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Bendigo Pottery offers a range of hands-on experiences for all ages, from painting your own pottery piece to getting your hands muddy with clay and attending guided workshops during school holidays. No experience needed, just turn up and get creative.
Paint your own pottery. No experience needed.
Bendigo Pottery is Australia's oldest working pottery, established in 1858. Set in Bendigo, Victoria, it's a heritage site that's still active today, making and firing pottery the same way it always has. Visitors can explore the historic grounds, shop locally made pottery, and take part in hands-on experiences like Paint A Piece.
From $25 · No Booking Require
Paint A Piece is a relaxed, hands-on pottery painting activity at Bendigo Pottery. Simply walk in during opening hours, choose your pottery piece, a cup, plate or bowl, collect your colour palette from the counter and paint at your own pace. No bookings, no pressure, no experience required.
Once you've finished painting, our team professionally glazes and fires your piece in the kiln, turning it into a durable, finished keepsake you'll actually want to keep. You'll be contacted when it's ready to collect from the pottery, or you can arrange postage if you're visiting from out of town.
It's one of the most relaxed things to do in Bendigo, whether you're here with family, on a date, catching up with friends or simply making the most of a free afternoon.
Painting your own pottery at Bendigo Pottery is easy. Here's what to expect when you arrive:
Paint A Piece is enjoyed by all kinds of visitors.
Families with kids: A hands-on activity that keeps kids genuinely engaged, and sends them home with something they made themselves.
Couples & date ideas: Creative, relaxed and a little different from the usual. A great way to spend an afternoon together in Bendigo.
Friends & group activities: No complicated planning needed. Just show up, paint and enjoy each other's company.
Tourists visiting Bendigo: Skip the souvenir shop. Paint your own piece at one of Australia's most iconic potteries and take home something you actually made.
Creative solo activity: Slow down, focus on something with your hands and leave with a finished keepsake.
School holiday activity: A hands-on activity suitable for all ages, no bookings required, which makes it easy to fit into a busy holiday week.
Everything you need is taken care of. Here's what's included with every Paint A Piece session:
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Get creative with Clay Play at Bendigo Pottery, a hands-on pottery experience activity for children, families and visitors of all ages. Available during opening hours with no bookings required, Clay Play makes it easy to enjoy the fun of sculpting and creating with clay. Simply collect a clay kit from the counter and start shaping your own unique creation, with tools and aprons provided for a mess-free experience. Each kit costs just $5, making it an affordable activity for families, school holiday outings and first-time makers. For those who want to continue creating at home, clay kits, family clay blocks and tool packs are also available to purchase. Whether you are looking for a fun family activity or a memorable Bendigo experience, Clay Play offers a simple and enjoyable way to explore your creativity.
Available during our opening hours - no bookings required.
Pick up a clay kit at the counter for some hands on sculptural fun at Bendigo Pottery, with tools and aprons provided. Cost: $5 per kit.
Or purchase a clay kit or a family block ($16.45) and some tools ($23.60/pack) for some fun at home.
There are plenty of ways to get creative. Here's what makes Bendigo Pottery worth the visit:
Three activities are offered: Paint A Piece, Clay Play, and School Holiday Programs (wheel-throwing and decorating workshops).