FEBRUARY 2019 2
We continued regular sampling of local eateries, trying to choose a new place once a month, whilst still returning to those that were fast becoming favourites.
Friend M returned this month for another week long visit.
We decided to try out an hotel not visited before, but which I had read good reviews about. This venue was fairly centrally located in an older, hillier, part of town. Alas, there was no parking area dedicated to the hotel and we found ourselves cruising the nearby streets, which seemed to go at all angles, looking for a place to squeeze in the car, that was also not too far to walk.
Judging by some of the substantial older homes lining the streets here, this had been an area favoured by the more affluent, back in the golden era. In the strange juxtaposition that one finds in Bendigo, less than a block away had been a major gold mine – the Hustlers Reef Mine. Begun in 1865 and operational until 1921, this mine was dug to a kilometre deep, and its workings extended outwards for three kilometres under Bendigo. There are still some twenty kilometres of its tunnels down there – and this is just one of the many mines that was located along the Bendigo reefs.
Bendigo might be known as the City in the Forest, but it is also the city sitting on top of an extensive honeycomb of tunnels and mine workings, for the most part inadequately mapped. This is not a concept that I like to examine too closely
These days, the Hustlers Reef mine site features an interesting heritage walk and is a living memorial to the many miners who died in mining accidents in the Bendigo mines – some 2000.
A few days earlier, I had phoned and made dinner bookings – more as a courtesy thought, at the time, than from expecting the place to be crowded out. How wrong was I? It was absolutely packed. The tables were closely clustered together and the noise level was high. I was amazed. The reviews had been good, but not to warrant these crowds. Then the penny dropped – it was 14 February – bloody St Valentine’s Day! Obviously an occasion strongly celebrated around here.
The food – when it eventually came – was enjoyable enough. It did seem that the kitchen was overwhelmed by the numbers, though, as it took well over an hour from when we ordered to when we got the first of our meals. They didn’t come together. John’s was the last to arrive, by which time I’d finished mine – and I’m a slow eater. I was less than impressed and doubted whether we would return.
In the gold mining period of the last part of the 1800’s, there were over 90 licensed premises in and around Bendigo. Today, about 40 remain operating. If the traveller – or new resident – thinks there are a lot of pubs in Bendigo – there are! It certainly means one is spoiled for choice for great pub counter meals.
A grand old Bendigo hotel – the Shamrock
Maybe once a hotel…
One of the many hotels we have yet to try…
Note to self – never, ever, dine out on 14 Feb.