No other Australian city which closed its tramway system left track, trams and a depot behind in the manner that Bendigo did and this enables us to create a picture of the past for our visitors. Whether enjoying a Vintage Talking Tram Tour or taking our guided Depot and Workshop tour, a visit to Bendigo Tramways drives home the significance of how Bendigo has developed as a city, and the role Bendigo Tramways has played in that development.
Over the years, we have even attracted such dignitaries as HRH Prince Charles, who visited Bendigo in 1974 and took Bendigo Birney Tram No. 30 for a drive.
Today, Bendigo Tramways is Australasia’s largest tourist tramway and welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually. The Bendigo Tramways Depot is the oldest operating tram depot in Australia and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. We currently have 45 trams in our fleet (13 of which operate as part of the ‘Talking’ Tram service).
We have an on-site Archiving Department whose sole mission is to preserve and catalogue thousands of tramways documents, photos, mechanical plans and artefacts. This not only ensures that the information we convey to our visitors is historically accurate, but it also ensures that the information and artefacts, which create a direct link to our heritage, are protected and available for future generations.
Our strength is in our people and many of our visitors’ final comments about their experience refer to how much they enjoyed the company and passion of our staff.
