Arts

Glenda Guy. Allora Photography Group now has their schedule of topics for 2026 sorted and we are working our way through an interesting list challenging our imagination and skills to come up with thought provoking, interesting and creative images to take viewers along our journey with us.

Long before Bottersnikes and Gumbles became a beloved Australian children's book series and animated television show, the strange little bush creatures first came to life among the rocks and scrub of Kariong.

Turquoise waters, wide open skies and live music in unexpected locations define one of Queensland’s most striking regional music experiences as Qld Music Trails arrives in the Whitsundays with The Reef Trail.

He flawlessly captures everyday life and nostalgic scenes of domestic and social euphoria perfectly in a variety of colours. And as he celebrated his 100th birthday on May 5, renowned Australian artist John Beeman is continuing to paint his own story.

Janet Heenan and Cheryl Lowe share a love of wool, fibre and the slow, skilled art of spinning. The two fibre artists, who both began spinning in the late 1970s, are members of the local spinning group ... Their early spinning days began with raw fleece...

More than 500,000 Australian children were placed into institutional or out-of-home care during the last century, with many experiencing neglect, abuse and a loss of identity that continues to shape their lives today. Often referred to as Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers, this cohort includes Stolen Generations, former child migrants, and former Wards of the State, including more than 400,000 non-Indigenous children.

The Gatton Library will host this year’s 26th National Simultaneous Storytime – and you’re invited to come along. National Simultaneous Storytime will once again see a picture book – written and illustrated by an Australian author – read simultaneously in libraries, schools, homes, children’s facilities and early childhood education and care services all over the country. 

My son sent me a link to an unusual bookshop in Japan known as the most minimal bookstore in the world. It sparked an idea to take the bookshop’s one room-one book approach to set up a display of my own book in the window of an abandoned supermarket in Kyogle.

Patricia Gill. Obi Manuel wants to be an artist when he grows up. The 14-year-old made his debut into the art world at the Brave New Works Festival at the end of March. Obi lives with Down syndrome and attends the Albany Secondary Education Support Centre and started drawing and colouring in on bus trips...

On Wednesday 3 June the Pilbeam Theatre is thrilled to present Water Mirror, an extraordinary fusion of Taiko percussion, dance, acrobatics, and cutting-edge projection and lighting design as part of its See it Live 2026 season. Created by Paulina Quinteros, this exhilarating production invites audiences of all ages to embark on a captivating journey that transcends traditional performance.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra’s critically acclaimed string ensemble ACO Collective brings together musicians of the ACO with Australia’s most talented young string players, proudly mentoring and touring a generation of musicians since 2007.

Set in Western Australia's goldfields, Hot Ground is the second crime fiction novel by author Lisa Ellery ... "Hot Ground" is a well-paced police crime novel that blends a clever plot with a vivid outback setting. If you enjoy crime fiction that mixes outback grit with gold fever and buried secrets, "Hot Ground" could be just the read you’re looking for.

Mike Gillam. On March 3 the Bureau of Meteorology recorded an impressive monsoon trough containing four tropical lows each with the potential to develop into a cyclone, hugging the coast of northern Australia ... Moths and butterflies are everywhere and I don’t believe it’s an exaggeration to say that every genus of plants is supporting at least one distinctive species of caterpillar.

Anyone who’s ventured into the world of online dating is sure to have countless stories of mismatches, mishaps, misconceptions and misunderstandings ... Dawn LaPuma was just one of those ‘over 60s’ living beyond the city lights who dipped her toe in the waters of online dating and it didn't take long for her to start keeping a journal of the various characters she encountered...

On a wet and cold day - 29th August 1918 - a large gathering of members of the community attended the official opening of the Corryong and District Avenue of Honour ... On Anzac Day 2026, community members again gathered at the Avenue of Honour to officially open a new memorial.

Patrick Tucker. Towering murals, bold colour and a striking riverside sculpture are drawing fresh attention to the Murray, with the River Country Art Trail ... Spanning Barham, Mathoura, Moulamein, Moama and Tooleybuc, the trail transforms everyday infrastructure into a region-wide gallery.

Adair Dunsford. The Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery was bursting at its seams with visitors for the announcement of the winners in the 2026 Ibis Rising Art Awards ... Nicole Johnston was the inaugural recipient to take home the perpetual trophy of an Ibis made by gallery exhibitors, RP Cutters of Tailem Bend.

The Matthew Flinders and Louis de Freycinet statues are undergoing restoration, helping preserve these well-known local landmarks for the Whyalla community to enjoy for many years to come. The work is being carried out by local business Signarama...

State MP Janelle Saffin visited Mallanganee on Friday, April 24 to present local writer and online editor of IndyNR.com Susanna Freymark with her Lismore Electorate Local Woman of the Year Award.

Lismore Regional Gallery presents a major exhibition by acclaimed Australian artist Marian Tubbs, bringing together a dynamic body of work that interrogates the intersections of digital culture, materiality and ecological thought, from 8 May until 9 August 2026.

The latest in the list of varied and engaging productions by Castlemaine Theatre Company is about to hit the stage, offering a rare glimpse into a singular place and time. Set at the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility during the Covid-19 pandemic, Camp Darwin brings together a diverse group of Australian characters who are trying to return home.

The BAAKA Board is very pleased to announce the appointment of Liane Wendt as the new Executive Director of the BAAKA Cultural & Arts Centre. Liane comes to Wilcannia from Derby in WA, where she led the Mowanjum Arts and Cultural Centre.