WHERE CREATIVITY FLOWS

It’s no wonder so many creative types are drawn to the Great Ocean Road to live and work. Art comes to life in inspiring landscapes, immersed in nature and surrounded by like-minds. Right across the region, vibrant artistic communities thrive, dotting villages, coast and hinterland with galleries, studios, performance spaces, maker meet-ups, exhibitions and art trails. Go with the arty flow and liberate your inner creative self.

• Near the tiny village of Narrawong between Port Fairy and Portland, unearth a hidden gem – the Bay of Whales Gallery. Browse incredibly realistic oil paintings of native wildlife, all created by local artist and gallery owner, Brett Jarrett. Part gallery, part studio, part weekend coffee shop, this purpose-built space boasts spectacular ocean views and a pleasing on-the-edge-of-theworld vibe.

• Discover the work and share the creative journey of artists in their private galleries and studios. Many open to visitors year-round but the annual August Surf Coast Arts Trail showcases them brilliantly. Dozens of sculptors, painters, fibre artists, ceramicists, woodcrafters and more fling open their doors for a weekend of art sharing and immersion.

• Indulge your creative self with an art workshop in an ancient rainforest. Art Reach Gallery and Café at Beech Forest, on top of the Otways, offers classes, workshops, demonstrations and tutoring in beginner to advanced techniques for watercolour, drawing, book illustration, multimedia collage and more. Let loose your creativity!

• Download the StoryTowns app for a podcastguided Warrnambool Street Art Tour and witness a thriving art scene bursting onto city streets in giant murals, interactive art and more. Follow your art to Warrnambool Art Gallery (below), affectionately known as WAG. Be challenged by colonial masterworks, Indigenous artefacts and thought-provoking contemporary pieces.

• Take your cue and head to the Colac Otway Performing Arts and Cultural Centre for a night (or morning or afternoon) on the town. Book early to snag the best seats for touring dramatic, musical and comedic artists, along with local and regional talent. While you’re there, take in one of the ever-changing art exhibitions in the centre’s public gallery space.