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 - Membership 2003

This Item includes the following Documents:

11213.6a1 Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival - Membership Form Front

11213.6a2 Sandhurst Trustees Bendigo Easter Festival - Membership Form Rear

11213.6b Bendigo Easter Festival Membership Application Form Layout and Membership Categories

11213.6c Bendigo Easter Festival Letters to members - Templates

11213.6d Bendigo Easter Festival Changes to Memberships and Guidleines for 2004

11213.6e Bendigo Easter Festival for 2004 - Two A3 Sheets showing events, and locations Feb 2005

11213.6f Bendigo Easter Festival New Members letters and contact details Aug 2003 - Contact BHS for Details

11213.6g Bendigo Easter Festival Member Tax Invoices and Remittances - Contact BHS for Details

11213.6h Bendigo Easter Festival Membership Expiry Flow Diagram

11213.6i Bendigo Easter Festival Newsletter Jan 2003

11213.6j Bendigo Easter Festival Membership Applications - Contact BHS for Details

11213.6k Handwritten letter from Diolee Myers Davey OAM nomination of Simon Mulqueen for life membership Jan 2003