‘We wanted to be not too far away from Melbourne but also not too far away from family either. We found our dream home here and have made heaps of friends. Our Buddhist nun neighbour, Tenzin, is like a grandma to our kids. We love her.
There's no such thing as peak hour traffic in Bendigo. We can get anywhere in Bendigo in 10 minutes. We love Rosalind Park and the gardens, especially when the tulips are out. The playground at Lake Weeroona is always a hit and we often have a picnic or fish and chips there. We also have a lot of fun discovering different barbeque or picnic spots in the bush or surrounding small towns.
We love the different events. The Autumn Moon Festival in the Chinese Gardens is amazing. We always have friends come to visit for the Bendigo Easter Festival, there are millions of different things to do here.'
– Darren Murphy
Seven years ago, Darren and Nicole Murphy found their dream home in Bendigo after spells living in Melbourne, overseas and Castlemaine. This year, the couple bought one of Bendigo's iconic businesses: Bendigo Wholefoods. Darren, who has a background in hospitality and business mentoring, runs the shop while Nicole helps out when she can, juggling her job as a Podiatrist and caring for Tessa (3) and Alex (6).