Victoria Roadtrip: Bendigo

After Heathcote, I continued my journey to Bendigo. I didn't have any particular reason to head to Bendigo, but I had thought it might be nice to see some of the larger cities in Victoria. It also gave me the opportunity to pop into the supermarket to grab some supplies.




Bendigo Joss House Temple

I stopped first at the Joss House Temple however I probably should have done a bit more research. Rather than a proper active temple, it was more a museum about the Chinese migrants who came to Bendigo during the Gold Rush. I didn't end up paying for admission as that wasn't really up my alley and headed to the town centre instead.









I think Bendigo would have looked quite beautiful back in the Gold Rush era. Though that palm tree looks very out of place. 



I was soon back on the road again to The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion. It is still under construction, but when completed, it will be 50m high and the tallest stupa in the Western world. It will be the same design and size as the Great Stupa of Gyantse in Tibet.

A Stupa is the most sacred monument in the Buddhist world. It is a symbolic representation of the fully Enlightened mind and the path to Enlightenment. As the sacred texts are the verbal expression of the Dharma, so the Stupa is its architectural expression.

This was the closest you could get to it.





The team that I work in at work is based in Melbourne and one of my colleagues recommended a stop at Castlemaine. So I did! I used it as an opportunity to get out and stretch my legs.


I find these style of buildings so interesting. It is also definitely what I associate with Australian country towns.



This was my eleventh trip as part of #take12trips. To see previous trips please click here.