Historical information

Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival.

The aim of The Bendigo Easter Festival is to increase awareness of, and attendance at the Bendigo Easter Festival amongst regional, intrastate, and interstate audiences by 2006.

Bendigo Easter Festival - Australia's oldest festival ... .... ..

Gold, gold, gold. The year of 1871 was a great year for Bendigo. Parks were laid out, trees lined the streets. Although acknowledged as starting in 1869 the Easter Festival was considered an annual event by 1871.

Under brilliant illumination the whole of the Camp Reserve (now Rosalind Park) was filled with a bewildering variety of groups, exhibits and individuals all eager to be involved in such a worthwhile cause. There were sports meetings, theatricals, bazaars and instrumental items as well as dancing and carnival rides. On Easter Monday, as it is today, there was a grand procession that included a variety of bands.

1871 also marked the first year that the Chinese joined in the festivities. Originally the Chinese participated in the procession by dressing in richly embroidered costumes, and carrying colourful banners in all shapes and sizes, which were specially made for them in China.

In 1889, the Chinese were given their traditional place in the Parade, the end. They created a wonderful spectacle with their colourful costumes, banners and flags, and in 1892, Loong, the dragon appeared. The Bendigo Easter Festival had been fortunate in that it bad such a lively Chinese community in its midst.

At the time of course, Bendigo was known as Sandhurst, and it was not until twenty years after the first Easter Festival that the town was known as Bendigo. These days with sponsorship from the Sandburst Trustees, the Festival is known as the Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival.

132 years later, the Sandburst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival has had many changes. But loyal followers have never been disappointed. This year people saw the traditions upheld with family entertainments and not Loong, but Sun Loong, meaning new dragon, a 100m long Imperial Dragon who was created to take the place of the aging Loong.

Physical description

Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival Administration Documents - Minutes of Meetings

This Item includes the following Documents:

11213.2a1 Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival - Dragon Sun Loong

11213.2a2 Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival - Pamphlet Design

11213.2a3 Minutes of Meeting 28 Aug 1985

11213.2b Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 18 July 2002 - Contact BHS for Details

11213.2c Minutes of Committee of Management Weds 31 July 2002

11213.2d Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 15 August 2002 - Contact BHS for Details

11213.2e Minutes of Committee of Management Weds 28 August 2002

11213.2f Minutes of AGM Weds 4th Sept 2002

11213.2g Minutes of Committee of Management Tues 10th Sept 2002

11213.2h Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 26th Sept 2002

11213.2i Minutes of Committee of Management Tues 10th Oct 2002

11213.2j Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 7th Nov 2002

11213.2k Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 12th Nov 2002

11213.2l Minutes of Committee of Management Thurs 28th Nov 2002