13 of the best art galleries on the Gold Coast

Lara Picone Lara Picone
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Take in the Gold Coast’s lively art scene at these carefully curated galleries.

The Gold Coast may be best loved for its covetable beaches, lush rainforests, and its sun-soaked, light-hearted energy, but all that beauty and bounce translates into inspiration for a region rich with artful talent. From curators and collaborators to sculptors and ceramicists, the creative scene is as vibrant as it is vast and there are plenty of places to experience what it has to offer. To get you ready for some visual feasting, here’s our list of the best art galleries on the Gold Coast.

1. HOTA

HOTA Gold Coast
HOTA is a destination where art, entertainment, culture and lifestyle meet. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Best for: A full day of creative exploration

Attracting the art appreciator with its brightly-hued facade that looks like a giant mosaic HOTA (Home of the Arts), is, with little argument, the top creative destination on the Gold Coast.

Embracing a range of art forms, from the visual and digital to cinematic and comedic, this space celebrates all mediums of expression. Come for an exhibition, stay for a movie, and enjoy dinner and a drink at the superb and loftily located onsite Palate Restaurant and The Exhibitionist Bar.

Apart from browsing galleries, you can busy yourself in the kids’ area, on the adventure trail and swimming in the Evandale Lake. There’s also an outdoor stage for night-time performances and a picturesque 130-metre bridge that leads to Chevron Island.

Opening hours: 10am–4pm every day

Address: 135 Bundall Road, Surfer’s Paradise

2. 19 Karen

a woman arranging art and paintings at 19 Karen, Gold Coast
Unearth contemporary art at 19 Karen. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Best for: Contemporary contemplations

Tucked behind the Gold Coast Highway in humming little Miami, 19 Karen is a treasure waiting to be unearthed by dilettantes of contemporary art. The large space opens up a world of fine art pieces that stir emotion and provoke thoughts.

Wander through these colourful studies of culture, community and humanity and enjoy absorbing everything from pop art to expressionism, surrealism and abstract styles.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday 9am-4pm; Friday and Saturday 9am-2pm; by appointment Sunday and Monday.

Address: 19 Karen Ave, Mermaid Beach

3. Maverick Hair and Art Studio

a look inside Maverick Hair and Art Studio, Gold Coast
Maverick Hair and Art Studio is an award-winning hair salon and contemporary art space.

Best for: Artful cuts

Merging the perhaps unlikely disciplines of hairdressing and visual arts, Maverick Hair and Art Studio sits above the street in a lofty and bright space where local art decorates the walls.

Here, you can take in the works while waiting for your toner to set and your hair to be washed. Collaborating with artists, the studio selects collaborations based on originality and inclusion, so you’ll always find something uplifting to absorb.

Opening hours: Tuesday and Friday 8.30-5pm; Wednesday 8.30am-8pm; Thursday 8.30am-9pm

Address: First floor 1/17 Griffith St, Coolangatta

4. Dust Temple and SOFA Gallery

Best for: Coffee and a creative chat

A beacon of artful energy in an industrial setting, Dust Temple is a cafe and bar, art space and performance venue. You’ll find a rotating roster of exciting events, including a vintage clothing market, exhibitions, poetry, live music and charity events, such as Empty Bowls, which raises awareness for world hunger. Sit in the sun-drenched courtyard and enjoy breakfast or lunch alongside a serve of art appreciation.

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 6am-2pm; weekends 6.30am-2pm

Address: 54 Currumbin Creek Rd, Currumbin Waters

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5. Capanart Gallery

the exterior of Capanart Gallery, Gold Coast
Peruse and purchase Indigenous art at Capanart Gallery. (Image: Susan Capan)

Best for: Landscape loveliness

Artist and gallery director Susan Capan opened Capanart Gallery in the beautiful Mount Tamborine in 2009. As well as featuring her own works, Susan curates a collection of Australian art available to peruse and purchase, including Aboriginal art from central Australia. Any art enthusiast on a day trip out to the mountain should build a little time in their itinerary to drop in on Susan.

Opening hours: Friday to Tuesday 11am-4pm

Address: 2/110 Long Rd, Tamborine Mountain

6. Dave Groom Studio

one of the paintings of Dave Groom displayed at his studio
See Dave Groom’s paintings up close. (Image: Dave Groom)

Best for: An artful excursion

Add Dave Groom’s studio to your list if you’re meandering through Mount Tamborine for the day. While you’ll need to make an appointment to view Dave’s contemporary landscapes inspired by his surrounds on the edge of Lamington National Park, if you’re a fan of his detailed, almost mythical style, you’ll want to call ahead to see his paintings in person.

