Suburb by suburb snapshot – North Bendigo

The size of North Bendigo is approximately 4.2 square kilometres and has two parks covering nearly 6.8 per cent of total area.

The population of North Bendigo in 2011 was 3954 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 4046 showing growth of 2.3 per cent in the area during that time.

North Bendigo is situated in the vicinity of Lake Weeroona and the railway loop which runs northwards to Inglewood.

Its area includes the Australian Defence Industries north of the railway loop, and the Bendigo showgrounds.

Chinese goldminers were active in this area since the mid-1850’s, and in about 1865 they constructed the Chinese Masonic Hall (known as the Joss House) in Finn Street.

The Hall has been restored by the National Trust and is on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Much of the area was pitted with mining dumps, and North Bendigo was a mixture of working-class houses and industrial landscape.

At the beginning of World War II an Ordnance Factory was opened, and after the war mining lands were levelled for housing.

The Bendigo North school (1873) was outgrown by the school population, and the Comet Hill school next to the showgrounds was opened in 1965 with a Catholic primary school opening on Eaglehawk Road in 1972.

An example of nineteenth century survives in Weeroona Avenue in the form of the Bendigo gas works (1860) which are on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Australian Defence Industries (the former Ordnance Factory) made aircraft, shipping and weapons components, as well as commercial products.

Its workforce was approximately 3000 people and has been part of Thales Australia, and makes Bushmaster and other protected military vehicles.

 

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in North Bendigo is 20-29 years with households being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1000 – $1399 per month on mortgages. In general, people in North Bendigo work in a professional occupation.

In 2011, 58.9 per cent of the homes in North Bendigo were owner occupied compared with 51.5 per cent in 2016.

 

TIDBIT:

Part of North Bendigo was known as Emu Point, a name dating from the late nineteenth century when there was a large Chinese community there.

 

 

Population: 4059

Male: 47.4%

Female: 52.6%

Median age: 39

5-year population change: 2.3%

House median value: $449,000

Change in Median Price: (5yrs) is 37.4%

Median asking rent per week: $370

Average length of ownership: 10 years

Owner occupiers:54%

Renters: 46%

 

House median sale price:

March 2021: $399,500

March 2020: $332,500

March 2019: $305,000

March 2018: $310,000

March 2017: $261,000

 

House sales per annum:

Period ending March 2021: 78

Period ending March 2020: 79

 

Land median sale price:

March 2021: N/A

March 2020: N/A

 

Land sales per annum:

Period ending March 2021: 5

Period ending March 2020: 2