About
The Bendigo Trust (now trading as Bendigo Heritage) was established in 1970 as a response to the Bendigo City Council’s plan to restore, conserve and manage the Central Deborah Gold Mine. Today, Bendigo Heritage oversees the day-to-day tourist operations, management and maintenance of the award winning Central Deborah Gold Mine, Bendigo Tramways and the Bendigo Joss House Temple. Bendigo Heritage works closely with the City of Greater Bendigo who owns many of the physical assets associated with these heritage-listed sites.
The Central Deborah Gold Mine operated from 1939-1954 and during which time it employed 375 male miners who successfully extracted 929 kg of gold, worth about $188 million at today's gold price. At its peak, the Central Deborah Gold Mine reached a depth of 422 meters. It has 17 separate levels with over 15 kilometers of underground mine workings. After intense lobbying by the local community, the Bendigo City Council purchased the still very much intact Central Deborah Gold Mine in 1970 for a mere $6,000 to ensure that a vital link to Bendigo's historic golden past was maintained. The Central Deborah Gold Mine which has been an award winning tourist attraction since 1971 was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register in November 1999 given its historical, archaeological, scientific, and social significance.
Bendigo Tramways has been in operation since June 1890. From that time, the citizens of Bendigo have experienced battery, steam and electric traction as the principal modes of propulsion for their trams which provided public transport for the local population until April 1972. Despite the seeming practicality of a shift to private buses, the idea of trams vanishing from Bendigo's streets did not sit easily with the community. Many felt that the legacy of the past was being squandered, and the newly formed Bendigo Trust was called upon to present a submission to the Bendigo City Council suggesting that a two year trial for a tourist tramway be undertaken. The Bendigo Trust's persistence was rewarded in September 1972 when the Victorian Cabinet announced that it had approved the two year trial for the Bendigo Trust to operate the Bendigo Tramways as a tourist attraction. In October 2010, The Bendigo Trust overtook the State Electricity Commission of Victoria as Bendigo’s longest serving tram operator with its award winning Vintage Talking Tour.
Bendigo Tramways proudly operates as Australasia’s largest tourist tramway out of Australia’s oldest operating electric tram depot. Given its historical and architectural significance the Bendigo Tramways depot and associated tram infrastructure was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register in September 1997. Bendigo Tramways has also been inducted into the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame and has been awarded an Australian Tourism Award for excellence in Cultural Tourism.As of July 2025, the Bendigo Tramways heritage fleet consists of 33 tram cars, of which 12 regularly operate as part of the Vintage Talking Tram Tour.
Bendigo Tramways is also world renowned for its Heritage Tram Workshop which has the ability to restore and re-purpose heritage trams and other rolling stock, as well as source or manufacture customised tram components. For this work Bendigo Tramways received the prestigious Engineering Heritage Award from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers for its significant contribution of mechanical engineering.
The Bendigo Joss House Temple, a Chinese house of worship was constructed in the 1870s. Constructed with locally hand-made bricks and painted red, symbolising the traditional Chinese colour denoting strength and vitality, the Bendigo Joss House Temple provides a glimpse into Chinese culture and tradition. The main temple is dedicated to Guan Di, the god of war and prosperity. The Chinese saw him as a wise judge, guide, protector and provider of wealth and prosperity; attributes sought by the Chinese inhabitants of this strange land.
Standing for over a century, the Bendigo Joss House Temple is one of the few remaining buildings of its type in Australia. Given its historical, architectural, social, and spiritual significance the Bendigo Joss House Temple was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register in April 1999.
The Bendigo Joss House Temple has been managed by Bendigo Heritage since 2007.
