Bendigo

The discovery of gold in 1851 put Bendigo on the map, with 15,000 people moving there is just three years, drawing migrants from throughout the UK, Germany, America and China. A direct rail link to Melbourne in 1862 and to Echuca, to the north, on the Murray River by 1864, opened up a major corridor for passengers and freight. As in all gold rush towns, there were hotels a plenty along with local industries, including brewing and flour milling, catering to the rapidly growing population.