Leeton TownshipCredit: Destination NSW
The art deco facade of the Leeton Roxy Community Theatre in Leeton.
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The Riverina and Murray regions of southwest New South Wales are home to many outstanding examples of Art Deco architecture, with historic streetscapes preserved in towns such as Leeton, Albury and Temora. Celebrate this elegant architectural style on heritage trails, stay in a gloriously restored hotel or immerse yourself in the spirit of the era at Leeton’s Art Deco festival.
See an architectural jewel
Leeton, a six-hour drive southwest of Sydney, is the jewel in Australia’s Art Deco crown. Designed with a circular layout by architect Walter Burley Griffin in the early 20th century, the town’s streetscape features 21 well-preserved buildings listed on the Art Deco Society of NSW Register. Many significant buildings are found along Pine and Kurrajong avenues, including the modified Spanish Mission-style Roxy Theatre, which, with its dramatic façade and red neon signage, is one of the finest examples of a rural movie palace in NSW. Take the Art Deco Heritage Walking Tour (with a downloadable audio tour) to learn more about the town’s proud heritage. You can also immerse yourself in the music, fashion and movies of the inter-war era at the Australian Art Deco Festival, held annually in Leeton each July.
Step into elegance
The NSW border town of Albury features many fine examples of both commercial and residential Art Deco buildings, including homes built between 1929 and 1952 by renowned architect James Wallace Sproule. Some of the most distinctive Modernist buildings include the T&G tower on Dean Street, a New York skyscraper-style facade added to the original shopfront in 1940. The Albury and District War Memorial on top of Monument Hill is another standout. Take in the town panorama before continuing a walking tour of architectural highlights, following a guide provided by the Visitor Centre.
Extend your stay at Circa 1928, an elegant boutique spa hotel that occupies the former Commonwealth Bank building on Dean Street. Its sister property, Circa 1936, in the Murray town of Corowa, is housed within the environs of the former Rural Bank of NSW and features a lounge beside the bank vault.
Australian Art Deco Festival, Leeton Credit: Australian Art Deco Festival Leeton
Art deco buildings and cars in Leeton at the Australian Art Deco Festival.
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Australian Art Deco Festival, Leeton Credit: Australian Art Deco Festival Leeton
Art deco buildings and cars in Leeton at the Australian Art Deco Festival.
Streetscapes, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Streetscape of Albury looking down Kiewa Street.
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Streetscapes, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Streetscape of Albury looking down Kiewa Street.
Find more heritage treasures
The Riverina towns of Wagga Wagga, Junee and Coolamon all boast untouched streetscapes featuring wonderful heritage buildings, with fine Art Deco spots tucked in among them. Wagga Wagga’s Fitzmaurice Street is awash with beautiful examples, including the recently renovated Tourist Hotel and the Uneke Lounge, formerly the Crown Corner Café; while Junee’s Athenium Theatre, designed by famed architectural firm Kaberry and Chard in 1929, is on the NSW State Heritage Register. In Gundagai, drop in to the iconic Niagara Café ― established in 1902, it’s the oldest continually run Greek café in Australia and features an elaborate counter and mirrored bar.
Enter a time warp
An hour’s drive north of the Riverina hub of Wagga Wagga, the heritage town of Temora prides itself on its well-preserved heritage, with many outstanding Spanish Mission-style Art Deco buildings among its architectural gems. Pick up a brochure from the Temora Visitor Information Centre and enjoy a self-guided stroll through the streets. Stop by the White Rose Café, an Art Deco diner, for malted milkshakes and cheeseburgers in classic American-style booths. Architecture fans should also make a beeline for the nearby National Trust-classified town of Ariah Park, a step back in time to the 1920s.
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Art Gallery of New South Wales, SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit the the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.
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Come alive with the possibilities as you delve into Sydney’s dynamic arts scene and cultural institutions. Feel moved as you immerse in striking contemporary artworks at public and private galleries, and take in cutting-edge performances and exhibitions across the city.
Be moved by must-see cultural landmarks
Marvel at the ‘sails’ of the Sydney Opera House as you approach this iconic performing arts venue, then join one of several fascinating tours on offer here. Discover the building’s unique history and construction on an Architectural Tour, or go behind the scenes on a Backstage Tour. See a show from an ever-changing program of theatre, dance and music in one of the venue’s many impressive performance spaces, then head to the Opera Bar to take in the front-of-house harbour view as you enjoy seasonal fare and a refreshing drink.
Appreciate the striking art deco façade and waterfront location of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), across the water from the Sydney Opera House at Explore the diversity of Australian modern art as you view highlights of a collection of more than 4,000 works, including a significant body of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Take time out and digest the wonderful works you’ve just seen as you enjoy panoramic views across Sydney Harbour from the museum’s rooftop café.
Feel far away from the bustle of the city centre as you enter the Domain parklands next to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and make your way to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the leading museum of art in the state. Step back in time to view colonial and 19th-century Australian works and European masters, as well as a dedicated gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Then explore Sydney Modern, the AGNSW’s dynamic new addition, to discover site-specific works by leading Australian and international artists.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
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Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
Immerse in art in cutting-edge galleries
Lose track of time as you explore a myriad of inner-Sydney art galleries. Delight in a dip into one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art at the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale, on the fringe of the city centre. Be intrigued by the selection from philanthropist Judith Neilson’s collection of almost 3,000 works created in China since 2000 by around 750 artists, before taking in the tranquil vibe at the gallery’s Teahouse as you snack on handmade dumplings and fine Chinese and Taiwanese tea. (You can also plan ahead and enter the ballot for tickets to cutting-edge performances at Phoenix Central Park, Judith Neilson’s risk-taking cultural centre a short walk from White Rabbit Gallery.)
Lean into the grand scale of Carriageworks, a multi-arts centre housed in expansive former railway workshops in Eveleigh, a five-minute drive or around a 15-minute walk from White Rabbit Gallery. Keep an eye on Carriageworks’ events page for visual arts exhibitions and new performance works.
Take your time exploring the many art galleries dotted around the hip inner-city suburb of Surry Hills. Enter the fascinating world of significant Australian artist Brett Whiteley at Brett Whiteley Studio, tucked away in a side street off Crown Street, one of the main streets running through Surry Hills. Take in the singular atmosphere of the late artist’s former home and workplace, with its unfinished paintings, art equipment, books and graffiti wall of quotes and images, and view one of the changing exhibitions of the artist’s works.
Find yourself challenged and stimulated by the conceptual and design-driven art at independent Surry Hills gallery China Heights, then take the short walk under the train tracks to 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in Haymarket. Learn about the Asian diaspora in Australia via contemporary art at this fascinating gallery run by the non-profit Asian Australian Artists’ Association Inc.
Thrill to a sense of discovery as you find leading commercial art galleries tucked away in the leafy streets of Paddington in Sydney’s inner east. Roam the side streets of this fashionable suburb to find the likes of Saint Cloche, where gallery director Kitty Clark fosters the city’s emerging artistic talents; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, one of the most influential commercial art galleries in Australia; and Olsen, founded by Tim Olsen to represent the late John Olsen, one of the country’s greatest painters, and showcase contemporary Australian artists.
White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
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White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills
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Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills