There was a time when regional art meant quiet galleries and heritage collections. Benalla has rewritten that script loudly, colourfully, and at scale.
Set in the heart of north-east Victoria, Benalla has become one of the country’s most compelling cultural destinations, not by abandoning its past, but by layering it with something bold and contemporary. Approximately two hours north of Melbourne (212 kilometres) and just over an hour south of Albury (121 kilometres) along the Hume Highway, it’s an easy detour that increasingly feels like a destination in its own right.
At the centre of this transformation is the Benalla Street Art Festival. What began as a community-driven event in 2015, it has evolved into a nationally renowned celebration of art and culture. For three days each year, the town shifts into a kind of creative overdrive: cherry pickers rise above rooftops, scaffolding clings to brick facades, and artists turn blank walls into monumental works in real time.
The appeal isn’t just the finished product – it’s the process. Visitors don’t simply observe art; they witness it being made. Across a packed weekend program of exhibitions, talks, installations and events, the town becomes a living gallery. Laneways hum with conversation, public spaces invite momentarily pauses, and the usual boundaries between artist and audience dissolve.
And the calibre is undeniable. With more than 80 murals already woven into the town’s fabric, Benalla’s walls carry the signatures of leading figures like Adnate, Tim Bowtell, Minna Leunig, Travis Price and Dvate. Each year, new voices join the mix.
In 2026, these artists included Vera Coya, Jasmine Crisp, Mattie Davo, Gus Eagleton, Timor Fork, JUZPOP, Kitsune Jolene, Krimsone, Madwings, MurOne, and SARSAR, ensuring the town’s visual identity remains dynamic rather than fixed.
Creative Curator Simon Grant said the festival continues to grow as both a cultural event and a community celebration. “Each year brings together artists with completely different styles and stories, and the result is a festival that keeps Benalla’s streets constantly evolving,” he said.
Appointed in 2025, Grant is known for transforming public spaces into open-air galleries. As Founder of the Wonderwalls Street Art Festival, he has fostered collaborations that celebrate urban creativity while reshaping how people experience their environments.
“Street art has an incredible ability to transform spaces and connect people. Benalla already holds a special place in Australia’s street art landscape, and this next chapter will build on that legacy while introducing new voices, new stories and a fresh creative energy,” said Grant.
Yet Benalla’s appeal isn’t confined to its walls. Along the edge of Lake Benalla sits the Benalla Art Gallery, an institution whose collection spans three centuries of Australian art. Even during its redevelopment, the gallery continues to shape the town’s cultural identity through its Bridge Street Pop-up, where exhibitions like Street Art Bushranger by HA-HA, offered a distinctly local take on Australian popular culture, blending humour with sharp cultural observation, offering a playful edge to the festival atmosphere.
“The Benalla Street Art Festival continues to expand the city’s cultural landscape. It’s an exciting platform for artistic dialogue, experimentation and new perspectives,” said Eric Nash, Director Benalla Art Gallery.
The festival strikes a thoughtful balance between free and ticketed events, making it accessible without losing depth. My own weekend began at sunset in the Benalla Aboriginal Garden, where an Official Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony brought together festival organisers, council representatives, artists and the local community.
Set against the quiet beauty of the landscape, it was a moment to acknowledge the region’s Traditional Owners and “setting the tone for a festival of connection, creativity and storytelling.”
From there, it was a short walk along the foreshore of Lake Benalla to the Benalla Visitor Centre, which during the festival becomes a hub of activity. Among the many exhibitions on offer was Tank: Strange World, a compelling body of paintings and prints by Shepparton-based surrealist Tank – whose work spans more than three decades, inviting viewers into a layered, imaginative landscape that feels both playful and unsettling.
Later on, the Visitor Centre becomes the setting for Prosecco and Picasso – a lively paint-and-sip session led by Tank himself. Equal parts workshop and performance, attendees were guided through a step-by-step creative process that traded intimidation for humour and spontaneity. And we got to take our piece of art home with us.
Saturday shifted the focus squarely onto the artists. It’s one thing to see a finished mural towering above you; it’s another to meet the person behind it. Conversations unfolded easily, whether with visiting artists or those exhibiting indoors. Among them was Stephanie Cartledge, whose exhibition Shared Waters offered a more intimate counterpoint to her large-scale mural work.
The afternoon then gave way to a series of talks that peeled back the layers of contemporary street art practice. Simon Grant led a program of conversations that ranged from the deeply personal to the highly technical. Illustrator and muralist Ginger Taylor reflected on her process and storytelling, while Callum Preston traced his path through nostalgia and DIY culture, offering insight into projects like Video Land and Milk Bar.
A particular highlight was RONE, whose large-scale installations have earned international acclaim. Hearing him unpack the sheer logistical complexity behind works like Empire and Time revealed the hidden architecture behind what often appears effortless.
