28 December 2021

Bendigo to host massive motorcycle collection in new museum

The heritage-rich city of Bendigo, an easy two-hour ride/drive from Melbourne CBD, is set to open a most impressive motorcycle-themed restaurant and nightspot.

Housed in the former Black Swan Hotel, right in the heart of Bendigo on Pall Mall, the ornate two-storey Victorian premises was built in 1873 at the height of the gold rush and has witnessed many of the city’s great events. 

En route to Melbourne, I contrived to stop over in Bendigo and check out the progress and meet with Dugal James, the avid motorcycle collector who has purchased the premises and installed a couple dozen of his favourite machines along with memorabilia.

Dugal James with a gallery of some of his Indian Motorcycle heroes (RE)

“My obsession with motorcycles began before I left home and went to university,” Dugal told me as we eyed the expansive display in the old hotel’s entranceway. He is now a highly accomplished surgeon living and working in Bendigo. “Indian motorcycles have been my primary focus, but as you can see, I’m quite partial to both Italian and German machines, particularly the rarer and more unusual examples.”

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