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Warrnambool Art Gallery

Address:
165 Timor Street, Warrnambool, Victoria
Postal Address:
PO Box 198 Warrnambool Vic 3280
Telephone:03 5564 7832
Facsimile: 03 5561 5136
Email: artgallery@ warrnambool.com
Website: http://www.artgallery. warrnambool.com

Admission Charges:
Adults $4, concession $2, students free

Opening Hours:
10am -5 pm Monday- Friday
12 noon - 5pm Saturday and Sunday
Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday

The Warrnambool Art Gallery was originally housed in one of the first public institutions in Warrnambool, the Mechanics' Institute. The gallery opened in 1886.

Thanks to the energy and dedication of one of the first directors Joseph Archibald, the collection flourished and included works from Britain, France and Germany. In 1913 the Town Council took over the gallery but in the absence of a curator or Director with enthusiasm the collection languished and the musem and gallery eventually closed.

In 1966 a number of interested people began a campaign to have the City Council re-establish the Art Gallery. The City Council purchased the former ANZ Bank building as a temporary gallery and Warrnambool Art Gallery was officially re-opened in 1971.

The collection covers European Salon painting, Australian Colonial painting, Melbourne Modernism (c1930-50) and Contemporary Australian Prints and works of local historic significance. The Gallery holds a biennial print award of $10,000, the Rena Ellen Jones Memorial Print Award.

Several works in the gallery depict the local extinct volcano of Tower Hill. One, by Eugene Von Guerard (pictured at top right) was painted in 1855 and depicts botanical specimens of the time with the detailed precision typical of Von Guerard's work. By the 1960s, Tower Hill had become largely deforested by the intense pastoral activities of European settlers in the area. Von Guerard's painting was used to identify the original indigenous plants of Tower Hill which were used to successfully replant the area.

Resume the trail or choose another gallery on this trail: Geelong  Hamilton