Central Deborah Gold Mine

Victoria

LoginSave

Don your hard hat and get ready to descend with a geologist into this 412m-deep mine. Operating in 1939–54, the mine has been worked on 17 levels and has yielded 925kg of gold. The 'Mine Experience' tours (75 minutes) that descend 61m are the most popular option; others include the 2½-hour 85m underground adventure (adult/child/family $85/52.50/245) and 'nine levels of darkness' ($200 per person), which heads 228m underground, where you can enjoy lunch and work the drill.

For those who prefer to stay above ground, the self-guided surface tour (adult/child/family $6.50/4/19) takes in the museum, as well as a spot of gold panning and climbing up the poppet head for great views over the town. Discounts are available for packages combining the talking tram and visits to the Joss House Temple.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Old Castlemaine Gaol.

    Old Castlemaine Gaol

    20.77 MILES

    Looming from its commanding hilltop location, the Old Castlemaine Gaol is the town's most notable historical landmark; dating from 1861, it closed its…

  • Ceremonial dragon in Golden Dragon Museum.

    Golden Dragon Museum & Gardens

    0.96 MILES

    Bendigo’s Chinese heritage sets it apart from other goldfields towns, and this fantastic museum is the place to experience it. Walk through a huge wooden…

  • art gallery, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia

    Castlemaine Art Museum

    20.91 MILES

    Housed in a superb art deco building, this gallery (established in 1913) features colonial and contemporary Australian art, including works by such well…

  • Bendigo Art Gallery

    Bendigo Art Gallery

    0.59 MILES

    One of Victoria’s finest regional galleries (founded in 1887), Bendigo Art Gallery has a permanent collection that includes outstanding colonial and…

  • Henry of Harcourt

    Henry of Harcourt

    15.58 MILES

    Here's one for cider purists: the owners of this family-run orchard are on a mission to introduce Australians to real dry ciders. They grow 43 varieties…

  • Bendigo Talking Tram

    Bendigo Talking Tram

    0.01 MILES

    For an interesting city tour, hop aboard a restored ‘talking’ tram. The hop-on, hop-off trip runs from the Central Deborah Gold Mine to the Tramways Depot…

  • Bendigo Pottery

    Bendigo Pottery

    4.66 MILES

    Australia’s oldest pottery works, Bendigo Pottery was founded in 1857 and is classified by the National Trust. The historic kilns are still used; watch…

  • Mill

    Mill

    20.37 MILES

    Originally the Castlemaine Woollen Mills (1875), this red-brick industrial complex has been developed into one of the town's coolest precincts. It's worth…

View more attractions

Nearby Victoria attractions

1. Bendigo Talking Tram

0.01 MILES

For an interesting city tour, hop aboard a restored ‘talking’ tram. The hop-on, hop-off trip runs from the Central Deborah Gold Mine to the Tramways Depot…

2. Sacred Heart Cathedral

0.35 MILES

You can’t miss the soaring steeple of this magnificent cathedral. Though construction began in the 19th century, it was only completed in 2001, with the…

3. Pennyweight Walk

0.53 MILES

Running between Hargreaves St and Bath Lane, this tiny city thoroughfare is dedicated to local street artists and their murals, stencils and paste-ups.

4. Villa Fortuna

0.56 MILES

Of all Bendigo's beautiful heritage buildings, none is more extravagant than Villa Fortuna. Set on a 7.5-hectare property, this opulent Victorian-era…

5. La Trobe Art Institute

0.58 MILES

Featuring a mix of works by emerging and established contemporary artists, this pint-size gallery always has something of interest. It's directly across…

6. Alexandra Fountain

0.58 MILES

A prominent city-centre landmark, this elegant fountain dates to 1881. It stands gracefully in the middle of the intersection of View St and Pall Mall.

7. Bendigo Art Gallery

0.59 MILES

One of Victoria’s finest regional galleries (founded in 1887), Bendigo Art Gallery has a permanent collection that includes outstanding colonial and…

8. Dudley House

0.61 MILES

One of Bendigo's oldest buildings is the National Trust–listed Dudley House, dating to the 1850s. It's currently used as a gallery for local artists.