As A Tourist Tramway
In September 1972 a two-year trial of tourist tramways commenced by "The Bendigo Trust" trading as "Bendigo Tramways", and they remain in operation today. The service operates from North Bendigo though the city centre to the Central Deborah Gold Mine.
Between 1996 and 1998, a tourist restaurant and cafe trams was introduced to Bendigo, following the success of a similar model of the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant in Melbourne. The idea proved very popular and the Bendigo fleet has since increased in size.
In 2005 a proposal was put forward to the City of Greater Bendigo to extend the tourist tram route around Lake Weeroona, however the plan met staunch opposition from the community and it was ultimately rejected putting the viability of the network at risk.
In 2008, notable environmental scientist Peter Newman called for modernisation of the Bendigo tram network to operate as a form of public transport.
After calls from the community organisations and representatives, a week long trial of commuter tram services was trialled in December 2008, followed by a second trial between March 16 and April 9, 2009 with trams running every 20 minutes during the morning and afternoon peaks between North Bendigo, Golden Square and the CBD. Fares were set at A$2 a ride. The trials attracted good publicity and support from the Bendigo +25 Transport Action Group, but resulted in light ridership. The Bendigo Tramways concluded that the trial "showed that Bendigonians are still more comfortable using their cars" but should the need arise to reintroduce the trams as a commuter service, "we are certainly up to the task".
In February 2010 the Bendigo Tramways received $3.1 million to fund a redevelopment of the depot, including an extension of the depot and workshop, redevelopment of the administration building, landscaping and heritage conservation and safety works. The works will double the workshop's capacity, which also restores parts for heritage trams around the world.
Read more about this topic: Trams In Bendigo, History
Famous quotes containing the word tourist:
“The tourist who moves about to see and hear and open himself to all the influences of the places which condense centuries of human greatness is only a man in search of excellence.”
—Max Lerner (b. 1902)