Opening hours: By appointment

Address: 671 Binna Burra Rd, Beechmont

7. Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Indigenous people on a Jellurgal Walkabout Tour
Immerse yourself in the Aboriginal culture of the Burleigh area. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Best for: Inspiring Indigenous works

Get along to Jellurgal for a deep and enthralling dive into the Aboriginal culture of the Burleigh area. Owned and operated by the local Indigenous community, visitors can experience culture on a walkabout tour and by appreciating the art on display in the onsite gallery.

Depicting Dreamtime stories and flora and flora native to the region, you’ll find a unique piece to commemorate your time on the Gold Coast.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-4pm; Sundays 9am-1pm

Address: 1711 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads

8. Royal Queensland Art Society Gold Coast

the exterior of Royal Queensland Art Society Gold Coast
RQAS provides a space for local emerging artists to show their works.

Best for: Local inspiration

The volunteer-run RQAS is a space for local, emerging artists to show their works through a monthly schedule of themed and non-themed exhibitions. Get along for a browse and a cuppa at the cafe, and if you spot something you simply can’t leave hanging, you can purchase the work to take home. Should you feel the pull to pick up a brush, join one of the many classes, such as live drawing, expressive painting and watercolour.

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9am-2.30pm; Weekends 8am-4pm

Address: 25 Broadbeach Boulevard, Broadbeach

9. Gallery One

paintings on the walls at Gallery One, Gold Coast
See the works of established and upcoming artists. (Image: Gallery One Team)

Best for: Australian curations

Head to Gallery One for a bright distillation of oceanside Aussie-style with a rotating exhibition calendar that heroes some of the country’s best established and upcoming artists. You’ll also encounter a handful of international artists scattered in the mix, too.

Wander in on any given month to muse over a collection from Ken Done, a themed exhibit of water scenes, Australian landscapes or deeply intricate works from Indigenous artist Goompi Ugerabah.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm; Sundays 10.30am-4pm

Address: Shop 16.02 The Brickworks, 107 Ferry Rd, Southport

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10.  David Hart Gallery Marina Mirage

a look inside the David Hart Gallery Marina Mirage
David Hart Gallery showcases the works of Pro Hart’s son.

Best for: Fans of the Harts

The son of world-renowned artist Pro Hart, David Hart is, himself, a highly acclaimed artist both in Australia and internationally. With a dad like Pro, it’s little wonder David has been painting since he was 16 with his artworks finding their way into prominent private and corporate collections across the globe.

If you’re a devotee of the Harts, find your way to David’s gallery at Marina Mirage to ponder his latest works as well as pieces by his late father.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm; by appointment on Sundays

Address: Ground floor, Marina Mirage, 74 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach

11.  The Hive

a look inside The Hive art gallery, Gold Coast
The Hive showcases a local artist collection.

Best for: Workshops and kids’ art classes

A collection of local artists grace the walls at The Hive, which you can make an appointment to appreciate. But perhaps the best way to enjoy this creative hub is by slipping on a smock and joining a workshop. Try your hand at fresco painting, life or still-life drawing, or send the kids along to get artsy in the holidays.

Opening hours: By appointment

Address: Suite 3, 5 Coghill Drive, Currumbin

12.  Dalozzo Art Gallery

the Dalozzo Art Gallery in Gold Coast
Dalozzo Art is the Gold Coast’s longest-running commercial gallery.

Best for: All styles and budgets

A family affair, Dalozzo Art is the Gold Coast’s longest-running commercial gallery. A trio of talent is on display here by husband and wife team, Lucette and Louis Dalozzo, and their daughter, Judith. You’ll find everything from original works to prints and reproductions at the family’s Marina Mirage gallery. Covering themes spanning landscapes to figures, still life and seascapes, there’s a lot to explore.

Opening hours: Every day 10am-4pm

Address: Ground floor, shop 43 Marina Mirage, 74 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach

13.  Mint Art House

a blurry image of a woman walking into an exhibit at Mint Art House, Gold Coast
Admire works by local artists across a range of mediums. (Image: Vasana)

Best for: Emerging talent

A collaborative space shared by 12 upcoming local artists across a range of mediums, including sculpting, murals, painting and ceramics, Mint Art House is overflowing with exuberance and talent, which you can check out during regular exhibitions.

Mint also hosts a range of artful events, such as open mic poetry and life drawing classes.

Opening hours: Varies

Address: Shed 5/87 West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

    Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

    Catseye Pool Club

    Catseye Pool Club
    Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

    The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

    My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

    Sails Restaurant

    Sails Restaurant hamilton island
    Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

    The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

    Bommie

    cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
    Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

    Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

    Pebble Beach

    qualia Resort Pebble Beach
    qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

    Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

    The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

    Beach Club Restaurant

    Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
    Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

    I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

    Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

    Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

    hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
    Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

    There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

    We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

    The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

    coca chu

    table spread at CocaChu
    Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

    Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

    Marina Cafe

    hamilton island MArina Cafe
    Take in harbour views and comfort food.

    Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

    The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

    Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.