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"The cathedral city, officially known as Bendigo, is situated about one hundred miles directly north of Melbourne, in a shallow basin surrounded by an amphitheatre of gently-rising hills rich in gold, discovered in the district in 1852. This fact attracted to Bendigo immigrants from all parts of the world, among them many Irish and others professing the Catholic Faith. The first missionary was the Rev. Dr. Backhaus. On 21 Sept., 1874, Most Reverend Martin Crane, O.S.A., was consecrated first bishop of this diocese and arrived at the scene of his future labors early in 1875 accompanied by the Rev. M. Maher and the Rev. Stephen Reville, O.S.A. The latter was in 1885 appointed coadjutor bishop to Dr. Crane and succeeded him as bishop on 21 Oct., 1901. During the twenty five years of Dr. Cranes active administration, and since his demise, the interests of the Church have advanced rapidly both in a spiritual and material sense."
Stephen Reville
