Howard John Hawke, 69, pleaded not guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Wednesday to 10 separate charges, which also included producing and transmitting child abuse material and sexual assault.

Police allege that while in Thailand in 2015, Mr Hawke engaged in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, also producing child abuse material on the same day.

Then between February 6 and March 29 this year, Mr Hawke allegedly contacted a person in Thailand for the purposes of again obtaining a child to abuse in that country.

He also faces charges of encouraging a child sex offence outside Australia and preparing to commit such an offence.

Mr Hawke was arrested by officers from the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police at his home in Kangaroo Flat on March 31.

Prosecutor for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, Elle Linfoot, said much of the evidence against Mr Hawke was based on taped intercepts in which it was “clear that it's his voice on the tapes”.

He is also charged with sexually assaulting a person in Kangaroo Flat between January and March this year.

Mr Hawke did not apply for bail and will next appear in the County Court in Melbourne for a directions hearing on August 29.