Australia’s biggest and longest-running outdoor painting festival is returning to this small WA town in 2026.

Mandurah knows art. This little town, just an hour’s drive from Perth, is home to the magical Mandurah Giants – a series of five large-scale art pieces by Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo – hidden around the stunning canals, wetlands and gaping bays that make this town so picturesque. Later this month, this artistic side will be turned up to 11 with the return of Australia’s biggest and longest-running outdoor painting festival: Plein Air Down Under.

What is Plein Air Down Under

En plein air is a French term for painting in the open air, which simply describes what to expect from this festival. Established in 2019 by the not-for-profit Mandurah Plein Air Artists Inc, each year hundreds of artists gather in and around Mandurah to capture the region’s picturesque coastline, waterways and streetscapes in their artworks.

“For a week, the whole region becomes an open-air studio, and everyone is welcome to wander through it," said Barbara Thoms, festival manager of Plein Air Down Under. “It never gets old watching an artist at work; transforming a blank canvas into a beautiful piece is truly inspiring."

Held around Mandurah, Pinjarra, and the Peel Region of Western Australia, Plein Air Down Under puts on a series of free, live painting demonstrations in oil, watercolour and pastel, live music, exhibitions and art activities for all ages. Want to try your own artistic hand? Sign up for artist-led masterclasses and painting demonstrations.

Highlights for 2026

In 2026, internationally renowned artists Greg Barnes (from the USA), Mandurah’s own Leon Holmes and Mount Barker’s Andy Dolphin will run masterclasses, demonstrations and live painting sessions throughout the festival.

“I’ve painted in some beautiful parts of the world, but there’s nothing like setting up an easel in your own backyard with 200 other artists beside you," said Holmes.

Local Quinns Rock artist Leanne Pearson, alongside Georgia Mansur from NSW and Linda MacAulay from Victoria, will also be teaching one-day workshops.

On September 28, watch (or maybe even get involved) as artists of all ages compete in the Quick Draw painting competition, when artists race against the clock to complete a painting in just two hours.

When there isn’t an artist to observe live, head to the festival hub inside the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. Here, there’ll be more chances to enjoy the art and vibes, with more demonstrations and an art exhibition showcasing both open-air artworks from the festival and studio-based paintings, all celebrating regional, rural, and remote environments.

Getting to Mandurah

Mandurah is just 70 kilometres south of the Perth CBD, a 50-minute drive along the Kwinana Freeway or a 55-minute train from the Perth Underground Train Station. It’s ideally located en route to the Margaret River Region.

While you’re there

Seeing the Mandurah Giants is obviously top of the list on a visit here. Several of them are accessible by car, but why not cycle? Hire an e-bike or electric scooter from The Bike Kiosk, also conveniently located at the Mandurah Visitor Centre, where you’ll find information on the Giant trail. Don’t want to go it alone? Book in on their three-hour Ride the Giants or 4.5-hour Big Kahuna tour, and you’ll get the lay of the land as you go.

Get out on the water with a Soulmate Charters’ Scenic Cruise for a 45-minute ride to see one of the giants perched on the water’s edge. Or, stay out there for longer with a 3.5-hour Mandurah Cruises’ Wild Seafood Experience, where fresh blue manna crab and crayfish-laden courses will be served.

Or drive 30 minutes to Yalgorup National Park, the Swan Coastal Plain’s largest national park. Find a thriving habitat for migratory waterbirds, kangaroos and wallabies.

This small town packs a pleasantly large punch with its dining scene. Keep it casual with an award-winning brew and an extensive dinner menu at Boundary Island Brewery. Or try Mandurah’s best steaks served with a side of Mandjar Bay views at Brewvino.

Details

Tickets: Purchase tickets from the Plein Air Down Under website.
Cost: Watching the artists and attending the public demonstrations is free. Festival registrations are open to artists of all skill levels and cost $10 for participants aged 18 and under and $120 for adults.
Dates: The main weekend of festival activities is 26- 28 September, with events starting from 22 September.
Program: Download the full 2026 program.