Big Hill (City of Greater Bendigo)

Suburb of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Big Hill Bendigo, Victoria
The portal of the Big Hill railway tunnel, 390 metres long

Population	281 (2021)
Postcode(s)	3555
LGA(s)	City of Greater Bendigo
State electorate(s)	Bendigo West
Federal division(s)	Bendigo

Big Hill is a suburb in the City of Greater Bendigo. It forms part of the Big Hill range to the immediate south of the city of Bendigo. It is the southern part of the rim of forested hills surrounding the Bendigo Valley in which the city of Bendigo is located. The Calder Highway and the Midland Highway, which join to form the main route into Bendigo from Melbourne, pass through a prominent cutting in Big Hill as the southern gateway to Bendigo. The route over Big Hill has marked the main southern entrance to the Bendigo Valley since 1851.

Etymology

Big Hill is, as its name suggests, a big hill. Originally known as "The Big Hill", it forms a highly-visible topographic feature approaching the Bendigo Valley to the north of Mount Alexander as the surrounding landscape between Mount Alexander and Big Hill is only gently undulating.

History

Since the official discovery of gold on Bendigo Creek in the Bendigo Valley in October 1851, the route over Big Hill has remained the main southern entrance to the Bendigo Valley.

Granite for the entrance portal of the 390-metre long Big Hill Railway Tunnel, constructed in 1862, was locally quarried in the Big Hill range.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Big Hill (Greater Bendigo - Vic.)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
Cusack, Frank (1973). Bendigo: a history (p.20)
Cusack, Frank (1973). Bendigo: a history (p.20)
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1862-63No21.pdf

v t e Suburbs and localities in the City of Greater Bendigo
Suburbs	Ascot Bendigo Big Hill California Gully Eaglehawk East Bendigo Epsom Flora Hill Golden Gully Golden Square Huntly Ironbark Jackass Flat Junortoun Kangaroo Flat Kennington Long Gully Maiden Gully North Bendigo Quarry Hill Sailors Gully Spring Gully Strathdale Strathfieldsaye West Bendigo White Hills
Outlying towns	Axedale Elmore Goornong Heathcote Lockwood Lockwood South^ Marong^ Raywood^ Redesdale^ Sebastian Toolleen^
Localities	Argyle Avonmore Axe Creek Bagshot Bagshot North Barnadown Costerfield Derrinal Drummartin Eaglehawk North Emu Creek Eppalock Fosterville Harcourt North^ Hunter Huntly North Kamarooka^ Kimbolton Knowsley Ladys Pass Leichardt^ Longlea Mandurang Mandurang South Mia Mia^ Mount Camel Myrtle Creek^ Myers Flat Neilborough Ravenswood^ Redcastle^ Sedgwick Wellsford Whipstick Wilsons Hill Woodvale
Former localities and areas	Lyal St Just Point
^ - Territory divided with another LGA

36°50′06″S 144°13′48″E / 36.835°S 144.23°E / -36.835; 144.23

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