At a glance
- When
- Wednesday 28 October 2026, listed start 10:30am
- Where
- Bendigo Racecourse, Heinz Street, White Hills
- Free shuttle to the track
- 10:30am to 1:00pm from Bendigo Railway Station, Bay 3
- Free shuttle home
- 4:30pm to 5:15pm from the racecourse to the station, with one stop at Bull Street
- Entry
- General admission $30 for adults; kids 16 and under free with an adult
- Parking
- Free, with car park attendants on the day
- Local holiday
- Full-day holiday for all areas west of the Campaspe River
- Who it’s for
- Anyone going to the Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup at White Hills on Wednesday 28 October
- What to do now
- Buy a general admission ticket online to skip the gate queue, and plan your trip to or from Bendigo Railway Station around the shuttle times
- Last checked
- Monday 26 October 2026, against the Bendigo Jockey Club’s Bendigo Cup page, its ticketing site and Business Victoria
- Not yet confirmed
- Gate opening time and first race time (the club has not published them on the Cup page); Route 5 bus times on the holiday
On Wednesday 28 October the Bendigo Jockey Club runs complimentary shuttle buses between Bendigo Railway Station and the racecourse for the Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup: to the track from 10:30am to 1:00pm, and back from 4:30pm to 5:15pm. General admission is $30 for adults, parking on the course is free, and the Victorian Government lists 28 October as a full-day local holiday for all areas of Greater Bendigo west of the Campaspe River.
This guide uses the club’s Cup page, its ticketing site and FAQ, and Business Victoria’s holiday list, all read on 26 October 2026. Victoria is on daylight saving time at this time of year, so every time here is Bendigo local time.
When is the Bendigo Cup and where is the racecourse?
The Bendigo Jockey Club’s Cup page lists the Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup for Wednesday 28 October 2026, with a start listed as 10:30. The ticketing site shows 10:30am for general admission. The racecourse is on Heinz Street, White Hills, Victoria 3550. The club can be reached on (03) 5448 4209 or at info@bendigojockeyclub.com.au.
The Cup page does not give a gate opening time or a first race time. The club’s FAQ describes the usual pattern for its race days: gates generally open one hour before the first race, and the first race generally starts between 12pm and 1pm, with times subject to change until race day acceptances are confirmed. The FAQ asks visitors to check the race day event page for gate times. Treat both as unconfirmed for the Cup until the club posts them.
Is Wednesday 28 October a public holiday in Bendigo?
For most of the city, yes. Business Victoria’s list of non-metropolitan public holidays for 2026 shows Wednesday 28 October as a full-day holiday for all areas west of the Campaspe River, arranged through the Greater Bendigo City Council. The same page notes that all of Victoria is entitled to the Melbourne Cup public holiday on Tuesday 3 November unless a non-metropolitan council has arranged an alternate local holiday.
The page gives no detail on how services run on 28 October, so confirm opening hours with the business or service you need. We did not find a published bus or train timetable for the holiday. The council’s own website showed a bot check when we tried to read it, so nothing here comes from the council’s pages.
How do I get to the Bendigo Cup by public transport?
The club offers a free shuttle from Bendigo Railway Station. Its Cup page sets out the times:
| Direction | Times | Pick-up point |
|---|---|---|
| To the racecourse | 10:30am to 1:00pm | Bendigo Railway Station, Bay 3 |
| Back to the station | 4:30pm to 5:15pm | Bendigo Racecourse; one stop on the return trip at Bull Street, Bendigo |
The page does not say how often the buses run within those windows, so allow for a wait at the station. The return window is 45 minutes long, which means that leaving after the last shuttle at 5:15pm leaves you to find your own way back.
If you are coming from Melbourne, the club’s FAQ says Bendigo is about two hours from Southern Cross Station by V/Line, and tells visitors to take the V/Line train to Bendigo Railway Station and then the shuttle. The FAQ lists shuttle times for the Golden Mile race day, not the Cup, so use the times in the table above for 28 October.
Can I take a regular bus instead?
The club’s Cup page gives one route: from Bendigo Station, take the Route 5 bus towards Huntly and get off at Botanic Gardens, then walk about 15 minutes to the racecourse. We could not find an official Route 5 timetable for 28 October, and the holiday may change the service, so check the Public Transport Victoria journey planner before you rely on it. The shuttle is the option the club sets up for the day.
Can I park at the racecourse?
