Want to see a recreation of great Australian artist Margaret Olley's Sydney studio?…read more Just want to take in the serene and picturesque landscape and glimpses of Mt Warning from the leather armchairs in the gallery foyer? Care for a devonshire tea or hunger busting burger on the adjoining gallery cafe with a view to match? Answer yes to any of the above and a visit to Tweed River Art Gallery might be just the addition to a day trip you're looking for. Located just off the main road in Murwillumbah, the gallery largely dedicated to the works of Margaret Olley is, much like the surrounding landscape, a peaceful and calming spot to spend an hour or so.

Wow what a place. This art gallery is so wonderful and the café is the perfect accompaniment to the…read moregallery. I visited by chance - we had a work meeting and it was moved from Council chambers to the more picturesque Art Gallery. Little did I know that it is now the home to Margaret Olley's house. I seriously must have been living under a rock - how did I not know that Margaret's home and studio was now a work of art?! The whole kitchen, living room and yellow room of her Paddington home was donated, packed up, shipped and reassembled to a new Tweed Art Gallery home. Everything is as exactly as it was. They have even left the cobwebs on the doors! Yes, the cobwebs are original!! I was told by a local to check out the placemats on Margaret's table. Look a bit closer if you can.. Susie the Art Director is magnificent. Susie always has a selection of works from local artists at the gallery. I was intrigued by Michael T (Barrister by day, photographer by night) photographs which were on exhibition at the time. The cafe I mentioned in my opening paragraph is set outside on a large enclosed balcony. I highly recommend the cafe for a cup of coffee or bite to eat. I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty food that was served on their lunch menu. Halfway through our lunch the heavens decided to open up and the rain poured down. The picturesque setting was brought to life with the rain dancing over the green rolling hills. Oh how I love the smell of rain! Can you tell I loved every moment of my visit?!

Cute find just off the main strip and within walking distance of the beach. The cafe itself doubles…read moreas a gallery, featuring a variety of jewellery, clothes and locally made products. Staff were lovely, accomodating our late arrival and making a clear effort to chase up our order before it started to take too long. Simple menu with healthful undertones, featuring smoothies, salads and a broad all-day breakfast menu. We ordered the pumpkin quinoa salad and the zucchini fritters, as well as the cacao banana smoothie and coffee. Food itself was average - it looked nice, but lacked a depth of flavour that could be added with a few tweaks. Coffee was decent. Overall, would return.

Until recently I never know the Pine Rivers Art Gallery existed. It is located on Gympie Road in…read moreStrathpine across the road from the local library and although it is nowhere near as fancy as GOMA it is worth a visit. Inside, you will find a myriad of artistic creations from talented local artists. The Gallery hosts regular art workshops which are very inexpensive - in fact, most are free. They also run themed art classes for kids during the school holidays - we will be heading down tomorrow to check out the Crazy Animal Connections Workshop. The exhibits are changed regularly and there is always new artwork to discover at different times throughout the year. The current theme is Forever Young which runs until January 21 and includes exhibits about freedom, festivals, love, summer, youth culture, fashion, sunshine and nature. If you are looking for some free fun head down to the Pine Rivers Art Gallery for some imaginative entertainment - you might discover a hidden talent!

This is a fabulous little tucked away place. Next to the Indooroopilly Laundromat in Hillsdon Road…read moreCentre, you probably wouldn't know it's there! It's a skinny little shop, but inside it's full of wonderful art, crafts and gift ideas! It's a gallery and studio for local artist Leesa Bradford and she sells her works and other artists works and jewellery. Lots of lovely and changing art pieces, good value too. And the jewellery is wonderful. If you are doing your laundry, popping in to the Corner Store of having a Coffee in the Courtyard around the back....stop in and have a browse. You may just find something you HAVE to have....like I did!

From the owner: I am an artist who paints and draws as the mood takes me.read more

The Manly Gallery is in the perfect spot in my opinion. If I don't have anything on of a Sunday…read moremorning, my favourite sequence of events is to grab a coffee from the Celtic Corner, wander through the Manly markets and admire the artwork on display in the Manly Gallery, looking out for new pieces on display. And all this practically on the same block, right on the harbour. The gallery has on show and for sale, artwork, paintings, sculpture and various other bits and pieces from local artists. Although there is a range of subjects, the overall feel of the gallery is local and water themed, making it a one of a kind in my opinion. Artists vary but include Christopher Pope, Pat Tolcher and my favourite, Karen Atkins.

I love small galleries which support and help nurture local talent. I realise it's not all…read morealtruistic, but there's a love for art emanating from small galleries and this one's no exception. Not too pretentious, Manly Gallery has some lovely works by local artists, some of whom have been creating fabulous littoral works in the Bayside for years. It's not all about the ocean, though; there are some lovely prortraits, sculpture and jewellery to check out too. This gallery has recently changed hands and I'm sure the enthusiasm to keep it relevant and vibrant is as strong as ever. Why not combine a weekend browse through the gallery with a visit to the Manly markets, brunch or fish and chips by the harbour?