Bendigo & Castlemaine Goldfields Railway
Take the V/Line train to explore Bendigo and Castlemaine, go deep into a gold mine, and discover Chinese mining history.
A car-free itinerary. Take the regional train from Melbourne to Bendigo for a two-night stay. You can easily explore the gold mine, art gallery, and Golden Dragon Museum on foot and via the vintage talking tram. On the return journey, hop off at Castlemaine to explore the historic town. This relaxed pace is perfect for a weekend getaway without driving. The trade-off is skipping Ballarat, as public transport between the two hubs requires multiple transfers.
Steam trains do not operate on Total Fire Ban days; check the official website for running days.
Day by day
Day 1 · Train to Bendigo & Gold Mine Tour
Bendigo（Central Deborah Gold Mine、Bendigo Art Gallery、Pall Mall & Shamrock Hotel）
Take the V/Line Bendigo line from Southern Cross Station (approx. 2 hours). Walk or use the tram within the city.
Underground mine tours must be booked in advance. It can be chilly inside the mine, so bring a jacket.
Stay: Bendigo CBD
Day 2 · Vintage Tram & Chinese History
Bendigo（Bendigo Talking Tram、Golden Dragon Museum & Yi Yuan Gardens、Bendigo Joss House Temple、Sacred Heart Cathedral）
Walk around the city center and ride the vintage talking tram to visit the Golden Dragon Museum and the Chinese Joss House.
Stay: Bendigo CBD
Day 3 · Castlemaine Historic Town & Return
Bendigo（Castlemaine、Maldon & Victorian Goldfields Railway）
Take the train to Castlemaine (approx. 30 minutes), and continue by train back to Melbourne in the afternoon (approx. 1.5 hours).
To visit Maldon, align your trip with the steam train operating days (usually Sundays); check timetables first.