Yes. The club’s FAQ answers the parking question with “Car parking is free and plentiful” and asks drivers to follow the instructions of the car park attendants on the day. For a group in a mini bus, the FAQ says space is usually available but asks you to check with the club beforehand, because there may be a designated spot away from general vehicles. The FAQ is written for the club’s race days in general and does not name a Cup-specific car park, so the attendants’ directions on the day take priority.
The club’s own message for drinkers is on its Cup page: “Drinking at the races? Don’t drive”. It points visitors to the shuttle buses for the trip home.
How much does it cost to get in?
| Ticket | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General admission, adult | $30 | Sold on the club’s ticketing site; pre-purchase to skip the queue |
| Concession | Priced at the gate | Bring a valid Pension or Seniors card; buy at the gate on race day |
| Kids 16 and under | Free | Must be accompanied by an adult, per the club’s FAQ for country race meetings |
The club’s ticketing site sells the $30 adult ticket and says pre-purchased tickets mean you do not have to wait at the gate. Its FAQ says tickets are emailed after payment and can be shown on a phone as a QR code or printed. As of 26 October 2026, the hospitality packages listed for the Cup (Ladbrokes Village, Ms Batterhams, Silks Dining, the Most Regal Pavilion and the Palms marquees and umbrellas) show as sold out. The Palms Mini Marquee package from $550 is listed as not including racecourse admission.
What is the dress standard, and what is Fashions on the Field?
The club says dress standards apply to all areas of the Bendigo Jockey Club. Clothing, including costumes and fancy dress, that is offensive, lewd, derogatory or unsafe may lead to refusal of entry or removal from the course, and footwear must be worn at all times. Specific standards apply to the Members area and function rooms, where costumes and fancy dress are not permitted. For Silks Dining, the club’s rules for gentlemen are a collared shirt, with tracksuits, thongs and singlets not permitted; for ladies, tailored slacks, skirts, dresses or three-quarter pants, with tracksuits and rubber thongs not permitted.
The club’s Fashions on the Field page says Beck Legal sponsors the competition at the Bendigo Cup. It lists five categories: Best Dressed Lady, Best Dressed Local Lady, Best Dressed Gent, Best Dressed Local Gent and a Millinery Award. The page does not give an entry time or place, so ask the club if you plan to enter.
What can I bring, and what is on sale?
The club’s FAQ lists these rules for its race days:
- Picnics are welcome, but leave knives, sharp utensils and glass at home.
- Bendigo Jockey Club race meetings are not BYO for drinks; drinks are sold on the course.
- No barbecues, and no portable barbecues brought in.
- No balloons, because they can spook the horses.
- No dogs, except assistance dogs.
- No guest-supplied marquees or large umbrellas; the club sells its own marquee and umbrella packages.
- Smoking is allowed only in the signed designated areas.
- An ATM is on the course, but the FAQ suggests bringing cash because queues can be long.
The FAQ says the Historic Grandstand has public seating that fills quickly, and that the club’s shaded umbrellas on busy days such as the Bendigo Cup are always the first to go. It adds that food vendors and food trucks are on the course on major days including the Bendigo Cup, and that a bookie ring is available. First aid is on the course for every race day: speak to the race day office or the police on the course.
What if the details change?
The club says on its FAQ that race times stay subject to change until acceptances are confirmed, and the holiday list on Business Victoria notes that holiday dates can change. We checked the club’s pages on 26 October 2026 and will update this guide if the club publishes gate times, a first race time or a change to the shuttle. For the latest, contact the club on (03) 5448 4209 or check its Cup page on the morning of the race.
Sources
- Bendigo Jockey Club — Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup (date, shuttle times, Route 5 directions, contact; checked 26 October 2026)
- Bendigo Jockey Club ticketing site (general admission, concession note, package availability; checked 26 October 2026)
- Bendigo Jockey Club — Frequently asked questions (parking, gates, rules for race days, children)
- Bendigo Jockey Club — Fashions on the Field
- Business Victoria — Victorian non-metropolitan public holidays 2026 (Greater Bendigo holiday on 28 October; checked 26 October 2026)
- Business Victoria — Victorian public holidays 2026 (Melbourne Cup holiday on 3 November)
Featured image: Bendigo Botanic Gardens at White Hills, near the racecourse (photo: Mattinbgn / CC BY 3.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the Bendigo Jockey Club, Country Racing Victoria, V/Line or the City of Greater Bendigo. Times, prices and rules can change; check the club’s Cup page before you go.