You may have passed through it without realising or you realised and you just didn’t care. Bendigo Council announced survey results today that most Bendigonian’s do not believe Ironbark actually exists.
Starting at the Barnard Street and Eaglehawk Road intersection, Ironbark is the gateway to Long Gully. It’s like that older rebellious sibling you can’t stand in most John Hughes films.
“What’s an Ironbark?” asked one person.
“I thought Ironbark was an old wives tale,” said a local Kangaroo Flat woman.
Bendigo Ironbark Evangelist Gilbert Jefferson attended Bendigo’s annual Ironbark Believers Convention last April and accused non-believers of being deranged and in need of saving from their archaic views.
“It’s a real place. There’s a sign on Eaglehawk road,” said Mr Jefferson. “I get my fish and chips from there.”
He had a stern warning for unbelievers: “If you don’t believe in Ironbark you’ll end up in Long Gully for all eternity when you die.”
Unfortunately for some, they are already there.
