Bendigo Foodshare simply could not operate without our four vehicles. As we say they are “powered by our community”.
They all play a major role each and every day to provide food to the community. All four vehicles have different responsibilities, each as important as the other. Collectively the vehicles average 2000 km each week.
Without our volunteer support the vehicles just wouldn’t be able to operate. Combined the vehicles have roughly 20 pairs of volunteers, that’s 40 individual volunteers each week.
Buffy
Buffy is the newest addition to the Bendigo Foodshare fleet, with her name inspired by the partnership between Bendigo Foodshare and Bendigo UFS Pharmacies.
Bendigo UFS has been a major sponsor of Bendigo Foodshare since 2021 and we're incredibly grateful for their commitment to support our work across central Victoria. In 2025 they recommitted and expanded the sponsorship for another 3 years, helping make Buffy possible.
The van was purchased mid-2026 thanks to the Victorian Government's Community Food Relief Program – Coordination Grant.
You'll see Buffy out on the road supporting local deliveries across Bendigo, helping ensure fresh, healthy food reaches our food relief partners and community organisations quickly and efficiently.
Sue
Meet Sue our Hilux ute! Thanks to a $37,000 grant from the Frances and Harold Abbott Foundation, the Hilux ute was purchased in September 2024 through our Major Sponsor Bendigo Toyota.
Our Hilux ute was named in memory Sue DeAraugo, one of our biggest long-term supporters, who tragically died in 2022. Sue was the previous owner of Bendigo Toyota and was instrumental in developing the relationship between our two organisations. She was also one of the driving forces of Bendigo Foodshare’s Food Drive, one of our first financial sponsors, and in later years she volunteered in the warehouse as one of our first shift coordinators.
It’s an honour to recognise Sue’s contribution in this small way and we are grateful her legacy lives on with our strong relationship with Bendigo Toyota continuing to this day.
Like Sue, our ute is a hard worker and plays a big role here at Bendigo Foodshare; helping us to transport green waste and harvested produce between Golden Gums Farm and our warehouse, transporting equipment and ingredients for our school Cooking for Change Program, and running all of those important errands.
Our truck
Our refrigerated truck was added to our fleet at the start of 2024. The purchase of our new small truck was made possible through funding from Bendigo Bank’s Community Enterprize Foundation’s Flood Recovery Grants Program, The Australian Lions Foundation and the City of Greater Bendigo. Read more here.
Now our biggest vehicle, the truck can transport up to 3.5 tonnes at a time, allowing us to carry six pallets of food. Due to the capacity of the truck it now does most of our out of town deliveries and collection of food donations from local manufacturers, allowing us to be more efficient. It visits much of central Victoria and surrounds, including Kyneton, Echuca, Maryborough, Kyabram, Beaufort and many towns in between.
The new truck significantly improves our capacity to distribute food across our region, particularly when a disaster hits.
Goldy
Goldy was purchased in October 2020 and proudly carries its name in recognition of Agnico Eagle Australia’s Fosterville Gold Mine, whose ongoing support has helped shape Bendigo Foodshare’s journey.
As a long-standing major sponsor, Agnico Eagle Australia has played a significant role in helping us strengthen food relief across Central Victoria. Their generous support included a $300,000 contribution towards the construction of our new home in Golden Square and in 2026 they reaffirmed their commitment to our community through a further $100,000 partnership over two years.
To celebrate this continued partnership, Goldy has been refreshed with new signage recognising Agnico Eagle Australia’s support. We’re incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment to helping us create a more food-secure Central Victoria.
Benny
Benny is proudly sponsored by many businesses, with an array local logos displayed across the van as a reminder of the incredible community support that helps keep us on the road.
As our oldest vehicle, Benny joined the fleet in January 2015 and is our largest van and can comfortably fit 3 pallets of food.
Chook
Chook was purchased in January 2018. Chook obtained its name due to the continued support we receive from Hazeldene’s farm through both sponsorship and donations. Thanks Hazeldene’s!
Hazeldene’s is a major financial supporter of Bendigo Foodshare, assisting with the build of our new home.
