Monday, December 22, 2014

Bendigo

My friend and I stayed in the historic city of Bendigo north west of Melbourne for two nights in December.

Bendigo is 147 km from Melbourne. It takes 90 minutes by car or 120 minutes by train/bus. We enjoyed a comfortable train ride from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station to Bendigo.

The discovery of gold in Bendigo in 1851 resulted in a major gold rush. Cultural diversity and historical architecture followed. Many grand buildings still stand today.



 Charing Cross and Alexandra Fountain.

© Barbara Oehring 2014




The drummer boy is part of the Christmas display in Rosalind Park.
The statue of Queen Victoria and the Soldiers Memorial Hall are in the background.


© Barbara Oehring 2014



© Barbara Oehring 2014



We stayed at the beautiful Hotel Shamrock in the heart of Bendigo.
 
© Barbara Oehring 2014



The view from the balcony at night.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



The regal staircase.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



Around the corner from Hotel Shamrock we discovered Chancery Lane.


© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014



The Bendigo Community Farmers' Market operated on Saturday at Sydney Myer Place.


© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014



We enjoyed travelling around Bendigo on the Vintage 'Talking' Tram.
 
© Barbara Oehring 2014

 

© Barbara Oehring 2014




© Barbara Oehring 2014


© Barbara Oehring 2014



Walking up View Street towards Bendigo Art Gallery.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



© Barbara Oehring 2014



I was pleased to see Patricia Piccinini: The young family at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



Carolyn Dew's photographic series The Artificial Kingdom is on until 8 February 2015.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



I appreciated being in Bendigo on opening day of the Ben Quilty exhibition.

Quilty has won numerous awards and he became the first Australian to have a solo exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, London.
 

L: Kuta Rorschach No 2 2014 (detail) acquired by the Bendigo Art Gallery.
R: Evening Shadows, Rorschach after Johnstone 2011 (detail).


© Barbara Oehring 2014



The artist interrogates the history of European settlement in Australia.

Ben Quilty 2010 Inhabit installation (detail).


© Barbara Oehring 2014


The Ben Quilty show runs until 1 March 2015 at the Bendigo Art Gallery.



The Rosalind Park Poppet Head Tower as seen through a window at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

© Barbara Oehring 2014



It's only a short walk from the gallery to the cathedral.


Sacred Heart Cathedral.



© Barbara Oehring 2014



There was not only a traditional nativity scene in the cathedral but also an indigenous view.

© Barbara Oehring 2014

 The baby lay in a coolamon, wrapped in possum skin.

© Barbara Oehring 2014