Getaway
Strike in Bendigo Bendigo had its first lucky strike with a gold rush that left a legacy. Add its modernday culinary offerings and rich culture, and you have a compelling city to explore. Words: Tim Richards
SAMPLING THE FOOD SCENE
“I love chocolate, it’s always been a treat,” says Hayley Tibbett, owner of Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates. “It only takes a little to give you that good vibe.” For more than a decade, Tibbett has been creating fine Belgian-style chocolate in the heart of Bendigo’s CBD, and I’m delighted to sample a few tasty items such as shiraz ganache and chocolates with
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salted caramel and sea salt. Chocolate is only the start of the dining adventure in Bendigo, whose food scene has leapt upward in quality in recent years. Held twice a month next to the Bendigo Visitor Centre, the Bendigo Community Farmers Market is a guaranteed source of local produce. One stall to look out for is Vintage Kitchen Preserves, where owner Sue Gerdsen sells
spreads made with the utmost attention to minimising waste – including the ’Outback Chutney’, made from zucchinis grown ’out the back’ of her house. The city also has some great restaurants. Masons of Bendigo is a stylish space serving dishes with an emphasis on local ingredients within a former glass factory. In atmospheric Chancery Lane is