Overview
Looking for another excuse to hit the road? We have plenty — from weekends sipping pinot noir and strolling by the water on the Mornington Peninsula and culture-fuelled adventures in Ballarat, to a sleepover in a castle in a lesser-known wine region and bike rides powered by local produce in the Yarra Valley.
Now, we bring you art — loads of it. Wherever you go in Victoria, there's a gallery, public artwork, sculpture park, installation or studio nearby. To inspire you to get behind the wheel, we've gathered ten of the best spots.
Trail of Lights, Mildura
Unlike many light installations, Trail of Lights isn't sensational. Instead, its power is contemplative. You cross a lock over the Murray River onto an island, transformed into a seemingly infinite field of lights. More than 12,000 of them glow among the grass, trees and rocks, each gradually dimming, then brightening, like fireflies. "People react in all kinds of different ways — some people have told me it made them cry," a hotel owner in Mildura told us. Trail of Lights is the creation of UK artist Bruce Munro, who's also behind Field of Lights at Uluru. While you're in town, visit NAP Contemporary and Mildura Arts Centre.
Wama Foundation, Halls Gap
After 14 years of dreaming and planning, WAMA Foundation opened in July 2025. It's home to the National Centre for Environmental Art, which is the first space in Australia dedicated to environmental art. And you'll find it in the foothills of the Gariwerd/Grampians — among the Endemic Botanic Gardens and the Jallukar Native Grasslands. From 5 July–4 November 2025, West Australian artist Jacobus Capone has taken over with his show End & Being, an exploration of environments impacted by human activity, through painting, photography, video and performance. While you're there, have some more adventures without our list of ten things you didn't realise you could do in the Grampians.
Djaara Lights, Bendigo
This magical piece by Troy Firebrace and Drew Berick uses light, art and augmented reality to tell the story of the six seasons on Djandak (Country) of the Dja Dja Wurrung People, the traditional owners of Bendigo. During the daytime, visit Djaa Djuwima, the first dedicated and permanent First Nations gallery in the area, and Dumawul, a cultural centre offering local art, walks and talks. Then there's Bendigo Art Gallery, one of Australia's oldest and biggest regional galleries. It carries a large collection of contemporary Australian works, plus a bunch of 19th century European paintings.
Street Art, Warrnambool
Over the past few years, Warrnambool has become a hot spot for street artists. Spend a weekend wandering among truly monumental pieces, from Claire Foxton's Our Story, featuring giant portraits of local refugees and immigrants on the West Warrnambool water tower, to Adnate's Ngatanwarr (Welcome) mural, inspired by the culture and narratives of the Gunditjmara and Great South Coast region. Other stand-outs include the Ewen Coates's controversial sculpture 3 Pillars of Gratification, a commemoration of the suffragette movement titled Once Women Won the Vote and Julie Squires's Where's the Water?, an impossibly cute series of bronze fairy penguins. On your way to Warrnambool, consider taking the Great Ocean Road with the help of our wintry weekender guide, or our four-day road trip itinerary.
Silo Art Trail, Various Locations
For an all-out road trip, take the Silo Art Trail, a series of monumental artworks on silos in small towns all over Victoria. There are now 23 stops along the way. Head to Avoca in the Central Highlands to see an owl backdropped by a starburst sky that glows in the dark — and to draw your own artwork on torchlight. At St Arnaud in the Wimmera, you'll come across Kyle Torney's giant portraits of three of the town's pioneers. Then, in Rochester, on the Campaspe River, see Jimmy D'Vate's towering squirrel glider, azure kingfisher and platypus. Whether you explore every silo on one trip, or decide on a less ambitious itinerary, give yourself a few days to explore.
Convent Gallery, Daylesford
The Convent isn't just a gallery, it's an experience — straight out of the 19th century. The building which, of course, began life as a convent, before becoming a boarding school, holds seven art spaces, plus a museum, chapel, cafe, bar and gift shop. More 100 permanent artworks are dotted across four levels, as well as temporary exhibitions that change every eight weeks — usually starring local artists. Once you've explored the Convent, go roaming around Daylesford with our weekender's guide or indulge yourself in hot spas, fireside gastropub fare and luxe sleepovers.
EVA & Marc Besen Centre, at Tarrawarra Museum of Art, Healesville
Tarrawarra Museum of Art has been luring art-lovers to Healesville since 2003 with its spectacular hilltop location, and unique exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists — from the giant sculptures of Rose Nolan to the industrial design of Clement Meadmore. As of March 2025, there's a whole new reason to visit, with the opening of the Eva & Marc Besen Centre. Here, you can wander among more than 300 works from the Museum's collection — in storage. To get the most out of your visit, book a tour and take a look at the program. You might catch a workshop, talk, forum or live performance. If you're looking for more things to do in Healesville and Yarra Valley, jump over to our weekender's guide.
Berninneit, Phillip Island
If you thought Phillip Island was all fairy penguins, beaches and yummy food (not a bad combo, after all), think again. Since November 2023, with the opening of Berninneit, it's become a magnet for arts and culture aficionados. Created for the purpose (with the help of $27.2 million), the building houses not only a gallery, but also a museum, theatre and library. Exhibitions range from shows by local artists such as painter John Adams, who's been at work for more than 70 years, to Narrm (Melbourne) artist Elena Betros López, whose installation as light through water explores the watery world of the Giant Cuttlefish. Come evening, catch a show in the theatre, whose program covers drama, comedy, dance, music and more.
PT. Leo Estate, Mornington Peninsula
Across 16 acres, Pt. Leo Estate gives you more than 70 sculptures to explore — from both Australian and international artists. Among them, you'll find works by KAWS, Yayoi Kusama, George Rickey, Tony Cragg, Inge King, Boaz Vaadia, Tomokazu Matsuyama, BARRY FLANAGAN and many others. Highlights include Kusama's Pumpkin, bright red and covered in black polkadots, as well as KAWS's Share 2020, a monumental figure in painted bronze clinging onto his much smaller best friend, and Flanagan's Drummer, a colossal bronze hare skipping while playing an Irish drum. Hanging around the Mornington Peninsula for a couple of days? Take our weekender's guide with you.
Street Art, Benalla
Warrnambool might have become more popular for street art recently, but Benalla in the Hume region is still the Australian capital. Artists from all over the world have hit the walls there, from Choq, Adnate and Guido van Helten to Rone, Sirum and DVATE. And, in autumn every year, the little town hosts a street art festival, which attracts thousands of people. Benalla is also an excellent launching point for travels in the High Country — whether you're looking for more art and culture or stunning walks.
Images: Visit Victoria