The Best Regional Art Galleries in Australia

All across the country in regional cities and towns beyond the state capitals, art galleries are thriving – providing travellers with the perfect starting point for exploring a new region.

The $60.5 million HOTA Gallery is Australia’s largest public gallery outside a capital city, spanning six levels and more than 2000 square metres of exhibition space. Housed in Queensland’s sun-soaked Gold Coast, it is home to the $32 million City Collection, composed of more than 4400 artworks including those by Australian art royalty like Ben Quilty and Tracey Moffatt and one of the largest collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in regional Australia.

We can find similar stories all across Australia as knockout art galleries in cities and towns outside the state capitals are becoming increasingly dynamic destinations in and of themselves. And despite the enormous challenges posed by the pandemic, momentum is only building in the regional arts space with a suite of major renovations and openings planned for 2021 and beyond. Also in Queensland is the $31.5 million reimagining of Rockhampton Art Gallery within a vibrant new cultural precinct. Meanwhile, in NSW, state-of-the-art Ngunungulla, the first regional art gallery in the Southern Highlands, takes shape on a historic dairy site. In Victoria, the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is housed in a bold new building and galleries the country over are getting sleek multimillion dollar makeovers: from Grafton Regional Gallery, in NSW’s famous jacaranda town, to Orange Regional Gallery in the state’s Central West. Plans are afoot, too, for major expansions at Newcastle Art Gallery – Australia’s first purpose-built regional gallery.

Another great drawcard of regional galleries is that they put their First Nations communities at the heart of what they do. “We are part of the oldest living civilisation in the world; this makes it imperative to support and learn about culture and country," says Dr Joanne Baitz, director of Bunbury Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) in Western Australia’s South West. Housed in an iconic pink convent building dating back to 1897, fundamental to its work is its everyday engagement with Noongar curators, artists and arts professionals to educate and to promote Indigenous art in order to fully represent all voices in the region. “We live on this land, we need to know its stories, to understand how to live and work together for the benefit of all," Baitz says. “Art is empowering and educational and a means of addressing difficult issues. It is a great way of unearthing hidden histories."

HOTA (Home of the Arts) is the Gold Coast’s vibrant cultural precinct.

Keen for more? Plot your course around Australia’s thriving regional cities and centres using their art galleries as your most cultured of guides.

Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic

Bendigo Art Gallery is one of the country’s best regional galleries, and has carved a niche for itself with blockbuster fashion and design exhibitions including Marilyn Monroe and Marimekko: Design Icon 1951-2018.

Established in 1887, Bendigo Art Gallery is also one of the oldest and largest regional galleries in the country and its extensive and varied collection holds work that ranges from the 19th century to the present day, including an impressive array of contemporary art by names such as Patricia Piccinini, Bill Henson and Dale Frank.

While in town, explore the many layers the Victorian Goldfields city has to offer by way of art, history and food (in 2019 Bendigo was designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy).

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW

Founded in 1904, the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery (BHRAG) is the oldest regional gallery in NSW. And just as compelling as the artwork it displays is the building it’s housed in: “Operating from 1885 to 1985, Sully’s Emporium was the longest surviving commercial business in Broken Hill providing much of the heavy machinery and equipment for the development and exploration of Broken Hill’s mineral fields," says gallery and museum manager Tara Callaghan. Today the gallery has a permanent collection worth close to $10 million including works by modern masters like Margaret Preston and Arthur Streeton, contemporary artists such as Elisabeth Cummings and Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, and a fantastic collection of works by leading Indigenous artists including Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri.

Its annual program includes exhibitions by local artists, touring shows like the Archibald and two prestigious prizes: the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize and the Maari Ma Indigenous Art Awards (MMIAA).

Sully’s Emporium is a Broken Hill landmark.

Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, Murwillumbah, NSW

Murwillumbah, located in a green caldera in North Coast NSW’s creative Tweed area, is home to one of the country’s best regional galleries. The architecturally award-winning Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is set scenically on a hillside outside of town overlooking Wollumbin (Mt Warning). “We’ve got a beautiful building – the setting is extraordinary, the landscape really is amazing," says director Susi Muddiman OAM on one of the many reasons this spot is such a hot destination. Added to that, the diversity of programming across several distinct spaces, including the Margaret Olley Art Centre in tribute to the celebrated painter who attended primary school in Murwillumbah, which includes areas that have been recreated from her famous Paddington (Sydney) home studio.

Griffith Regional Art Gallery, NSW

Another stop on the Archibald Prize 2020 regional tour, Griffith Regional Art Gallery is housed in a distinctive pink Art Deco building, the refurbished Griffith Soldiers Memorial Hall Complex, built in the 1930s in a city designed by Walter Burley Griffin as part of the ambitious Murrumbidgee Irrigation scheme and renowned for its Italian heritage. A small but lovely space with 4.2-metre-high ceilings and natural timber floors of cypress and tallowwood, the gallery is home to two permanent collections, the National Contemporary Jewellery Award Collection and a Couture Collection representing the life’s work of fashion designers Ross Weymouth and John Claringbold. Its ‘Small Goods’ gift shop offers a range of handcrafted and artisan products, made by artists and craftspeople from the region and beyond.

Geelong Gallery, Vic

In 2021, one of Australia’s oldest regional galleries, Geelong Gallery presented the first comprehensive survey of the career to date of one of its homegrown talents – internationally renowned and Melbourne-based street artist RONE. As well as charting his practice from early stencil works through to the complete transformation of abandoned spaces, RONE in Geelong saw the artist transform a room within Geelong Gallery in response to the architecture and history of the building, and the gallery’s collection. “Throughout its 125-year history Geelong Gallery has always supported the art and artists of its time.

There is an enormous sense of pride in celebrating Tyrone (RONE) and his achievements over the past 20 years," says gallery director Jason Smith of this milestone. “Artists inspire their peers and the generations of artists who come after them." And it’s a source of great pride for RONE himself: “It’s still surreal for me that I’m working with Geelong Gallery. Growing up in Geelong and studying across the park at the Gordon TAFE and walking past [it] almost every day… It was always this institutional icon, a level of art that seemed at such a distance from myself even as a creative person," he says. “I just didn’t imagine I would be accepted into such a space at such a level. It still feels like I’m intruding. It’s a huge honour that my work has been accepted into the collection of the Geelong Gallery. And further, that the Gallery has given me the opportunity to reimagine and interpret the pristine space for my show. I hope this inspires and encourages other artists, Geelong artists, to create beyond the traditional gallery offering."

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), Vic

Set on the picturesque Victoria Park Lake, the new $50 million SAM building by Melbourne-based, world-leading design practice Denton Corker Marshall is a striking cube-like form rendered in different metallic finishes that will feature five storeys complete with a rooftop viewing deck. It has become the home of the most significant collection of historic and contemporary Australian ceramics in regional Australia, which includes objects made by the first convict potters and ceramics by Merric Boyd, one of Australia’s earliest studio potters.

Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery (BRAG), Qld

Quite the eye-catcher in the centre of this elegant regional city in the heart of Queensland’s sugar-growing country, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery is another building with a storied history. It started life as Customs House in 1902 before serving as a bank for 57 years; today one of its concrete bank vaults is used as an installation space.

Benalla Art Gallery, Vic

Right in the mix of Victoria’s bushranger country sits Benalla Art Gallery : a striking modernist building overlooking the small city’s lake and botanical gardens. Its permanent collection is an impressive mix of Australian art including a strong representation of the Heidelberg School with works by Arthur Streeton and Frederick McCubbin, and a range of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art including works by leading artists such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra. The gallery also has a great café, Munro and Sargeant – named for the building’s architects – and is a creative hub in the area with its artist talks, workshops and dynamic exhibition program.

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG), Launceston, Tas

Launceston’s QVMAG is set across two sites: the 1870s-era railway workshop at Inveresk and the 1891 Royal Park Art Gallery building on Wellington Street. Serving as both the city’s creative pulse and gateway to its local history and character, it’s renowned for its collections of Australian colonial art, decorative arts, Tasmanian history and natural science – as well as an excellent gift shop featuring plenty of covetable Tassie design.

QVMAG at Royal Park — Inside one of two QVMAG sites… the 1891 Royal Park Art Gallery building on Wellington Street.

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery (GRAG), WA

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery serves up arts and culture to WA’s Mid West in a turn-of-the-century Town Hall building. Its stellar collection contains works by the likes of renowned contemporary artist Tracey Moffatt and Badimaya artist Julie Dowling, and sketches of local life by Western Australian artist Elizabeth Durack. The seaside city of Geraldton itself is fast becoming a trendy beach escape so wander the galleries, street art and cafes of the centre before hitting nearby Champion Beach.

Cairns Art Gallery, Qld

Set in a beautiful restored 1936 government building, one of Cairns’ few remaining heritage buildings complete with original terrazzo floor and stained-glass windows, Cairns Art Gallery is one of the largest public galleries in regional Queensland. It presents a contemporary range of exhibitions and interprets the unique history and living cultures of Far North Queensland, and its place in the world’s tropic zone.

Cairns Regional Art Gallery — The Cairns Art Gallery is housed within one of the city’s few remaining heritage buildings.

Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT

One of Australia’s most remote regional galleries, surrounded on all sides by deserts, the Araluen is the visual art and performance hub of Central Australia and somewhere that is truly of its place. Its vast collection reflects the vitality and diversity of works from the region, including pieces by renowned watercolourist Albert Namatjira. At the heart of Alice Springs’ cultural scene, the centre also hosts the nationally significant Desert Mob exhibition, which presents contemporary Indigenous art from around 30 remote arts centres throughout the NT, SA and WA; as well as the quirky Alice Springs Beanie Festival, held in June.

Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery, SA

The old seaport town of Port Pirie , on the shores of the Spencer Gulf, is the gateway to the Flinders Ranges and South Australia’s outback. Its regional gallery, which began life in the old baggage room of the closed local railway station before moving into its dedicated gallery home in 1994, sits within sight of the Southern Flinders Ranges. And so it follows that its collection centres on artists – local, state and national – who have been inspired by the landscape here including Hans Heysen and Lawrence Daws.

Port Pririe Gallery — Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery is a cultural pit stop in the old seaport town of Port Pirie.

Art Gallery of Ballarat, Vic

Established in 1884, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is one of the oldest purpose-built galleries in Australia. Today its heritage bones are complemented by contemporary extensions, creating a dynamic platform to curate its staggering collection made up of over 11,000 artworks. The gallery’s fabulous shop stocks items by some of Ballarat’s many makers. While in town, explore the creative eateries, such as modern Asian Moon & Mountain, that have opened in the past few years.

Bank Art Museum Moree (BAMM), NSW

Operating in a beautiful old candy-coloured bank building dating back to 1911, BAMM is a regional art institution with a distinctly contemporary edge; it currently holds the most significant collection of Aboriginal paintings in regional NSW. While in Moree, a progressive town in the state’s northern wheatbelt, don’t miss a dip in its famous artesian waters.

New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM), Armidale, NSW

The excellent NERAM boasts what could just be the most comprehensive overview of Australian art history in regional Australia. At the core of this is the Howard Hinton Collection, which NERAM was purpose-built to house in 1983, with more than 1000 significant works by artists including Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston and Brett Whiteley. After your visit, sample New England hospitality at craft beer bar The Welder’s Dog or cocktail bar with a twist Charlie’s Last Stand.

New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale — NERAM houses an overview of Australian art history in regional Australia.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The best regional art galleries in Australia