Greater Bendigo council wants our thoughts on whether or not the City’s most prestigious horse race needs a public holiday.
An online survey has launched regarding that very issue as the council ponders changing its holiday arrangements from next year.
Presently, local governments outside Melbourne can apply to swap Melbourne Cup Day with a local public holiday under the Public Holidays Act.
The City has taken advantage of this rule by having areas west of the Campaspe River observe the last Wednesday in October as its “official” public holiday, to coincide with the Bendigo Cup.
Communities to the east continue to observe the following Tuesday as their day-off, which also falls on the same day as the Heathcote Show.
Council’s survey gives respondents three options on the matter, those being:
- keep the public holiday on the last Wednesday of October;
- change the date to the first Tuesday in November to coincide with the Melbourne Cup, or;
- change the date to the fourth Friday in October to coincide with the Bendigo Agricultural Show.
The Bendigo Jockey Club is lobbying for the first option, with chair Jack Lyons having told the Wake Up Call that any change risks the Bendigo Cup losing its prestige.
“It’s the last race – last qualifying race to get into the Melbourne Cup,” Lyons said.
“So we’re talking horses that are coming from interstate and overseas.
“If they can’t win at Geelong and they can’t win at the other lead-up races, they all try for Bendigo.”
He also expressed fears that the race would need to be moved to a weekend, potentially resulting in the loss of financial support from the state government and Racing Victoria.
“And we’ve got a lot of facts and figures that show how much this [event] drives the economy in Bendigo,” he added.
“It’s put more than $84 million in turnover into the Bendigo economy each year.”
The survey is accepting responses until August 9th.
Those wanting to have their say should head to the Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo website.
Gold Central Victoria has sought comment from the Bendigo Agricultural Show committee on the matter.
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