Celebrate 2026 Albany

Art Exhibition

An immersive journey through art and inspiration of 200 years.

Where

Albany Convict Gaol

267 Stirling Terrace

Albany WA 6330

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Exhibition Dates

Wednesday, 21 January 2026 to Thursday, 22 January 2027

Cost

Adults: $10.00

Concession: $6.00

Family: $25.00

AHS Members: Free

Home / Celebrate 2026 Albany / Art Exhibition

A Landmark Exhibition of Albany’s Artistic Heritage and an immersive journey through art and inspiration of 200 years.

The Albany Historical Society is proud to present a landmark exhibition showcasing over 60 original artworks from the Society’s archives, many of which have never before been seen by the public. This carefully curated collection spans watercolours, sketches, illustrations, photographs, postcards and early settler depictions, offering a rare window into 200 years of artistic expression in Albany/Kinjarling and the Great Southern region.

This ambitious bicentenary project has been a major undertaking, bringing this remarkable exhibition to life. Opening on 21 January 2026, to coincide with the 199th anniversary of the first European and Aboriginal settlement in Western Australia. The exhibition will launch with a special evening event at the Albany Convict Gaol for members and community leaders.

Running throughout 2026 and 2027, the exhibition provides locals and visitors with a unique opportunity to engage with Western Australia’s rich cultural heritage. Complementing the display, the Society is producing a limited edition collector’s book, featuring high quality images and detailed insights into each artwork. This publication will enhance the visitor experience and serve as a lasting record of the region’s history, unlike anything the Society has produced before.

Claude Batelier’s Unfinished Painting of the SS Waratah Bunkering at Albany 1909_edited.jp

BATELIER BROS.

Claude and Victor Batelier, the Albany brothers whose art chronicled a vibrant era of Western Australian maritime life.

The Batelier Brothers, Claude (1886–1971) and Victor (1882–1952), were Albany-based artists who captured the town’s maritime and urban life in the early 20th century. Claude specialised in ships and naval scenes, while Victor focused on landscapes and buildings, documenting Albany’s ports, naval visits, and community life.

BRENDA HOLLAND

Albany-born artist and teacher, Brenda Holland captured local landscapes, portraits and community life across Western Australia.

Brenda Holland (1900–1995) was an Albany-born artist and portraitist known for her landscapes, community scenes and portraits of Aboriginal sitters, including works entered in the Archibald Prize. She also taught art locally, leaving a lasting influence on the Western Australian art community.

JOHN BARKER

English-born potter and painter who captured Western Australia’s landscapes, coastal scenes, and life in watercolour and oil.

John Barker (1869–1943) was an English-born potter, painter, and teacher who brought his skills to Western Australia in the 1920s. Renowned for his watercolours and oils capturing Albany’s landscapes, coastal scenes, and still lifes, Barker also taught pottery and art, leaving a lasting mark on the local creative community.

CAPTAIN GEORGE BOURNE

Through his detailed watercolours, Capt. Bourne captured the ports, ships, and seascapes that shaped colonial Australia’s connection to the wider world.

Captain George Bourne (1858-1910) was a topographical artist and ship portraitist active in South Australia and Western Australia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Renowned for his detailed watercolours of ships, lighthouses and bustling ports, capturing the spirit of colonial maritime life.epsakes for sailors, shipowners, and their families

AHS ART COLLECTION

The Art of Restoring

Restoration efforts ensure these masterpieces and preserved, protected and shared.

Albany Historical Society is proud to announce the restoration of several exquisite art pieces by renowned local artists; Brenda Holland and John Barker, in preparation for the highly anticipated Bicentenary Art Exhibition. This meticulous restoration effort ensures that these masterpieces, rich in local history and cultural significance, are preserved and showcased in their full splendor. By doing so, the Society enables visitors to immerse themselves in the artistry and heritage of Albany, while celebrating this monumental anniversary. The restoration work underscores the AHS’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding our cultural legacy and fostering a deeper connection to the artistic history of our community.

Robert Dale’s Panoramic View of King George Sound – On Display at the Albany Convict Gaol for the Albany 2026 Bicentenary.

As part of the Albany 2026 Bicentenary, the Albany Convict Gaol will have on display a enlarged reproduction of Robert Dale’s iconic “Panoramic View of King George’s Sound”. Ensign (later Lieutenant) Robert Dale created this remarkable panorama during his time at King George Sound in 1832. While Dale’s original work captured the landscape in intricate detail, it was Robert Havell Jr., a London engraver, who published the complete eight panel panorama in October 1834. Hand coloured and meticulously detailed, the panorama reveals a sweeping view from the summit of Mount Clarence, offering a rare glimpse into everyday life in Albany during the 1830s.

The enlarged reproduction will be displayed at the Albany Convict Gaol on Stirling Terrace in 2026 . Visitors can explore the detailed diorama of the early settlement, providing a complimentary and vivid window into Albany’s past, the traditional custodians, the Menang people and its place in Western Australia’s early history.

Albany Historical Society Inc.