Culture, art and heritage

In recent years, the Australian street-art scene has exploded.

A ton of cities and towns have embraced their creative sides and are caked in colour.

Massive murals and other funky works are dotted all around; some tucked away in alleys and laneways, others hidden in plain sight.

Keen to inject more colour into your next escape? Then, plan a visit to one of these vibrant locations.

Street art in Victoria

The state shines, home to some of the best places to see urban art in Australia. It all starts in the Victorian capital…

Melbourne

It’s mural madness in Melbourne. This city is regarded as the capital of street art in Australia with a rich concentration of works in the CBD and surrounding suburbs. Centrally located Hosier Lane is iconic and is joined by the likes of Rutledge and AC/DC lanes, but these are merely starting points. The best way to reward the eyes and delve deeper into the scene is to join a street-art tour.

Stay at: BIG4 Melbourne or BIG4 Dandenong.

Shepparton

Admire captivating artworks that celebrate Shepparton’s rich Indigenous culture. Created by one of the most famous Australian street artists, Adnate, the pieces were developed in conjunction with the Aboriginal community and hero respected local Indigenous men and women. It’s all part of an evolving, council-led project.

Stay at: BIG4 Shepparton or Shepparton Holiday Park and Village.

Frankston

Local and international street artists have added their touch to this southeast Melbourne suburb through an assortment of seriously impressive pieces. Marvel at upwards of 50 striking murals scattered around Frankston. Street art walking tours, generally held on weekends at selected times, add extra insight into the compelling creations.

Stay at: BIG4 Mornington Peninsula.

Geelong

This sizeable city has an equally considerable collection of urban art that includes some of the best murals in Australia. Among its most recognisable examples is To The Unknown Mariner, a 60m-high creation that’s a nod to the city’s extensive maritime past. It’s joined by artwork depicting several famous faces and other characters and complements Geelong’s famous waterfront bollards.

Stay at: Tasman Holiday Parks - Geelong or nearby at BIG4 Bellarine or BIG4 Ingenia Queenscliff.

Benalla

A hefty collection of eye-catching murals add a massive dose of colour to walls, water tanks, and other surfaces in and around Benalla. Several of them have been produced by some of the most respected Australian and international street artists, which contribute to the city’s growing reputation as an urban-art hotspot.

Stay at: BIG4 Wangaratta North Cedars.

Pitstop at Benalla? We recommend it along this scenic VIC road trip.

Street art in Queensland

The Sunshine State delivers a different glow with powerful public art found from top to bottom.

Toowoomba

A thriving street-art scene adds an extra layer of vibrancy to a city renowned for its gorgeous gardens and pretty parks. An almighty collection of massive murals are clustered within the CBD, making for easy exploration. It’s an even simpler task thanks to this interactive map.

Stay at: BIG4 Toowoomba Garden City.

Townsville

The Tropical North city is bursting with colour thanks to a collection of 25-plus works credited to both local and international artists. Spy the crafty creations on a self-guided walking trail complete with an augmented reality option: maps are available online as well as at the local visitor info centre.

Stay at: BIG4 Ingenia Townsville, BIG4 Eco Resort Townsville, BIG4 Tasman – Rowes Bay and BIG4 Townsville Gateway.

Maryborough

This Fraser Coast city has a fascinating past, which has served as inspiration for the 40 or so mega murals and other installations that dominate these surrounds. Many of the pieces are extremely intricate, which adds to the viewing experience. A dedicated mural trail reveals the intriguing yarns behind the art.

Stay at: BIG4 Hervey Bay, Ingenia Hervey Bay, Tasman Holiday Parks - Fraser Coast or ​​​​​​​Tasman Holiday Parks - Torquay Palms​​​​​​​.

Stop at Maryborough along our Brisbane to Bundaberg road trip.

Street art in NSW

Massively marvellous murals and other colourful creations are spotted effortlessly throughout NSW.

Wagga Wagga

Half-a-dozen colourful creations – collectively known as the Cadell Place Murals – are clustered in a CBD location that edges the Murrumbidgee River. Among them is a tribute piece to the fictional character, Dame Edna Everage.

Stay at: BIG4 Ingenia Wagga Wagga.

Goulburn

Large-scale murals, painted electricity boxes, and illuminated creations all feature on the city’s comprehensive Public Art trail. It’s joined by various sculptures and other creative finds. A dedicated map allows for easy navigation and reveals insights into each of the many pieces.

Visit when staying at: Queanbeyan Riverside Caravan Park or Crestview Tourist Park.

