Bendigo has been flagged as a possible regional outpost of the groundbreaking LGBTI pride centre soon to open in Melbourne. 

In what is an Australian first, the Victorian government will fund a $15 million pride centre on Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, in which LGBTI health services, a radio station and historical archives will be housed.  

The City of Greater Bendigo last month invited the pride centre’s chairperson, Jude Munro, to speak with its staff and headspace’s diversity group about Bendigo becoming part of the project. 

The council’s community partnerships manager Steve Abbott said this week the idea was in its infancy, with no formal request made for the council’s support. 

But a pride centre was an idea the municipality was keen to get behind, he said. 

"At this stage, council's more than happy to be around the table to explore the possibility, which was part of the reason to get Jude Munro to come," Mr Abbott said.

He explained Bendigo was determined to become Australia’s most livable regional city, which required it be inclusive of all people.

The Victorian AIDS Council's Bendigo offshoot, VACountry, this year received a $2,500 grant from the Bendigo council towards the development of a community hub.

VAC services director Kent Burgess said his organisation’s Myers Street address, which once housed defunct HIV service Country Awareness Network, could act as the pride centre’s Bendigo headquarters. 

“[Ms Munro] talked about the need for a pride centre that reached out across the state digitally, and also to look at the need for resources in those areas,” Mr Burgess said.  

“We share her enthusiasm to think about Bendigo as the first regional pride centre.”

VAC will be among the new tenants of the Melbourne pride centre. 

Jakob Quilligan, who co-ordinates LGBTI social group Friends Alike Bendigo – Central Victoria, welcomed the pride centre’s interest in Bendigo, saying the city was well-positioned geographically to serve other regional centres.

He hoped a queer hub in Bendigo would offer the sort of social support he deemed missing since the government withdrew CAN funding last January.

It could also host educational resources and advocate for the community, Mr Quilligan said.

“It would be a great way to bring a bit more LGBTI visibility to Bendigo.” 

It was young people who normally left behind their regional hometowns who were poised to benefit most, Queer Country art exhibition curator Noel Hourigan said.

LGBTI services were usually “city-centric”, he said, but bringing them into areas outside of Melbourne could break down homophobia. 

“Anywhere there's a place for resources, or a safe space for people to gather or get information, or sort of be with their community, is a great idea,” Mr Hourigan said.

Ms Munro was contacted for comment.