Bendigo Mosque
Project snapshot
Service
Planning
Client
Australian Islamic Mission
Location
9 Rowena Street,
East Bendigo
Council
City of Greater Bendigo
Consultants
Kinscope
Tomkinson
GKA Architects
Bendigo’s Muslim community had been gathering in a small hall at La Trobe University—adequate once, but now bursting at the seams. Regular Friday prayers had grown from a dozen people to upwards of 35. Women’s participation was nearly non-existent due to cramped conditions. For Eid celebrations, they needed to rent out large halls to fit everyone. Clearly, Bendigo needed a permanent place of worship and gathering.
Planning a Community Hub
In 2014, Kinscope managed a planning permit application for a comprehensive Islamic centre. The proposal wasn’t just a mosque—it included:
- A prayer hall
- A community sports and recreation space
- Office and educational rooms
- Food and beverage retail outlets
- Caretaker accommodation
- Landscaping and design
We navigated a robust public and authority review, ultimately seeing the project go through a challenging VCAT process and on to appeal at the High Court in June 2016.
The goal was always clear: to support a welcoming, multi-functional space that fits within Bendigo’s cultural mosaic and makes a positive contribution to freedom, tolerance and opportunity for people living in a major regional centre.
Design & Cultural Harmony
Working alongside GKA Architects, our planners supported the muslim community’s interest in demonstrating and embracing respected traditional mosque design—think minaret symbolism and spatial harmony—while aligning with local planning standards. Our staff managed a particularly complex and challenging public engagement process.
Ultimate success has been gratifying and with the build is now underway, we are looking forward to seeing our local muslim community integrate further with this establishment of the Bendigo Mosque as a place of a place of cultural exchange, learning, and connection
The Outcome
At its heart, this project isn’t just about buildings—it’s about belonging. A growing regional population, including skilled migrants across diverse backgrounds, deserved a proper civic heart. Kinscope’s town-planning approach ensured regulatory rigor, community voice and a shared vision were all part of the win.
