The Good Loaf: Spreading the Organic Message
The Good Loaf Bakery and Café in Bendigo may look more like a UFO than a doughnut, but its organic sourdough bread and baked goodies are out of this world.
Located in a heritage-listed former Beaurepaires Tyre Centre, The Good Loaf is one of many attractions in Bendigo, not only because of its peculiar shape but because it’s the regional city’s first authentic sourdough bakery.
Owner Laurie Whelan says the one thing people couldn’t get in Bendigo was locally produced sourdough bread, so he and his business partner Cheryl Martin, decided to open a bakery and café.
“We always had to go to Melbourne to get great bread, which wasn’t ideal. Now we can get good sourdough bread and great homemade muffins, cakes and cafe food right here in Bendigo,” he said.
“It’s a great hub for locals to meet, especially on a busy Saturday morning when the cafe is buzzing and the ovens are churning out delicious loaves.”
Laurie and Cheryl endeavour to be eco-friendly and community-focused when it comes to their business, both in the design and practice.
“We recycle and reuse the waste, to decrease the amount going into landfill. The food scraps go to the local chooks and then the eggs come back to us,” Laurie said.
The interior of the café is full of repurposed furniture and fittings and the pair had power points installed outside for patrons to recharge their electric car batteries.
“We have a strong focus on sustainability. We have an organic range of bread and wherever possible, ingredients are locally sourced. We really want to utilise local producers and we are active participants in local Farmers’ Markets,” Laurie said.
Their passion for locally grown produce steered them in the direction of the Food Fossickers Central Victorian Food Trade Network, a regional industry network that aims to build awareness of the food and beverage offerings across the Greater Bendigo region.
“It’s all about working together with other foodies – cafés, restaurants and producers to promote good quality, locally sourced produce,” Laurie said.
The Victorian Government has contributed $22,500 to the Food Fossickers network to boost the profile of the region’s food and beverage industry.
“We want to create a strong culture of quality and locally produced food, which I think hasn’t happened here before,” Laurie said.
The Good Loaf is one of 80 members of the newly founded network which has recently released the Food Fossickers Guide to Bendigo and the Region, a comprehensive guide to everything edible and drinkable in the region.
“It’s a great little guide for local people and visitors to the region and it showcases our high quality produce,” Laurie said.
The guide will be available from the Bendigo, Castlemaine and Heathcote Visitor Centres and from cafés, restaurants and hotels in the region.
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