History of Bendigo

150 years of Blessing in Bendigo

A summary of some of the known blessings and other events that have happened in Bendigo over its life as found from the research of the Spiritual Mapping Team of Pray Bendigo.

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for all his goodness to us.

Introduction

Bendigo was named by Spanish Sailors. Bendigo means "I BLESS" in Spanish. It was called Bendigo Valley before the Diggings. 'A Place of Beauty'.
When Major Mitchell (Surveyor General) came to the area 1836 he was so impressed he named it the 'Australia Felix'. His writings stimulated a rush of squatters. The Sandhurst climate was likened to the Riviera, Madeira, Algiers and Morocco. Doctors recommended the sick to come here.
Source: Greater than Gold by Colin Webb & John Quinlan

Did you know?

• In the 1850-60's, Mr Knight a pioneer horticulturist grew exotic plants and flowers. HIS 'CENTENARY GRAPES' were ONE AND A HALF-Inches long and almost as wide and attracted attention with their super size.
• In 1855 The Advertiser of December 15 of that year drew attention to the cherries grown on the Campaspe and sold in Bendigo. “ We saw some very fine specimens the other day at Parker and Macord's measuring 3 inches in circumference” it stated.
• In 1866 Bendigo’s table grape yields astonish the rest of Victoria, due to yielding fruit not by tens of pounds but by hundreds of pounds in weight. It happened by accident as they were not trained to produce any particular result.
• In 1890 Economic depression on Sandhurst was less evident than in other parts of the colony. Mackay writes Sandhurst 'unquestionably had the honour of being the soundest city commercially in the colony.'