Ampersand Hall - A new venue for training in Bendigo
David Johnson


Ampersand Australia now has its own building in Bendigo .

Ampersand Hall is located on the corner of Violet and Creek streets in Bendigo (mailing address P.O. Box 51 Bendigo 3552).

As far as Bendigo is concerned, Ampersand courses will no longer run from our clinic rooms at the hospital. In April 2004, David and Ellen took possession of an ex Jehovah Witness hall in Bendigo . Since then, they have invested time and money to upgrade the Hall into what is now a first rate teaching venue, complete with modern equipment and a wealth of space for their courses.

The Hall is well situated on the edge of the Bendigo Central Business District and is therefore close to all the major city services, including of course restaurants, hotels, accommodation and some of Victoria 's major tourist attractions.

The Hall offers a massive and congenial teaching space measuring some 9 x 13.5 metres (or 29 x 43 feet) with 5 metre ceilings, including a low level stage and a large screen (3 x 2.5 metres) for the projection of recorded and real time demonstrations and presentations. There are also two offices/consulting rooms and a large remodeled meeting room/kitchen. The previous owners would not recognize the interior.

The Hall has been completely renovated with new carpets and tiling throughout, and fresh paint on every surface. Modifications were also made to increasing the size of some rooms and building in an impressive double door entrance into the main Hall itself, using two of the beautiful original doors designed (hand made) for the building. These doors now proudly display the Ampersand logo as an etching in their large glass panels.

The Hall has been equipped with a modern P.A. system integrating FM and wired microphones, CD, video and DVD players as well as amplification for musical instruments. All rooms have reverse cycle air conditioning and ducted gas heating (we live in Victoria after all).

Obviously, one of the major advantages of procuring the Hall is the flexibility that we now have to offer training, both in terms of numbers and "what" and "when" we wish to offer programs. The Hall will comfortable seat several hundred people and can easily manage large numbers for courses run in the Ampersand style.

In addition, the Hall will prompt and allow for an enormous flexibility and expansion of training offers to be made to the Central Victorian Community. As well as targeting to increase the size of our Ampersand programs, conversations are already in progress to import a range of professional expertise to offer new and exciting programs to a growing professional community in the district. Some of these programs will serve as a means for us to give back to a community that has offered us opportunity to develop rewarding and substantial careers and a safe, rich and valued lifestyle for our family.