Bendigo, New Zealand
{{Short description|Settlement in Central Otago, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}}
File:Sheep Mustering at Bendigo Station, Otago (1965) (18028005390).jpg
Bendigo is a settlement and historic area in Central Otago, South Island of New Zealand. It is located some 20 kilometres to the north of Cromwell, to the east of the head of Lake Dunstan, on the banks of the Bendigo Creek, a small tributary of the Clutha River.Reed New Zealand Atlas (2004), Map 91.
In pre-European times, the area was not widely used, though an established Māori trail ran through it. Remains of pounamu weapons have been found in the area, as has a waka paddle (now in the collection of the Otago Museum) and the remains of some moa egg shells, all suggesting it may have been used as a temporary camping area."[http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/historic/by-region/otago/central-otago/bendigo-historic-reserve/ Historic Bendigo: Otago]," New Zealand Department of Conservation. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
Bendigo first achieved notability in the 1860s, during the Otago gold rush. Gold was discovered at Bendigo Creek in 1862. The Bendigo Goldfields around the original Bendigo settlement became one of the country's richest, yielding an estimated 15 to 50 ounces (0.4 to 1.4 kg) of gold per week. The initial alluvial gold was rapidly played out, but quartz reefs bearing the precious metal were discovered by Thomas Logan in 1863 and many mine shafts were sunk into the rock during the 1860s. By the mid 1870s, the reef was considered New Zealand's richest."[https://web.archive.org/web/20110106233132/http://www.centralotagonz.com/Bendigo Bendigo]," centralotago.co.nz. Retrieved 18 July 2013. Mining continued in the area until the 1940s. The settlement's name is a relic of this time, having been transplanted from the Australian town of the same name by gold miners who had travelled from the Victorian goldfields.Reed, A.W. (1975) Place names of New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
The remains of the gold field, which was rapidly played out, have been largely preserved, and form the basis of the 1,085 hectare Bendigo Historic Reserve. The reserve contains numerous walkways"[http://www.centralotagonz.com/bendigo-walks Bendigo Walks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731030151/http://www.centralotagonz.com/bendigo-walks |date=2013-07-31 }}," centralotago.co.nz. Retrieved 18 July 2013. and includes the remains of mineshafts, water races, stamping batteries and the remains of several now-deserted settlement buildings.
Bendigo wine sub-region
Today, Bendigo's economy is based on tourism and wine. The area around Bendigo is one of the major subregions of the Central Otago wine region, with several top wineries and vineyards. As with other parts of the wine region, the main grape variety in the area is pinot noir.{{cite web
|url=http://www.cowa.org.nz/vineyard-directory/bendigo.html
|website=Central Otago Winegrowers Association
|accessdate=23 January 2018
|title=Bendigo Vineyards and Wineries
|archive-date=20 January 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120065144/http://cowa.org.nz/vineyard-directory/bendigo.html
|url-status=dead
}}
= Vineyards and Wineries in the area =
= Bendigo =
{{colbegin}}
- Aurora Vineyard
- Clutha Ridge
- Lamont
- Folding Hill
- Misha's Vineyard{{cite web |title=Misha's Vineyard |url=https://mishasvineyard.com/ |website=Misha's Vineyard |access-date=21 February 2021}}
- Moko Hills
- Mondillo
- Mud House Wines
- Prophet’s Rock
- Quartz Reef
- Zebra NZ Vineyards
{{colend}}
= [[Tarras]] and Māori Point =
{{colbegin}}
- Māori Point Vineyard {{cite web
| title=Māori Point Vineyard
|url=https://maoripoint.co.nz/}}
- Swallows Crossing Vineyard {{cite web
| title=Swallows Crossing
| url=https://www.swallowscrossing.co.nz/}}
- Tarras Vineyards
{{colend}}
Climate
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Bendigo (1991–2020)
|Jan high C = 24.8
|Feb high C = 24.5
|Mar high C = 21.8
|Apr high C = 17.7
|May high C = 12.9
|Jun high C = 8.8
|Jul high C = 8.2
|Aug high C = 11.7
|Sep high C = 15.3
|Oct high C = 17.8
|Nov high C = 20.6
|Dec high C = 22.8
| year high C =
|Jan mean C = 18.1
|Feb mean C = 17.6
|Mar mean C = 15.0
|Apr mean C = 11.3
|May mean C = 7.4
|Jun mean C = 4.3
|Jul mean C = 3.6
|Aug mean C = 5.9
|Sep mean C = 9.1
|Oct mean C = 11.5
|Nov mean C = 14.0
|Dec mean C = 16.4
| year mean C =
|Jan low C = 11.4
|Feb low C = 10.8
|Mar low C = 8.2
|Apr low C = 4.8
|May low C = 1.9
|Jun low C = -0.2
|Jul low C = -1.1
|Aug low C = 0.1
|Sep low C = 2.9
|Oct low C = 5.2
|Nov low C = 7.4
|Dec low C = 10.1
| year low C =
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 39.0
|Feb rain mm = 31.9
|Mar rain mm = 45.1
|Apr rain mm = 27.5
|May rain mm = 30.7
|Jun rain mm = 35.0
|Jul rain mm = 30.9
|Aug rain mm = 25.7
|Sep rain mm = 18.0
|Oct rain mm = 34.6
|Nov rain mm = 29.1
|Dec rain mm = 42.9
|year rain mm =
{{cite web
|url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz
|title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Bendigo 2
|publisher = NIWA
|access-date = 19 May 2024}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Central Otago}}
{{coord|-44.926|169.344|type:city_region:NZ|display=title}}
Category:Populated places in Otago
Category:Wine regions of New Zealand