Bendigo District RSL

The Bendigo Military Museum (BMM) is a living Memorial with a proud history of honouring the service and sacrifice of the Central Victorians that have participated in war and peacekeeping operations. But it is also a world-class museum and the home of a substantial archive. It is more than a building or collection of artefacts – it’s a place for people to connect, learn, and reflect together. Step inside the BMM and explore a world where every artefact tells a story: feel the weight of a soldier’s gear, hear the roar of gunfire in the trenches, cry over a letter sent home to a loved one, and reflect on the sacrifices that our local heroes have been making on behalf of their communities for over a century. The Soldiers Memorial Institute (SMI) is the building that houses the BMM. It was designed by local architect GD Garvin, was largely funded by public subscription, and was built on the site of the capped Hustlers Royal Reserve Mine. Officially opened by the then Governor the Earl of Stradbroke on the 15th November 1921, the Memorial commemorates the thousands of local men and women who served during the Great War. The SMI is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register due to its social and historical significance to the State of Victoria. It is also listed as architecturally significant as its iconic dome provides an ‘unusual example’ of a Memorial that was designed to accommodate a full band rotunda on its roof! The series of brass Honour Rolls on the front of the SMI list the names of 2,972 local heroes, including 42 nurses, and was unveiled on ANZAC Day 1926. At least 499 of the people listed on the Honour Rolls lost their lives during WW1, never returning home to their loved ones and our beautiful City.