Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum, a living history of Chinese Australian’s contributions to Bendigo from the gold rush of the 1850s onwards, will receive $800,000 to progress planning for three new exhibition spaces, an immersive theatre, research centre and education studio, new building exteriors, and updated amenities and storage.

The Golden Dragon Museum’s collection holds items that are of international significance and rarely seen outside of China, most notably it’s three Imperial Dragons: Loong, Sun Loong and Dai Gum Loong.

The dragons hold international significance as the oldest and longest Imperial Dragons in the world, and they are the centrepiece attraction of the annual Bendigo Easter Parade, which attracts 60,000 visitors.

With support from the Federal Labor Government, the redevelopment of the Golden Dragon Museum will provide a more secure, fit for purpose home for this priceless collection, protecting it from vandalism incidents such as the one seen in May 2024 which damaged Loong and Sun Loong.

The project will be undertaken in partnership with the Victorian Government which will administer the funding.


QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BENDIGO, LISA CHESTERS MP: 

“I am so proud that the Federal Labor Government is helping to fund the next stage of the Golden Dragon Redevelopment project. Our much-loved dragons need a new home that is safe and secure.

“The vandalism attack in May 2024 shocked the Bendigo community and was devastating for our Chinese Australian community. This is a step towards making sure we don’t see an incident like that in the future.

“I would like to congratulate Hugo and the rest of the Golden Dragon Museum team for their continued work telling the story of Chinese Australian migration to Australia and the significant role this played in Bendigo’s goldrush history."


QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO CEO, ANDREW COONEY:

“The City was very pleased to receive this funding, which will go towards detailed design work. It puts us a step closer to the vision of creating a world-class museum space to preserve and display this internationally significant collection, including of course our incredible Imperial Processional Dragons Loong, Sun Loong and Dai Gum Loong."


QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO GOLDEN DRAGON MUSEUM CHAIR & CHINESE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, DOUG LOUGOON:

“The Australian Government’s funding of $800,000 to progress planning for our project is an exciting development which will completely redevelop the current Museum. The project refurbishes the two current galleries and creates a new one dedicated to exhibiting temporary exhibitions, it creates an immersive theatre, research centre and education studio and enhances external spaces and staff and visitor amenities. The Redevelopment Project will see the Museum become one of the leading centres in the world for telling the stories of the Chinese diaspora, and especially of the Bendigo and Australian Chinese more broadly.

“Our collection of 30,000 objects will be displayed to international standards and cared for in storage and other facilities that best suit a Collection of this depth and importance.

“The Government’s support of the pre-construction planning will ensure that the building is designed and built to the highest standards meeting not only exacting museum and research requirements but also the expectations of contemporary museum visitors.

“I would especially like to thank our local member, Lisa Chesters MP, for her continuing support and advocacy of this project and the Museum.  Her efforts are greatly appreciated.”


QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO GOLDEN DRAGON MUSEUM CEO, HUGO LESCHEN: 

“Golden Dragon Museum opened in Bendigo in 1991 and since then has welcomed many thousands of visitors and established itself as the preeminent centre for Chinese culture and heritage in Australia. Its collection of over 30,000 objects is the finest of its type in the country and in recent years its growing and dynamic program of Community Engagement has seen it develop an exciting range of initiatives including exhibitions, workshops, tours, and lectures that are enjoyed by thousands of people every year.

“Over the years the Museum’s current buildings and facilities have served the community well, but they are no longer fit for purpose nor meet visitor expectations of what a contemporary museum should be offering. The Australian Government’s funding of $800,000 provides a great opportunity for the Museum’s Redevelopment Project to be further progressed, through careful planning and clever design.”