Sometimes culture blossoms where you'd least expect it… While the big cities may hog the major exhibitions, there are some surprisingly arty outposts scattered across regional Australia.
Newcastle, NSW
According to its tourist board, Newcastle has more artists per capita than any other city in Australia. Whether this is optimistic hype or not, the city council certainly has an admirable devotion to public art. From allowing graffiti artists to decorate the walls near the beach-side skate park to commissioning works in order to brighten up civic spaces, a pro-creative policy is very much evident.
The first port of call should be Wheeler Place, which is dominated by a huge, swirly, metallic sculpture and even has symbolically arty bollards. There then follows a trail of sculpture and murals throughout the city, most of which is lit up at night as part of an illumination project.
The city also boasts 30 galleries, the best of which is the Newcastle Region Art Gallery on Laman Street.
Find out more:
- A booklet detailing Newcastle's public artworks — Turning Spaces Into People Places — is available from the Newcastle Visitor Centre (361 Hunter Street).
- www.visitnewcastle.com.au
Ti Tree, NT
A tiny township on the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, there is more to Ti Tree than the usual roadhouse. The settlement acts as a centre for the Aboriginal communities in the area, both in terms of provisions and as a trading hub. This also makes it the place where Aboriginal art is put on display and the Red Sand gallery is almost universally regarded as being amongst the best in Australia.
As well as the more conventional paintings, it is also possible to pick up hand-carved and painted didgeridoos at Red Sand — and they're the real, colourful, deal, rather than mass market knock-offs.
Find out more:
Broken Hill, NSW
Originally an outback mining town, the consistency of the light and stark surrounding landscapes have attracted more paintbrushes than pick-axes to Broken Hill recently. It's closer to Adelaide than Sydney, and in the middle of nowhere, but the influx of arty types has turned it into a cultural oasis.
While in town, there are three must-sees. The first is the Sculpture Symposium, created by 12 international sculptors who attacked sandstone blocks on a hill just out of town. The others are the two top drawer galleries — the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and the Pro Hart Gallery. The latter is named after the town's most famous son, and features contributions from Dali and Picasso.
Find out more:
Mackay, Qld
Long ignored in favour of the nearby Whitsundays, Mackay is more of a bustling metropolis than most would imagine. It has a distinctive style to it, characterised by the numerous Art Deco buildings scattered throughout the city. The Australian Hotel on Victoria Street and Ambassador Hotel on Sydney Street are amongst the best examples, but there are plenty more.
For something a little more contemporary, there is Artspace Mackay on Gordon Street. Entrance is free and there's always an eclectic range of local and visiting masterworks to gaze upon.
Find out more:
- Pick up the Art Deco Mackay leaflet at the Town Hall Visitor Centre on Sydney Street, and turn it into a self-guided architectural walking tour.
- www.mackayregion.com
Horsham, Vic
Most visitors to the Grampians are going for the kangaroos gallivanting through picturesque landscapes, but the area's major town — Horsham — has a decidedly arty bent to it as well. The Horsham Regional Art Gallery is one of the best in Australia outside of a major city, but there is also a smattering of other, private galleries. The Redgum and Oasis of Wellbeing are among the more interesting.
A little more hands-on is the Art and Craft Workshop, next to the library, while the town really shows its creative side during March's Art Is… festival. This celebration of culture kicked off 13 years ago when a group of local artists decided they needed a proper showcase — and it has grown ever since.
Find out more:
Central Tilba, NSW
Just inland of NSW's Far South Coast, this former goldfield town turned to dairy farming once the shiny stuff had all been dug up. In 1975, though, it was designated as an official Heritage Town. This ensured that all the old-style wooden buildings were spruced up and painted in vivid (some would say garish) colours.
Within these buildings are the hidey-holes of all manner of artisans and craftsmen. Studio Corner houses a photographic gallery and silk studio, while every other store is dabbling in woodwork, jewellery, leathercraft or picture framing.
That said, the most popular local ''artists'' are the culinary geniuses in charge of the cheese factory and fudge shop.
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