When people search for things to do in Bendigo, they often think of the gold mine, the trams, or the art gallery. All of those are worth your time. But one of the most genuinely distinctive attractions in Bendigo has been drawing visitors for over 165 years: Bendigo Pottery.
Established in 1858 by Scottish migrant George Duncan Guthrie, Bendigo Pottery is Australia's oldest working pottery. It began when Guthrie discovered a rich local clay deposit and built a business that would come to rival the great Staffordshire potteries of 19th-century England. Six generations of Bendigonians have carried that legacy forward. Today, it is one of the most layered and rewarding attractions in Bendigo, Victoria, combining shopping, hands-on creativity, artisan culture, collectables, and history in a single site.
In this blog, we will discuss the five best things to do in Bendigo, Victoria at Bendigo Pottery and why it deserves a spot on every Bendigo itinerary.
What Are the 5 Best Things to Do at Bendigo Pottery?
Here are five things you can actually do when you visit:
1. Shop Ceramics Made Right Here on Site
There are very few places left in Australia where you can buy something that was genuinely made on the ground you are standing on. At Bendigo Pottery, every piece across the Heritage Collection, the Organic Collection, the Coupe Collection, the Classic Collection and the Home & Table Collection is produced using locally sourced Victorian clay and fired in kilns on the premises.
You can find anything from traditional slow-cooked casserole dishes and cooking pots to modern designs like lip plates, banquet bowl and complete table settings. Each piece is thoroughly inspected before it gets to its intended location. This detailed level of craftsmanship gives you the confidence of knowing you are doing business with a reputable company, and being able to know exactly how each item was produced will also be of great importance when you are making your purchase. If you happen to be looking for an excellent deal, be sure to visit our clearance section, which has imperfect sale items marked down.
2. Get Hands-On with Pottery
This is one of the most popular activities in Bendigo for good reason. It is genuinely enjoyable for almost anyone, regardless of age or experience. Bendigo Pottery offers three ways to get creative:
Paint A Piece
Paint A Piece is available during normal opening hours with no booking required. Choose a cup ($25), a plate ($30), or a bowl ($35), pick your colour palette from the counter, and paint at your own pace. The team will glaze and fire your piece, then contact you when it is ready to collect or arrange postage home.
Clay Play
Clay Play is also walk-in with no booking needed. Pick up a clay kit at the counter for $5. Tools and aprons are provided on site, and you can also purchase a kit to take home if the kids want to keep going.
School Holiday Workshops
School Holiday Programs are guided wheel-throwing and decorating workshops that run during Victorian school holidays, bookable online. Guided by Bendigo Pottery's skilled potter and artist, these workshops suit all ages and all skill levels. Children get to create their own unique pottery pieces and treasure the memory for a long time.
3. Wander the Village of Artisans
The Village of Artisans has developed into a stand-alone destination that attracts people looking for handmade products made by local artists, as well as to support the creative economy of the area. You can visit the individual artist studios, see them at work, and purchase their pieces directly from the maker.
Something is refreshing about this kind of browsing. You are not moving through a curated retail environment; you are encountering real creative work in progress. Visitors regularly find something unexpected here that turns out to be the most memorable part of the whole visit.
4. Dig Through the Antiques and Collectables Centre
Bendigo Pottery's Antiques and Collectables Centre brings together many dealers under one roof, with a wide variety of antiques, vintage pieces, and collectables spanning many decades of Australian and international history. Authentic curios, ceramics, furniture, jewellery, and objects you would struggle to categorise all share the same space.
You could spend an hour in here and still not have seen everything. It is the kind of place that rewards patience and people who are genuinely willing to look. Whether you collect seriously or simply enjoy the process of discovery, it is worth building time into your visit for this one.
5. Visit the Interpretive Museum (When It Reopens)
The Bendigo Pottery Interpretive Museum tells the full story of the pottery from 1858 to the present day, covering production processes, historic machinery, working conditions, and the traditional skills passed down across six generations of Bendigonians. It is a remarkable record of Australian craft history that you will not find documented anywhere else in quite the same way.
Due to major flooding in January, 2024, the museum has been closed down. However, the Bendigo Pottery team is working diligently to have the museum reopened ASAP. All of the other parts of the site are open to the public right now. Finally, check out Bendigo Pottery for any updates, as this museum will definitely be worth visiting again.
Why Bendigo Pottery Belongs on Your Bendigo Itinerary
If you are planning things to do in Bendigo, Victoria, it is easy to build an itinerary around the big-name stops and miss the places that make a trip actually memorable. Bendigo Pottery is one of those places. It is not a museum that asks you to look but not touch. It is not a shop that could exist anywhere. It is a living, working site where something has been made by hand for over 165 years, and you can be part of that in a small way when you visit.
Come for the ceramics. Stay for the antiques. Let the kids loose with clay. Walk through the artisan studios. And when the museum reopens, make the trip again. There is always something more to find here, and that is the kind of place worth knowing about.
Bendigo Pottery is open six days a week, closed on Tuesdays, from 10 am to 4 pm. Paint A Piece and Clay Play are both walk-in with no booking required. School Holiday Programs are bookable online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do at Bendigo Pottery?
The five best things to do in Bendigo at the Pottery are shopping for Australian-made ceramics produced on site, getting hands-on with Paint A Piece or Clay Play, wandering the Village of Artisans, browsing the Antiques and Collectables Centre, and visiting the Interpretive Museum when it reopens following the January 2024 flooding.
Is Bendigo Pottery suitable for families?
Yes, it is one of the most family-friendly attractions in Bendigo, Victoria. Paint A Piece (from $25, walk-in) and Clay Play ($5 per kit, walk-in) work for all ages. The School Holiday Programs offer guided wheel throwing and decorating for children of all skill levels, bookable online during Victorian school holidays.
Do I need to book activities at Bendigo Pottery in advance?
Paint A Piece and Clay Play are both walk-in with no booking required. School Holiday Programs need to be booked online in advance. Visit bendigopottery.com.au to check schedules and secure your spot.
How much does it cost to visit Bendigo Pottery?
There is no entry fee to visit the site, browse the ceramics shop, explore the Village of Artisans, or walk through the Antiques and Collectables Centre. Paint A Piece costs $25 for a cup, $30 for a plate, or $35 for a bowl. Clay Play kits are $5 each. School Holiday Programs are priced separately and bookable online.
Is the Bendigo Pottery Interpretive Museum currently open?
No. The museum is temporarily closed after being heavily flooded in January 2024. The Bendigo Pottery team is working on reopening it as soon as possible. All other areas of the site remain fully open six days a week, closed Tuesdays, from 10am to 4pm.
How do I get to Bendigo Pottery?
Bendigo Pottery is located in Epsom, just north of Bendigo's city centre, and is easily accessible by car. Bendigo itself is approximately 150 kilometres north of Melbourne, around 90 minutes by car via the Calder Freeway or two hours by train from Southern Cross Station.
