Australia is synonymous with many things; Rolf Harris, red earth, kangaroo burgers, things that can kill you… a lot in fact, but not necessarily art. Oddly enough, despite its short modern history, if there’s something other than BBQs and surfing the Aussies really excel at, it’s their art galleries.

Very much a patriotic nation, Australians aren’t afraid to show off their home-grown talent inside some equally remarkable buildings, so here’s my quick guide to some of the best East Coast art galleries.

Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns

This 1930s building used to be the old Public Office Building, with its former important status very much reflected in its grand colonial style. Inside is just as architecturally imposing as it’s decorated throughout with solid oak staircases and maple, gum and ash flooring. Although not the largest in the country, this gallery is very spacious and is over-crowded with artwork. The permanent collection can be described as experimental, with multi-media sculptures and wall-art by the territory’s indigenous population reflecting the consciousness of northern Queensland. There are alternating temporary exhibitions which again are often very modern in style, and range from photography and print to sculpture and installations.

Admission $5, under 16s free.

Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm.

Closed some public holidays; see website.

Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane

If London’s Tate Modern had a brief encounter with the National Gallery, this exactly the love-child I’d like to think they’d produce. A superb mixture of Renaissance to Victorian paintings, ceramics and furniture, through to 20^th century cinematography, pop-art and surrealist sculpture, Queensland Art Gallery appeals to all tastes. As well as helping to profile Aboriginal and contemporary Australian, Asian and Pacific art, this gallery also houses (permanently and temporarily) pieces by many international artists such a Pablo Picasso, Anish Kapoor, Edgar Degas and Stanley Spencer. Set in a very modern and labyrinth-esque space, every room feels as though you are stumbling across something new and exciting.

Admission free (some temporary exhibitions extra)

Open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-5pm.

Closed some public holidays; see website.

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

Housed in another prominent colonial building, the Art Gallery of NSW was built in a neo-Greek temple style that was popular for Sydney in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century. Although all that remains of this classical style is the gallery’s façade, the building still invokes a sense of impressiveness by offering 5 floors of exhibition space, lecture and performance rooms and commercial enterprises. The gallery’s permanent collection is world-class, with expansive rooms again showcasing highly varied artworks from indigenous, Australian, Asian and Pacific bark paintings, weaving and sculpture to contemporary and Western installations, photography and oil paintings. On the ground floor the regency-inspired galleries house British and European paintings from between the 16^th and 18^th centuries, whereas the majority of the rest of gallery is taken over by white-washed, linear spaces to display the gallery’s national and international modern exhibits. With such varied and important collections, it’s worth spending a whole day exploring this art gallery.

Admission free ($5 audio-tour is highly-recommended, some temporary exhibitions extra)

Open 10am-5pm everyday, open until 9pm on Wednesdays.

Closed some public holidays; see website.

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Made up of two buildings (the monolithic NGV International on St Kilda Rd and The Ian Potter Centre in Federation Sq) the National Gallery of Victoria is unsurprisingly the largest (and oldest) gallery and museum in Australia, which is why you need to put aside a good day or two to really appreciate the 65,000+ pieces on display. Having acquired its pieces over the past 150 years, expect to be slightly overwhelmed by the highly varied and vast collections. There are paintings (oils, watercolours), photography, sculpture (ceramics, multi-media), furniture, installations, fashion, textiles and so much more, with pieces dating right back from ancient Greece, China and Egypt to 20^th and 21^st Century masterpieces. By far the most comprehensive art gallery and museum in Australia, this gallery is so big that even on a busy day you can find yourself in a room completely on your own. Again offering indigenous, European, Asian and American collections, if you visit just one gallery in Australia make sure it’s this one because it really does cover every artistic movement in Australian and international history.

Free admission (some temporary exhibitions extra)

NGV International open 10am-5pm – CLOSED Tuesdays.

The Ian Potter Centre open 10am-5pm – CLOSED Wednesdays.   

Closed some public holidays; see website.

Other art galleries well worth a visit

Rockhampton Art Gallery, Rockhampton

Supported by the local community, this substantially-sized gallery specialises in Australia, British and Japanese collections including paintings, textiles and sculpture.

QUT Art Museum, Brisbane

This small art gallery at the Queensland University of Technology runs a series of temporary art exhibitions centred around some of Australia’s finest artists.

Retrospective Galleries, Byron Bay

Representing fresh Australian talent, this cutting-edge gallery packs its walls with affordable pieces you can buy.

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

If there’s one thing going for the Australian capital it’s its National Gallery. With Australian, Asian, Pacific, European and international collections, this is another of Australia’s world-class art galleries.

Independent studios, Melbourne

Melbourne isn’t known for being Australia’s cultural capital for no reason. Dotted around the city are various independent art galleries displaying some rather quirky artworks by up-and-coming Australian artists, so grab a map from the tourist information office and spend a day checking some of them out.

Photos by Francesca Harper