The Peter Mac Painting Project has officially wrapped up at the Orbost Arts Centre following strong community feedback and steady artwork sales in support of the Peter MacCallum…
The Peter Mac Painting Project has officially wrapped up at the Orbost Arts Centre following strong community feedback and steady artwork sales in support of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Local community members, artists, and friends gathered to back the charitable cause, with all proceeds from the exhibition donated directly to the cancer research and treatment centre. Arts Centre staff extended their gratitude to Imogen Hodson for her artwork and written statements, as well as the other contributing artists who made the showcase a success.
The fundraising show succeeded the Beautiful Bygones exhibition, capping off a fruitful period dedicated to exploring regional history through antiques and memorabilia. The town's library exhibit provided extended viewing alongside the Bygones display and a popular antiques evaluation day, where visiting art experts inspected items including historic medals, toys, furniture, artwork, weapons, patchwork, mirrors and trinkets.
These historical themes align with ongoing creative explorations of identity, place, memory, time and emotion by writers affiliated with the centre, charting Orbost's long history of industry, craft, literature and agriculture. The town's architecture and public artefacts further reflect this heritage. In the heart of Orbost, historic 19th-century buildings — including hotels, banks and traditional shopfronts — remain in active use. The town's op shops, gift stores, local market and bakeries continue to support tourism and small business alongside events hosted at the centre.
Nearby, the historic 1872 slab hut provides information on local landmarks, including the historic water wheel, paddle steamer history, regional hotels, railway trestle bridge and parkland sculptures, detailing the era when early settlers farmed maize using rough overland tracks and river transport. Historical objects and parkland sculptures surround the Orbost Arts Centre, while traditional woodworking continues inside. The centre's shop supports local wood artists, hosts woodturning classes in partnership with Wood Inc, and sells regional crafts, cards and gifts.
The facility regularly hosts tourist buses, seasonal creative workshops — with bookings for next year's Wood Inc workshops now open — as well as music events, theatre performances, exhibitions and community meetings. Further information and bookings are available by contacting the Orbost Arts Centre team via email, website, phone, or at the front desk. The post Generosity and creativity first appeared on Snowy River Mail.
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