The new 30 year lease has been secured by Tim Foster, the talent behind Source Dining Kyneton and business partners Edward Hodges and Peter Barton.

“We had heard so much about this property, its history, its connection to the Bendigo community and after visiting it for the first time, we saw the historical and business significance this property had to offer,” Mr Barton said.

Executive chef and owner of Source Dining in Kyneton Tim Foster, has grand plans for the historic hotel.

Despite being encouraged to open a new restaurant in Melbourne “the commitment to local producers and connection to the local community is what drew us to Bendigo”.

“We are looking forward to providing a restaurant style experience for those dining in the main dining rooms, with the public bar, courtyard and garden areas offering a more relaxed dining style,” Mr Foster said.

The venue can accommodate functions of up to 300 people, which the business partners believe will make it an ideal location for weddings, work functions or as a place to catch up with friends.

“The main dining room in the hotel will be able to accommodate an intimate table for two, to a large group of 40,” Mr Foster said.

It features one of the oldest Victorian-style gardens in Bendigo, and earlier in the year was voted in the top ten beer gardens in Australia.

“It is a great place to sit in the afternoon and enjoy a beverage from the extensive list which will be dominated by Australian breweries, distilleries and wineries,” Mr Barton said.

The building was designed by renowned Bendigo architect William Vahland, who was influential in the designs for the Capital Theatre, Shamrock Hotel and the Alexandra Fountain. It also features a large cellar, and it’s believed to have an underground tunnel which connects with Fortuna Villa.

“We have plans to transform this into an underground cellar bar with a similar ambience to the Supper Club or Bar 1806 in Melbourne,” Mr Barton said.

Mr Foster said the menu had been created based on his culinary philosophy of local seasonal produce.

“I always start with premium ingredients, sourcing the best of what is available locally and picked seasonally from our kitchen gardens,” Mr Foster said.

“We currently grow a significant amount of produce for Source Dining at our property in Sedgwick, and we have plans to increase production to also supply the Goldmines Hotel.”

More to come.

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