall Mall it has always been called the Bendigo Post Office even though it was not until 1891 that the name Bendigo was given to the town. The Bendigo Post Office housed much more than just postal services and the building contained many early government departments and services needed for a growing district. The building celebrated its centenary on the 30th September 1987 to much fan fare with Ted Rankins, the then Postal Manager planning many of the week long events including tours of the post office, a grand parade with cake and staff in period costume, a ball at the Shamrock and a barbeque in Rosalind Park. The Post Office ceased providing postal services in 1997 after the privitisation Australia Post and Telstra but continues to play a central role for the community, providing important services to visitors and locals alike. Currently it is occupied by Bendigo Tourism and includes two exhibition spaces including the Living Arts Space and Djaa Djuwima a dedicated and permanent First Nations Gallery. Activities at the Post Office are supported by City of Greater Bendigo staff and a dedicated group of volunteers. These items are part of the postal collection donated by the Rankins family in memory of the last postal manager at the Bendigo Post Office, Ted Rankins. 0364.1: Single sided printed 'Order of Proceedings' flyer; Outlines the running of events for the celebrations on Wednesday 30 September, 1987 at the Post Office with the centenary logo centre top in crimson ink. 0364.2: Single sided, four-colour printed, DL size invitation for celebrations marking the centenary of the Post Office on Wednesday 30 September, 1987. 0364.3,.4,.5,.6,.7: Printed cake bag with centenary logo and image of Bendigo Post Office printed on front in crimson ink. 0364.8,.9,.10,.11: Square note paper with centenary logo and border printed in crimson ink. 0364.12 Envelope: Australia Post envelope with Bendigo 100th anniversary images. Date stamped and addressed to Mr Edmondston Postmaster, Elmore. bendigo post office, bendigo tourism, city of greater bendigo tourism, post office collection, ted rankins collection, city of greater bendigo volunteers

The first Bendigo Easter Fair was held on 10th and 11th April, 1871 and remains one of Australia’s longest running annual community events taking place over the Easter long weekend. Its purpose was to raise funds in aid of two local charities; The Bendigo Hospital, and The Bendigo Benevolent Asylum. The fair features events throughout the City with celebrations culminating in a parade on Easter Sunday. The parade features a variety of commercial and community groups including a large processional dragon which has been an integral part of the annual parade since 1892. The three principal golden dragons featured over the past 130 years are Loong (1892–1970), Sun Loong (1970–2019) and Dai Gum Loong (2019–present) which are housed at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo. Fundraising for charities remains a large part of this event and this raffle is an example of the types of prizes you could expect to win in 1915 with 1st prize being a Horse, Gig and Harness.Printed ticket on card. Double sided. Includes advertising for local businesses. Front covered in text describing the twenty one prizes to be won. Reverse; advertisement for Cohn Bros Beer.bendigo easter fair, bendigo hospital

BHS CollectionCopy of a two page press release mentioning the placement of an information marker to acknowledge the achievement that underground mining made to Bendigo. It was felt that Long Gully was the ideal location for a marker as not only was the Long Gully township an underground mining centre it is also close to being geographically the centre of the Bendigo deep mining field.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - press release, the long gully history group, the cornish association, the city of greater bendigo, long gully community house

The first Bendigo Easter Fair was held on 10th and 11th April, 1871 and remains one of Australia’s longest running annual community events taking place over the Easter long weekend. Its purpose was to raise funds in aid of two local charities; The Bendigo Hospital, and The Bendigo Benevolent Asylum. The fair features events throughout the City with celebrations culminating in a parade on Easter Sunday. The parade features a variety of commercial and community groups including a large processional dragon which has been an integral part of the annual parade since 1892. The three principal golden dragons featured over the past 130 years are Loong (1892–1970), Sun Loong (1970–2019) and Dai Gum Loong (2019–present) which are housed at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo. The Bendigo Easter Fair Society is custodian of the Bendigo Easter Fair and continues to support the City of Greater Bendigo’s largest festival. Each year the City produces a poster to advertise the upcoming fair and this one from 1943 reflects the war time sentiment which existed by featuring service men and women as well as the Chinese dragon. Commercially printed colour poster advertising the Bendigo Easter Fair featuring a woman riding a chinese dragon on the left hand side of print with two smaller images, one of service man in uniform bottom left and woman factory worker top right. The title appears in red lettering at top with details of the events appearing in the centre and lower sections on the right.Bendigo Easter Fair / 1943 / Carries On / and again invites all to keep smiling in the Nation's testing time, as all unite to aid its Charities. / Easter Saturday / April 24th / Monster Spectacular Street Carnival / and Popular Girl Contest / Easter Sunday / April 25th / Attend the specially patriotic Band gathering / in the upper reserve / See the unique oriental awakening / of the dragon at the Chinese Quarters / Patriotism, Pageantry, Music, and / Special Features throughout the Fair city of greater bendigo easter fair, mayor michelsen, bendigo chinese dragon, city of greater bendigo tourism, making a nation exhibition, city of greater bendigo events