Fresh from a big weekend of Easter activities, Bendigo is set to host another major event set to pump more money into the local economy.
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Accommodation in central Bendigo is already fully booked for the Rotary District 9800 Conference on the weekend of April 13-14.
About 400 people are registered for the conference and when partners are included it means about 600 people will be in Bendigo for the event.
The annual conference is usually held in the town of the sitting district governor, which in 2024 happens to be Ron Payne of Eaglehawk.
Bendigo last held the conference about 10 years ago and was meant to be the host in 2021-22 until the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to that.
District stretches to Melbourne suburbs
Rotary District 9800 is made up of 63 clubs stretching from Echuca-Moama down to Bendigo, Castlemaine and along the Calder Highway into Melbourne to include clubs like Brighton and Camberwell.
Mr Payne said the conference would be a good thing for Bendigo - and Rotary.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College's gymnasium will host the Rotary Showcase featuring 40 stalls which are set up to highlight some of the main projects that our district clubs are involved in, or wish to promote.
"It will be open to the public because we want to show everyone what Rotary has been doing and what progress we have been making on our projects," Mr Payne said.
Rotary's projects around the region include the Australia Day event at Lake Weeroona, the Easter markets and art show, Carols by Candlelight and the Castlemaine truck show.
Mr Payne said Rotary was also involved in a lot of youth programs and internationally was surging ahead with its campaign to eradicate polio.
"We are the only organisation seeking to eradicate a disease," he said.
"There are only two live cases of polio left in the world, compared to the thousands in the 1950s."
The conference will feature a range of guest speakers, including Costa Georgiadis, of the ABC's Gardening Australia team.
Not 'stale, male and pale'
"We're hoping to move away from people who may look at Rotary as 'stale, male and pale' and show people what we are doing," Mr Payne said.
"And we do have a big traction with youth in Rotary," pointing to Camp Getaway which has been operating at Axedale for the past 60 years.
The conference kicks off with a gala dinner at the All Seasons Hotel on Friday, April 12 with a welcoming function at the Bendigo Town Hall.
The event moves to the Ulumbarra Theatre with keynote speakers, musical entertainment and a range of presentations.
A gala dinner will be held on the Saturday night at the All Seasons Hotel before the conference continues on the Sunday.