Lismore

Lismore’s laneways erupt with colour thanks to myriad murals, installations, and other urban-art examples that dominate these walkways. Both regional and international artists have brightened the city as part of the evolving Back Alley Gallery community street-art project. Lismore is 30km west of Ballina.

Stay at: BIG4 Tasman – Ballina.

Sydney

Some of the best urban art in Australia is dotted throughout the NSW capital. It’s best to hit the ‘burbs to admire the efforts of talented Sydney street artists and those from all around. Bondi, Manly, Newtown, Redfern, and Surry Hills are littered with spectacular murals and May Lane in St Peters deserves a special shoutout. Further afield, Penrith is another public-art hotspot.

Stay at: Ingenia Nepean River, NRMA Sydney Lakeside, Ingenia Avina or Ingenia Sydney Hills.

Street art in WA

The WA street-art scene flourishes, and we highlight some of the state’s biggest hotspots. 

Geraldton

Take a CBD stroll and keep the eyes peeled for vibrant murals, painted bollards, art panels, and other bright creations that amplify the city’s liveliness. Most of the works have been completed by local artists.

Stay at: BIG4 Geraldton Sunset Beach.

What else is there to do in Geraldton? Explore more with this great guide.

Kalgoorlie

Heartwalk project consists of 50 or so murals that add splashes of colour to the city’s CBD. A designated 4.5km trail links these creative finds, with maps available from the local visitor info centre. Additionally, an app is available to download, which has a function that provides more info about each piece and its artist.

Stay at: BIG4 Acclaim Prospector.

Perth

It’s a piece of cake to spot art pieces in Perth. The city bursts with street-art murals created by some of the most talented artists on the planet. Centrally located Grant Lane is a hive of graffiti grandness while notable suburbs for wall gazing include Fremantle, Northbridge, Leederville, and Subiaco: Use this map for easy navigation.

Stay at: BIG4 Perth Midland or Perth Central Caravan Park.

Street art in Tasmania

The Apple Isle is a sweet spot for exploring urban art with one location providing more murals than any other on this list…

Sheffield

Since Sheffield’s first mural was completed in 1986, the small town has added a staggering 200 or so pieces to its collection. The murals have a clear local focus and have led to Sheffield earning the title of Tasmania's Outdoor Art Gallery. The colour show is celebrated each year at Mural Fest. Sheffield is 35km south of Ulverstone.

Stay at: BIG4 Ulverstone.

Hobart

You’ll likely stumble upon street art in Hobart without even trying. The Tasmanian capital has more than 50 murals, and counting. Bidencopes Lane is a go-to location among many while Tasma St in North Hobart features a distinctive mural by renowned street artist, Smug. Once again, a dedicated trail map allows visitors to easily unearth these spectacular designs. 

Stay at: BIG4 Hobart Airport.

Street art in SA

The Festival State shows off its cultural side with a mammoth infusion of street art, most notably in Adelaide.

Adelaide

The SA capital is regarded as one of the best places in the world to see street art. An almighty 100-plus murals alone are peppered around the CBD’s alleys, laneways, and other walkways. There are loads more in surrounding suburbs: special mention to Port Adelaide. Viewing the vibrant creations of seriously talented Australian street artists is best achieved while armed with a handy trail map.

Stay at: BIG4 West Beach, The Retreat at West Beach or Marion Holiday Park.

Tumby Bay

This small Eyre Peninsula town is a must-stop on any road trip thanks to its sprinkling of colourful murals. The creations were birthed from the annual Colour Tumby Festival, first held in 2018, and have since expanded. There’s also head-turning silo art to admire, which is one of a handful of its kind found along the peninsula.

Street art in NT

The Territory has warmly embraced street art with a strong emergence of giant murals and other designs that captivate the eyeballs.

Darwin

Urban art has surfaced strongly in the Top End since the first edition of the annual Darwin Street Art Festival hit the city in 2018. Colourful creations can be spotted in the CBD and neighbouring suburbs – maps available here – with Austin Lane particularly noteworthy for its assortment of large-scale murals. West and Shadforth lanes are other key spots to check out.

Stay at: BIG4 Hidden Valley or BIG4 Howard Springs.

Planning a Darwin escape? Explore the essentials here.

Katherine

The street-art scene is thriving in Katherine, evidenced by an assortment of murals scattered around town. Several examples pay tribute to regional identities or detail significant past events, and the strong community involvement has ensured the artworks are a rich source of pride for many locals.

Stay at: BIG4 Breeze – Katherine.

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