3 of the best art gallery crawls

With a north, middle and south art crawl listed below, gallery hop your way across the region.  

The north of the region is all about upscale, contemporary galleries dedicated to the immense amount of talent in this little corner of Australia. Start in Dunsborough then wander your way through Yallingup’s beating heart of art.  

Begin your northern art crawl at Christian Fletcher Gallery. Christian’s work focuses on harnessing the power of light, composition and colour to capture the art of landscapes. With stunning scenes from the South West to Iceland, Africa, and Antarctica, travel the globe as you wander through the bright, sleek gallery. 

Or start the crawl in the newly opened Yallingup Aboriginal Art, the region’s largest dedicated contemporary Aboriginal art gallery. The family-owned and operated business is all about providing a platform for Indigenous artists to tell their stories. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the artwork and experience the window to Dreamtime.

Your next stop is Yallingup’s Golden Triangle of galleries, starting at Studio Gallery. Its bright exhibition space offers a curated selection of fine art, sculpture, ceramics, and jewellery. Featuring leading local and interstate artists, come for the artwork but stay for a coffee break outside in the sculpture garden to fully immerse yourself in art. 

Head around the corner to see the decadent jewellery of John Miller Design. Recognised as one of Australia’s most original and creative jewellers, John has been crafting wearable, nature-inspired art in the South West for almost 50 years. He also has a location conveniently located on the main street of Margaret River. 

Then for dessert, stay in the Yallingup area and scoot over to John Streater Fine Furniture.

Finish your crawl at Yallingup Galleries, where you will find high-calibre art in a warm, welcoming setting. Paintings, photographs, sculptures, ceramics, glassware and furniture fill the many, maze-like rooms. With internationally acclaimed and emerging artists, this is one of the best ways to experience the region’s awe-inspiring art. With a permanent collection as well as seasonal exhibitions, there is always something new to uncover. 

Round the day out with some brews and bites at Tonic by the Bay. While you are there, be sure to enjoy the beautiful art on display by talented local artists, Gina Denford’s beautiful coastal paintings adorning the walls and Kevin Singer’s magnificent contemporary steel sculptures.

Begin this crawl at Vasse Felix where the world of fine art and wine converge. So much so that the art gallery is located in the original winery. This modern, lofty space plays host to a seasonal program of curated shows featuring the spectacular Janet Holmes à Court Collection. Complete the experience with a guided wine tasting, a casual bite in the wine lounge, or a decadent six-course lunch. 

Next head to Ian Daniell’s brand-new art gallery in the heart of Cowaramup.  His life-size Ocean Art is a celebration of marine life and an ode to encounters in the wild. The artworks are also available in the form of limited-edition fine art prints. Each print is signed by the artist and annotated with a percentage, noting the print size to the life-size original.

Finish the art crawl at Edwards Wines. Home to the Russell Ord Gallery, the beautifully designed space captures the raw beauty of the Western Australian coast. Indulge in Edwards Wines’ beautiful wine range, inspect the original Tiger Moth greeting you at the cellar door and get lost in Russell Ord’s mesmerising photography exhibition.

The south of the region is all about quaint, tranquil gallery spaces that celebrate the deep connection between art and nature. Begin the crawl on Boodjidup Road by stopping in at Payet Gallery. Tucked between native forest and granite outcrops, discover the sublime ocean-inspired jewellery of local brothers, 

Make sure to drop by Marri Tree Fine Art & Books, located in the old Darnell’s store in Witchcliffe. A historic building, it is a piece of art itself with bits of rustic, creative flare everywhere you look. The space comes alive with loving selected artwork that hangs on the walls, all united by a running theme of nature and conservation. 

Continue southward to Margaret River Sculpture Park in Hamelin Bay. Unique, raw and simple, it’s located off the beaten track on the doorstep of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.

Time for lunch! Head to the art gallery that lies beneath the world-renowned winery and restaurant, Leeuwin Estate. Leeuwin’s deep connection to the art world began with the launch of their famous ‘Art Series’ wine label. The pieces that have graced the labels now adorn the walls of the serene space, some 150 artworks total. Once you view the gallery, indulge in the ‘Art Series’ wine tasting or enjoy a seasonal six-course lunch.

South along Caves Road lies another cellar door and gallery called Mr Barval. Here the focus is on art from the community of Kalumburu in the Northern Eastern Kimberley. The best part? The gallery is not-for-profit. All the proceeds go straight to supporting the artists and funding health and wellness projects in the community. Finish by tasting the Mistral, a Viognier Marsanne blend, or the much-adored Nebbiolo.

Head back to Margaret River and check out the newly opened REDSEA Gallery. WA’s first international gallery represents artists from around the world. Explore the fresh light-filled spaces of the iconic 100-year-old heritage building and appreciate a delightfully diverse range of art and art forms.

Your next stop is the Margaret River HEART – Nala Bardip Mia, which has fantastic exhibitions on display throughout the year. Try to make it there for the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival in May, which also features the annual Visual Stories Exhibition.

Finish the day by heading to Morries for happy hour. Sip on a spritz while enjoying the work of Aidan Lee Smith, whose bold colour, raw brush strokes and layering work adorn the walls.