Bendigo Art Gallery
Bendigo Art Gallery in Bendigo, founded in 1887, is one of Australia’s oldest and largest regional art galleries.
The parking area behind the Art Gallery of Goal Road has designated disabled parking spaces giving access to Gallery Café and the Art Gallery.
The main entrance is off View Road and ramped access is available.
The main gallery spaces are large giving plenty of room and ease of movement around the gallery.
An accessible toilet is located just past the reception counter and gift shop.
Balgownie Estate Winery Retreat & Restaurant
Balgownie Estate is Bendigo’s oldest working winery established in 1969 and home of boutique Balgownie wines.
A 33-hectare winery, retreat and restaurant property overlooking Myer’s Creek at Maiden Gully. 2-hours’ drive from Melbourne CBD (10-minutes from central Bendigo).
Homestead
The homestead accommodation contains an excellent accessible room. The bedroom has plenty of room on both sides of the bed and has an accessible entrance from the internal common space and from the external veranda. The bed has ample clearance under it to accommodate a hoist or patient lift. Lift hire can be arranged by Balgownie Estate.
The ensuite bathroom is a full wet room/roll in shower. It has a fixed large fold-down shower chair, removable shower head attached to a flexible hose and flickmaster shower control within easy reach. The toilet has handrails, backrest and raised flush buttons. The vanity unit is roll under with large mirror.
A disabled parking space is provided for guest staying at the homestead which direct access to the veranda area.
Cellar Door
The cellar door and restaurant are reached from the main car park. There are level access and wide doors into the combined area. Both the cellar door and restaurant are open with plenty of space. All chairs are moveable given a wide choice of table location.
An accessible toilet is located just outside the cellar door.
Central Deborah Gold Mine
Central Deborah Gold Mine was one of over 5,500 registered gold mines on the famous Bendigo goldfields. It operated from 1939-1954 and successfully extracted 929kg of gold. Today, you can explore the underground workings and discover what life as a miner was really like.
The Central Deborah Gold Mine has a number of accessible experiences.
The mine surface exhibits are accessible via a series of gravel pathways. The paths are a fine gravel that is well compacted. All buildings are ramped and all displays are easy to access. Most of the static displays are pictorial or machinery making them suitable for all cognitive abilities.
At the rear of the site, there is a gold panning area. The panning is done in a raised tank that is suitable for both people standing and those seated in a wheelchair.
An accessible toilet is located near the main building.
The Mine Experience Tour is wheelchair accessible.
The tour is accessed via a large industrial lift and descends to a depth of 65 metres. The tour is 75 minutes in length and there are toilets available for the duration of the tour. The tour tunnel is wide and high. The surface is smooth but the only lighting is via head torch. Parts of the mine are wet and muddy, gloves are advisable.
Fountain View Suites – Bendigo
The Fountain View Suites offer 10 boutique rooms housed within a magnificent example of Victorian architecture (1863).
The classical style of these suites is displayed over multiple levels and offers an elegant Honeymoon Suite, King Suites, a Queen Suite and disabled facilities.
At the rear of the Fountain View Suites building is an accessible room.
The room is spacious. There is ample space on both sides of the bed with ample clearance under the bed for a hoist or patient lift.
The room has a large accessible full wet room bathroom. The shower area is equipped with a large fixed fold down seat, removable shower head on a flexible hose, and mixer tap within easy reach. There are a large vanity unit and a large mirror. The toilet has side and rear handrails.
At the other end of the suite is a small service room with tea and coffee facilities, a sink and tap and the mini bar. There are two accessible power points next to the sink. All amenities in the kitchenette are within easy reach.
Golden Dragon Museum
The Golden Dragon Museum is a living history of the Chinese people of Bendigo and now as the hub of Chinese cultural activity in Australia the museum allows visitors to experience first-hand Chinese arts, history and culture.
Chinese history and heritage have been a core part of Bendigo since the gold rush. The Golden Dragon’s inevitable collection brings that history to life.
There is an accessible entry just prior to the main set of steps over the levy.
Inside the main foyer are the gift shop, tea rooms and an accessible toilet facility.
The museum is entered through a wide doorway. The main exhibition hall is circular showing off the dragon and display costumes. Around the lower level are a series of display rooms, all of which are easily accessed. The displays are mainly pictorial making them suitable for all cognitive levels and non-English speaking visitors.
A large doorway leads through to the exhibition hall housing an expansive collection of artefacts. The hall is well laid out making it easy to navigate by people using any form of mobility aid.
Outside the museum are the Chinese Gardens.
The entry is ramped and concrete paths are throughout the garden. There is a ramp leading up to the pavilion at the end of the garden.
Within the precinct, there is also a Chinese temple with ramped access to the door. Wheelchair users cannot enter the building due to the Chinese Door Sill at the entrance.
Handle Bar – Bendigo
Back in 2014, a few friends came across a vacant, under-utilised area of land in middle of the Bendigo CBD.
Hidden behind a row of shops, the space was only visible from the rear utility areas of surrounding shops. The idea soon came that this unused plot could be turned into a creative commercial space, providing live entertainment and a simple beverage offer in a relaxed garden setting. Essentially a casual garden bar with a focus on independent beer and regular free entertainment.
A small wooden ramp on the entry door gives access to the bar. The bar is ramped throughout and contains a fully accessible toilet at the rear. There are plenty of seating options throughout the venue. The bar is open Thursday to Sunday.