Exhibitions continued to reward time and attention. At the Benalla Town Hall, Melbourne-based artist Ling presented The Allure of Gold: All That Glitters, a reflective exploration of value and materialism in contemporary society, challenging viewers to consider what truly holds worth.
Running alongside it all was the Festival Live Site, a constant pulse of music, food and energy. A rotating line-up of performers, including SKNOW, Araminta, Umbra Moon, Squid the Kid and Lotte Gallagher, kept the atmosphere buoyant throughout the day, before Jack Botts closed things out with his characteristically laid-back sound.
By Sunday, the pace softened. After the conversations, the crowds and the performances, the town itself became the focus again. It was a day for wandering, turning corners to find new works, and revisiting favourites with fresh eyes.
What makes Benalla’s rise particularly interesting is how naturally it extends into the wider region. The town now acts as a gateway to the North East Victoria Silo Art Trail, where massive grain silos in towns like Goorambat, Devenish, Tungamah and St James have been transformed into striking public artworks. Artists including Guido van Helten and Sobrane have helped turn these rural landmarks into cultural beacons, drawing visitors deeper into the landscape.
Beyond the colour-splashed walls and festival buzz, Benalla’s growing appeal as a destination is also reflected in how well it hosts its visitors. Accommodation across the region has evolved to match the town’s creative energy – offering far more than just a place to sleep. Whether you’re arriving for a quick weekend, a longer cultural escape, or even a working retreat, the options are varied, thoughtful and increasingly design-conscious.
In town, you’ll find a mix of boutique motels, lakeside stays and serviced apartments, many within walking distance of the mural trail. Venture just beyond the town limits, however, and the accommodation story becomes something richer, more immersive, more connected to the landscape. This is where regional Victoria quietly excels, and where places like Dunmore Farm stand out.
Set on 150 acres in nearby Molyullah, Dunmore Farm is less a place to stay and more a carefully curated experience of country life. Just 18 kilometres from Benalla, it feels worlds away from the bustle, offering a kind of stillness that’s increasingly rare.
Hosts Bec and Angus have taken a distinctly design-led approach to rural hospitality, restoring an 1860s cottage with a sensitivity that honours its history while introducing modern comforts with restraint and style.
Inside, the space is warm and intentional, original features sit comfortably with contemporary furnishings, textures are layered with every detail feeling considered. It’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down: long breakfasts, unhurried afternoons, evenings that stretch out under open skies.
Outside, the working farm continues its quiet rhythm, grounding the experience in something authentic. And if you’re lucky, you maybe greeted by Bobby, the Bernese Mountain dog.
Appealing to those looking for something more personal than a conventional venue, Dunmore Farm has also carved out a niche as a destination for intimate weddings, creative retreats and small gatherings. Its setting makes it equally suited as a base for exploration.
From here, visitors can easily branch out into the gourmet landscapes of the King Valley, the historic wineries of Rutherglen, or the artisan producers of Milawa. Seasonal produce, cellar doors and long lunches are all within reach.
For the more adventurous, the alpine regions are also close enough to tempt a day trip, with Mount Buller and Mount Hotham offering everything from winter sports to summer hiking and cycling. Returning to the calm of the farm after a day in the mountains only heightens its appeal.
What Benalla demonstrates, quietly but convincingly, is that regional tourism no longer needs to rely on nostalgia alone. Here, history, landscape and contemporary culture intersect in ways that feel immediate and alive. The street art festival hasn’t just decorated the town; it has redefined it.
The 2026 Benalla Street Art Festival ran 17 – 19 April. For more information, visit: www.benallastreetartfestival.com.au for details.
Images: Gus Eagleton’s mural (work-in-progress) at the Benalla Street Art Festival – photo by Rohan Shearn | Jasmine Crisp’s mural (work-in-progress) at the Benalla Street Art Festival – photo by James Bugg | Installation view of Ling’s The Allure of Gold: All That Glitters at Benalla Town Hall – photo by James Bugg | Installation view of HA-HA: Street Art Bushranger at Benalla Art Gallery Pop Up – photo by James Bugg | Welcome To Country and Official Launch featuring Benalla Street Art Festival Artists, Ian Gonzaga (BSAF Chair) and Curator Simon Grant – photo by James Bugg | Stephanie Cartledge with her mural as part of the Shared Waters exhibition at the Benalla Visitor Information Centre – photo by Rohan Shearn | Lotte Gallagher on stage with neon juggler Rich Royale in foreground – photo by James Bugg | Benalla Street Art Trail & Live Site – photo by James Bugg | The Cottage at Dunmore Farm – photo by Rohan Shearn | The Special Events Shed at Dunmore Farm – photo by Rohan Shearn
Words: Rohan Shearn – who attended the Benalla Street Art Festival as a guest of Benalla Rural City Council, Tourism North East and Dunmore Farm