Our Stories

Exploring our region’s creativity and innovation in the face of global challenges through our stories

Agriculture Gastronomy Health and Wellbeing

Bendigo, A Place Full of Gastronomic History

It is no surprise that Bendigo was designated Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy in 2019. Our gastronomy story is about growing, sourcing, cooking and sharing food. It is how our culture and heritage is represented and shared through what we eat, drink, the places we share meals, and the memories we […]


by Michelle Symes • July 20, 2023
Creative Industries Gastronomy Lifestyle Travel

Tastes of Harcourt

Only a few years ago, Harcourt was a drive-through town on the Calder Highway enroute to Bendigo. Best known for its apples, roadside stalls – some private, some commercial – dotted the highway, with huts full of delicious, juicy, fresh-from-the-farm apples of multiple varieties, paid for via the good ol’ honesty system. Fast forward to […]


by Our Team • January 30, 2025
Creative Industries Creativity and Innovation First Nations Gastronomy Lifestyle

Bendigo is going to Hollywood!

Some of our region’s best produce will have a starring role in this year’s G’Day USA Gala event, showcasing Bendigo and central Victoria as Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy.  The G’Day USA Gala includes a dinner for 460 guests, who will all receive a Bendigo Gastronomy VIP artisan gift bag featuring […]


by Michelle Symes • February 2, 2024
Gastronomy Health and Wellbeing

A School Putting Gastronomy Front and Centre

As you walk through the doors of Kaliana, you are met with a quiet hive of activity. In particular, the canteen staff are hard at work in readiness for lunch service. The difference in this canteen is that it’s not volunteer parents preparing the food, instead, it’s the kids doing all the work. As is […]


by Michelle Symes • March 7, 2023
Gastronomy

Healthy Landscapes – Short Course Kicks Off.

On Friday, September 9, 2022, the Healthy Landscapes program kicked off the first day of the Holistic Grazing Management Course. I joined a new group of engaged, enthusiastic and intrepid food and fibre producers from across Macedon Ranges, Hepburn Shire and the City of Greater Bendigo, coming together to learn about how principles of regenerative […]


by Our Team • September 20, 2022
Agriculture Creative Industries Creativity and Innovation First Nations Gastronomy

How do we Eat Djaara Country Healthy?

Authors: Will Tait and Jodi Newcombe So here we are, bringing this five-part blog series to a close. In our opening blog we described how our collective – the Carbon Arts team in collaboration with Dja Dja Wurrung woman Bec Phillips – is motivated by the question: “How do we eat Djaara Country healthy?” We […]


by Our Team • August 30, 2022
Agriculture Creative Industries First Nations Gastronomy

Land of Milk and Honey

Authors: Will Tait and Jodi Newcombe We are gathered at Bar Midland in Castlemaine with a collection of primary producers to discuss the concept of ‘Eating Djaara Country Healthy’, while proprietor and project collaborator Alex Perry delights us with appropriately-themed delicacies. After the first round of introductions Richard Collins explains the troubling times he’s been […]


by Our Team • August 24, 2022
Gastronomy

Planting Seeds for New Beginnings

It’s 9.00am, I walk through the doors and am welcomed by a security guard. This is the first time I have started my workday with a full body Xray, a duress alarm on my belt and a meander around a series of kitchen gardens with a slight feeling of apprehension. On this day however, the […]


by Michelle Symes • August 16, 2022

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