June 8, 2015
It’s been four months in the making. But on Friday night, eager visitors finally got to inspect the results of extensive renovations to the Wondai Regional Art Gallery.
Last October Council staff discovered termites in the building, and soon afterwards found there were drainage problems needing immediate attention, too.
As a result – since February this year – the Gallery has been operating out of the nearby Wondai Town Hall while the South Burnett Regional Council carried out major repairs to the century-old station master’s residence that houses the arts complex.
Once the building’s structural problems had been fixed, Gallery volunteers then took to the building’s interior with paint brushes, floor sanders and polishers.
The result was on display for everyone to see at Friday night’s June exhibition opening, and compliments for the Gallery’s volunteer committee flew thick and fast.
In all, the Gallery’s volunteers have invested almost $10,000 into the renovations, in addition to the restoration funds invested by the Council to make the building ready for another century of service.
But Gallery curator Elaine Madill believes it’s all been worth it.
“The Wondai Gallery is the welcoming face of Wondai,” she said.
“We sit right on the roundabout next to the dingo fountain and we’re one of the first things anyone sees when they come to the roundabout in the centre of town.
“I’d like to think we present one of Wondai’s best faces to the world. And I can’t thank the Council enough for all the help they’ve given us to ensure the Gallery stayed in operation while the work was done.”
Apart from admiring the highly polished floors and freshly painted walls, visitors this month will be treated to a travelling exhibition by photographer Joachim Froese, who has exhibited across Australia, Europe, Asia and North America and has works in many public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia.
The exhibition has been brought to the Gallery by a special arrangement with Flying Arts.
It features selected works from four of the photographer’s major exhibitions – Rhopography, Tell Him It Is All A Transition, Written In The Past and Archive – which are displayed in the main and rear galleries.
The front gallery, meanwhile, features a combined exhibition of pottery, painting and leather works by South Burnett artists Margy Laughton, Dot Rowland and Sandy Hoffmann which offers a refreshing, colourful and inventive change of pace.
On Friday night, guests drank Clovely Estate wines as they browsed the artworks and snacked on hot and cold finger foods.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, who’d travelled down from the Bunya Mountains with his wife Eleanor to officially open the exhibition and the renovations, complimented the Gallery committee on the extra investment they’d made in the building and agreed with Mrs Madill’s view the Gallery was an intrinsic part of Wondai’s CBD.
“This is a wonderful historic building, a wonderful gallery and a true asset to our region,” the Mayor said.
“And the credit for that really goes to all the incredible volunteers who run it.”
Mrs Madill announced that a one day Photography Master Class being run by Joachim Froese at the Gallery’s Studio on June 13 had been booked out.
She also announced the Gallery will be moving from the Council’s Communities portfolio to its Economic Development and Tourism portfolio in the near future.
“I couldn’t be happier,” she said.
“We are a natural fit with tourism, and we’ve always felt that at least half our work is helping to bring more tourists to our region.
“People will travel to see great art.”
- “Still Life: Joachim Froese Photographs 1999-2011” and “Sculptures And Stuff” will remain on display at the Gallery from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily until the end of June. Admission to view the exhibitions is free.
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