Things to do with kids in Bendigo & Loddon
Bendigo was built on gold, and the best way to understand that is to go down Central Deborah in a hard hat. The tour goes 61 metres underground, it suits kids from three, and it is cool down there, so bring a jacket.
The Talking Tram is an easy way to get around town. A day ticket lets you hop on and off at stops like Lake Weeroona and the red-brick Joss House. At the Golden Dragon Museum, kids can see the huge processional dragons up close, then walk through the Chinese gardens outside.
Lake Weeroona has a fully fenced playground with a timber fort and water play, and a path around the lake for bikes. Out of town, Melville Caves is a good scramble through granite boulders where a bushranger is said to have hidden from the police.
84 family outings, waterfalls and walks across the region, sorted by drive time from Bendigo. Choose your suburb at the top to sort from where you are staying.
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Top things to do in Bendigo & Loddon
Go 61 metres underground at Central Deborah
Kids 3 and over can put on a hard hat and descend 61 metres into this old gold mine on a 75-minute guided tour. It averages 14 degrees underground, so bring a jacket and wear flat, enclosed shoes. The mine opens 9.30am to 4.30pm daily, and a family underground ticket is $110.
under 5 min
Heritage · Central Deborah Gold Mine
Photo: BenCellini, CC BY-SA 4.0
Meet the dragons at the Golden Dragon Museum
The Golden Dragon Museum tells the story of Bendigo's Chinese heritage, with its Imperial dragons as the stars. Outside are the Yi Yuan Gardens and the Guan Yin Temple. It opens 9.30am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday, daily in school holidays; a family ticket is $40.
under 5 min
Museum · Golden Dragon Museum
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY 3.0
Hop on a Talking Tram
A one-day Vintage Talking Tram ticket lets you hop on and off at stops such as Lake Weeroona and the Joss House. It also covers a surface visit at the Central Deborah Gold Mine. A family ticket for two adults and up to three kids is $50.
under 5 min
Museum · Bendigo Tramways
Photo: Texaner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Step inside the red-brick Joss House
The Bendigo Joss House Temple opened in 1871 and is one of the few buildings of its kind left in Australia. It was built from local handmade bricks, painted red for happiness and strength. It opens weekends, 10.30am to 3pm, and entry is by donation.
under 5 min
Museum · Bendigo Joss House Temple
Photo: Kaliper1, CC BY-SA 3.0
Play by the water at Lake Weeroona
The fully fenced playspace has a big timber fort, swings, a toddler area and water play. A path circles the lake for walking and bikes, with lawns for a picnic. William Guilfoyle designed the reserve in 1878 on an old mining site.
under 5 min
Lake · Lake Weeroona
Photo: An aggressive and ambiguous amphibian's absurd and adaptable anagram alarmed all ants, CC BY-SA 4.0
Scramble among the boulders at Melville Caves
A graded, family-friendly path from the picnic ground winds through granite boulders to the Melville Caves summit lookout. Bushranger Captain Melville is said to have hidden here to watch for police. Bring your own firewood for the barbecues, and watch for snakes from spring to autumn.
about 1 hr
Cave · Melville Caves
Photo: Melburnian, CC BY 3.0
Picnic beside Lake Eppalock
Lake Eppalock was built on the Campaspe River in the 1960s and is a favourite for boating and family picnics. It's a 30 to 40-minute drive from Bendigo. Water levels change, so check the recreation guide before you go.
about 35 min
Swimming spot · Lake Eppalock
Photo: Mattinbgn, CC BY 3.0
Look for scar trees at Lake Boort
More than 400 scarred trees and cooking mounds ring Lake Boort, on the edge of town. Look for black box trunks with oval marks where bark was taken for canoes, shelters and baby carriers. The lake is often dry, filling only in floods.
about 1 hr 30
Swimming spot · Lake Boort
Photo: Mattinbgn, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Gardens and science
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Drive times are estimated from the distance, so treat them as a guide. Tap a card for the full page.
Region boundary: ABS Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0. Outings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and venues' own listings; nature spots from OpenStreetMap and park services.