Boost to tourism icons

TWO leading Bendigo tourist attractions have received substantial financial support to help their plans for growth.

Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards announced on Monday that the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Myers Flat and Bendigo Heritage Attractions would receive combined funding of $236,000 from the State’s Enabling Tourism Fund 2024.

The Great Stupa’s $71,000 will be spent on its master plan and hotel feasibility study and Bendigo Heritage Attractions’ $165,000 will pay for design work on its Central Deborah Gold Mine upgrade.

“The funding is a huge win for Bendigo,” Ms Edwards said. “It will not only create local jobs in the area in the future but will also deliver many economic benefits across the region.”

The Great Stupa project includes a detailed master plan, architectural design work and a hotel feasibility study at its Sandhurst Town Road site – progressing it to a demand-driven public/private stage of development ready for investment.

Proposals include an entrance gateway, new sealed roads and a car park with bus and coach access, electric vehicle charging and delivery docks, a multi-storey visitor centre, cafe and museum, a wellness hotel and spa, an event pavilion, art studio and workshop, playground, residential village, and more.

The money for the $10 million gold mine revitalisation will be used to pay for detailed design of key landscape features including a reimagined gold panning creek, outdoor decks and structures; refurbishment of the main visitor building and tram barn with new entries and a raised Disability Discrimination Act-compliant tram stop; an expanded events space with toilets, and the creation of two safety video briefing rooms.

“We have experienced unprecedented growth over the last several years and our current infrastructure is not serving the volume of visitors we receive or the number of events we host each year,” said the Great Stupa general manager Alyce Crosbie.

“Upgrades to this infrastructure means we can continue to welcome visitors to the Bendigo region for many generations to come.”

Bendigo Heritage Attractions CEO James Reade said his organisation was proud and excited about what’s to come.

“This project ensures the ongoing preservation and celebration of the significant heritage site, allowing us to continue sharing Bendigo’s fascinating gold rush story, whilst creating a remarkable visitor destination that plays a critical role in Bendigo’s tourism ecosystem,” he said.

Mr Reade said the mine had more than 60,000 visitors last year, and 42,000 went underground.