Suburb by suburb snapshot White Hills

White Hills is approximately 4.9 square kilometres and has three parks covering nearly 4.9 per cent of total area.

The population of White Hills in 2016 was 3215 and by the 2021 Census it had increased to 3620 showing a population increase of 12.6 per cent in the area during that time.

White Hills is a suburb of Bendigo, on the Midland Highway four kilometres north-west of the city centre.

Its name came about from the colour of the clay which was exposed by gold miners at that part of the Bendigo diggings.

The Bendigo Creek, the site of the first gold find, runs upstream through White Hills.

White Hills apparently attracted a wide range of nationalities, particularly Chinese, which is attested to by the inscriptions on graves at the White Hills cemetery, laid out in 1854.

Nevertheless, the first church school which opened was Wesleyan in 1853, followed by an Anglican school two years later and a government primary school opened in 1877.

The Bendigo Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1857 and the Bendigo racecourse located on the edge of White Hills, inspiring the name of Epsom for the neighbouring locality.

Within two decades White Hills was described as a minor suburb of Bendigo, and in 1941 an army ordnance factory was opened on the Bendigo side of White Hills.

In 1960 White Hills technical school was opened, signifying the locality’s urban growth. There is also a recreation reserve, swimming pool, Anglican church and a Catholic church and school.

All these places are along the Midland Highway, also known as Napier Street, along with the botanic gardens with its war memorial archway entrance.

East of the highway and railway there is the White Hills Sediments Gold Reserve, with remains of Chinese gold workings.

South of there stands the actual White Hill, with an elevation of 231 metres.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in White Hills is 20-29 years with households being primarily couples with children and are likely to be repaying $1000 – $1399 per month on mortgages.

In general, people in White Hills work in a trades occupation.

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The Bendigo Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1857.