Published on Saturday, 23 August 2025 at 3:03:00 PM
The Homage to Geraldton exhibition has been curated in celebration of Randolph Stow and the 20th anniversary of the Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival.
Featuring local landscapes from The City of Greater Geraldton, it is the latest Stairwell Gallery Exhibition from The City of Greater Geraldton Art Collection at Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.
Elizabeth Durack, A “Randolf Stowe” House, Felt Pen, 1960, Acc.D027 (top left)
Frank Norton, Geraldton Beach, Ink and Wash on Paper, 1960,Acc. 083 (bottom left)
Chris Holden, Old Greenough, Oil on Board, 1974, Acc.067 (right)
The City of Greater Geraldton Art Collection
With over 500 artworks in the City of Greater Geraldton Art Collection, this extensive collection has a rich history, including nationally-recognised artists and artworks.
In 1949, one of Western Australia’s greatest benefactors, Sir Claude Hotchin (1898-1977), donated 22 substantial works to the people of Geraldton. These works included an early painting by West Australian artist Robert Juniper, works by Kathleen O’Connor and Allan William Baker, and landscapes by Hans Heysen and Harold Septimus Power.
In 1960, the Town of Geraldton commissioned Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000) to produce a body of work of the Geraldton area, including Dongara, Northampton and out to Carnamah. This collection remains significant not just to Geraldton but also to the State.
On Monday 6 August 1984, the Geraldton Art Gallery was officially opened by the Governor-General of Australia, the Rt. Hon. Sir Ninian Stephen. The high standard of facilities made the Gallery one of the first A Class regional galleries in Australia. With specific temperature and humidity controls in place, this allows for artworks to be stored and exhibited safely, preserving the works for future generations.
Since 1984, the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery has established itself as the region’s principal arts institution, serving arts and culture to the Midwest, housing the City of Greater Geraldton’s Art Collection, whilst presenting a diverse and stimulating exhibition programme from local, state, national and international sources.
The management of the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery transitioned from the Art Gallery of Western Australia to the City of Greater Geraldton in 2017. Prominent artworks have been added into the Collection from the biennial acquisitive art prize, the Mid West Art Prize, as well as through donations from members of the public.
The Stairwell Gallery shares a carefully curated selection of artworks from the Collection with the community on rotation throughout the year. This gallery space seeks to share the importance of the Collection, a goal outlined in the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery Strategic Plan 2023-27.
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