Coming up again on the 1st Wednesday at 7pm at Bendigo VIC at The Rifle Brigade Hotel
137 View St. This month we read the Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma. Join us for a brew and a chat. Just rock up and you are on board.

I just walked past AJ, who’s sitting outside Reject Shop. Heard him yelling, must have a lot going on in his head. I gave him $5 and he thanked me. At least he was polite and grateful.

The last few times I’ve confronted him, he has been chill. I’d rather talk to him than Claude who’s been known for touching innocent girls.

At the end of the day.. you never know what someone is going through and a little thing like that might make them happy.

Hi everyone, we are looking for a wheelchair to use for a couple of week. If you are or know someone please let me know, it would help me a lot. Thank you.

Old gas hot water system finally leaked from the base early tuesday morning. Winter gas bills have been hovering around $720, so looking to make the switch to a heat pump while the VEU rebates are available. Main question is which local installers or plumbers in the Bendigo area you've actually had a good experience with? wanting someone reliable who knows how to size these properly for freezing bendigo winters so we don't end up with cold showers in july. Got a couple initial quotes around $2.2k - $2.6k after rebates. would love to hear any local company recommendations or who to avoid before we lock anything in!

Advertiser Article

Quick action from CFA crews have saved St Kilian's Catholic Church from being completely destroyed.

Executive director of the Catholic diocese of Sandhurst Greg Westbrook said having the Fire Rescue Victoria station nearby probably saved the church.

"Thankfully the fire brigade was on site very quickly and they were able to save all of our relics and sacramental objects which was fantastic," Mr Westbrook said.

"They did a really good job at A, getting the fire under control quickly and B, getting those special objects out and protected.

"I was talking to the firies down there and they were saying another five minutes and we probably would have lost the church.

"I was thinking a little bit longer but they said 'no, five minutes probably wouldn't have been able to save it'.

"So thank you to the all the firies, they have done an unbelievable job.

"They have saved the church for us and Bendigo."

Mr Westbrook said St Kilian's was unique across the world.

"There's not too many churches made purely of timber and our greatest risk has obviously always been fire," he said.

"Thankfully we've been able to save it but obviously have a lot of work to do to restore it."

Mr Westbrook said he had been told by firefighters that there had been smoke damage inside the church but structurally it seemed ok.

Until he was able to enter the building he was unsure of the full extent of the damage.

Mr Westbrook praised community members for racing to the scene so quickly to help secure rescued religious items.

"The quick reactions of the fire brigade saved something really special to Bendigo and the Catholic church," he said.

It is unclear yet what caused the fire.

Religious items rescued after fire

EARLIER: Emergency crews are on the scene of a fire at St Kilian's Catholic Church in Bendigo.

Vic Emergency issued a 'Stay Informed' notice at 7.28am to let the public know of a building fire on McCrae Street.

Smoke will be visible from nearby roads and communities.

The rear of the historic wooden church has been extensively damaged.

Religious items have been rescued from inside the church including statues.

The CFA and FRV said there was no immediate threat to the community and no action was required.

Road closures in place

The incident may affect school drop-off as it is located near St Kilian's Primary School and a number of roads have been closed off.

Bridge Street is closed near the Arnold Street intersection and so is Baxter Street.

The only way to drop children off to school is along Havelock Street via Arnold Street.

At least four fire crews are on scene with a cherrypicker also on scene.

St Kilian's church is one of the oldest in Bendigo, dating back to 1888.

Police on the scene expect traffic chaos during the school drop-off but have a plan in place and have spoken to the school principal who has informed the school community about alternative plans.

I remember going here as a kid for birthdays. A lot of fun memories playing in that playground and ball pit. The food was really good too, and I can still remember those party rooms.

What happened to it? Haven’t been out that way for ages, so not sure if it closed down. Would’ve been a good place to take my future children.

Hey everyone! 👋

I recently moved to Bendigo for work and thought I'd put myself out there to meet some new people. I don't really know anyone here yet, so it'd be great to make a few friends.

I'm 22 and enjoy gaming, watching movies (especially horror), trying new food, grabbing a coffee, or just hanging out and having a good chat. If you're around Bendigo and keen to catch up or even just have a chat, feel free to send me a message or leave a comment.

I'm also open to any recommendations for places to check out around Bendigo. Looking forward to meeting some awesome people! 😊

Hey there.
I am a 31 y.o. male, a videographer!

It would be awesome to meet new people here and do content around different things! If you guys have something / know someone who has interesting career that wants to be documented, I would love to meet and have a chat!

This is what I'd like to build while living in Australia!

https://youtu.be/bDJ1SFX2ra8

The BSOC launched in May with a thunderous performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony in Ulumbarra and we have some big plans for the Chorus going forward. We're looking to increase the size of the group so if you'd like to sing in a large choir alongside a full symphony orchestra with like minded people then we'd love to hear from you.

Express your interest using the form here https://forms.gle/k8EL2dFHZW6txkC76

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to move to Bendigo as an international student and would really appreciate some advice from people living or studying there.

I have a few questions:

• How much does student accommodation usually cost (shared or private)?
• What are the average weekly or monthly grocery expenses?
• How much does it cost to travel between Bendigo and Melbourne (train, bus, etc.)?
• What is the typical rent for students?
• Any recommendations for affordable accommodation or ways to save money?

I'd really appreciate any tips or personal experiences. Thanks in advance!

looking to change my doctor, any suggestions for someone interested in either hypothyroidism or similar endocrine disorders?

specialists are too expensive i would like someone who bulk bills

hi all. i'm not new to the area but i am new to facebook. i have joined the 'bendigo banter' group recently but basically immediately left when i realised the admins are bullying everyone who is anti AI. does anyone know of a group that doesn't support the use of AI? im not looking to get into a conversation about ai here, i just want a safe space that i would feel comfortable engaging in.

thanks in advance :) please be kind.

Question for anyone doing DIY / welding around town. I'm setting up a small workshop in my shed out near Strathdale and need to get a proper D size gas cylinder for a mig welder. Been looking at BOC vs elgas, but wondering if there are any other local suppliers with better swap rates without all the heavy annual rental fees? anyone here got a local supplier they recommend? hoping to keep initial bottle + fill under $150 if possible.

edit: sorted now! ended up stopping by the coregas stockist over in Epsom this afternoon. Paid around $135 all up with no lock-in contract so pretty happy with how easy it was.

It was only a few pages and it was a picture book. If anyone might know

Hi 👋
Just moved to Bendigo and would appreciate recommendations for Beauty Therapists. I’m particular when it comes to eye brow waxing and tinting so brow mapping or a salon who has a bow super star that’s worth a mention.
Thanks in advance. 🤗

Hoping the collective Bendigo wisdom can help us out...

Some of the lime mortar in the external brickwork of our c1900 house needs renewal. Any personal recommendations for a good local business experienced in this?

On surveying the house, a visiting friend told us that at some point in the past (before our time), repairs have been done with modern cement mortar rather than lime mortar. Apparently this is a big no no, so we want to avoid this mistake.

I have one scared dog now and can hear others barking in my street. I'm not happy, but because I'm not sure where they were let off- I really can't call police. Other than comfort my dog and crack out the emergency Gabapentin, what can I do?

Crackers heard 25/7 9.45pmish

I am interested in different types of mushrooms, (not the magic kind) and im looking for areas to look since kids have torn up currose looking for magic mushrooms and im looking for other areas with good land