Whilst this is an interesting story, the comparison to the Parthenon Marbles seems completely spurious. As far as I can understand, Melbourne is making no claim on them – if Bendigo could build a facility to house them, the artefacts would be returned. This is entirely different to the case, where Greece has a building to house the Parthenon Marbles, but the British Museum refuses to return them.

From:
Bendigo Advertiser

Artefacts should stay here says historian
JAMIE DUNCAN
23 Mar, 2011 03:00 AM

PRICELESS artefacts dug from a central Bendigo building site must come home to Bendigo to teach us about our city’s past, a local historian says.

Bendigo Historical Society secretary Trevor Parsons said the artefacts, including priceless glassware, crockery and building remnants unearthed at the site now occupied by RSD House in Forest Street, deserve a home in Bendigo.
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