About Ferry Park Gallery

It all began as an art club in 1966. With growing interest in the community it began to involve other creative pursuits and became an arts and crafts group. In 1986 the group was incorporated, enabling it to provide an umbrella for its membership which now comprised many individuals and local artisan and creative groups.

By 1991 members had raised $50,000, attracting matching grants from both Commonwealth and State Governments, towards establishing an Arts and Crafts Office, Studio and Gallery at the Ferry Park visitors complex.

The LCACA opened its gallery to the public in December 1993. It has been very successful, attracting some 60-70000 visitors each year. It maintains a high standard of work and is operated solely on a volunteer basis.

The Association has an efficient, annually elected Executive and Management Committee; and all members are encouraged to take an active interest in the organisation.

The Association also runs an open competitive arts & crafts exhibition, usually in the first week of the school holidays in July. In recent years the Exhibition has been held over three days at Maclean Showground. Competitors come from around Australia over a wide range of arts and crafts, including Fine Art, Youth Art, Photography, Patchwork and Quilting, Creative Needlework, Woodwork, other craft and Fibre Fabric & Jewellery.

The Association has some 160 individual Members, and five affiliated Member Groups – artists, potters, quilters, needleworkers, spinners and weavers. Its membership covers artisan activities as diverse as glass makers/designers, woodworkers, sculptors, knitters and jewellery makers.

Each month an exhibiting member or an affiliated group of LCACA is celebrated in the Gallery as the Artist of the Month, with a dedicated display and associated publicity.

Each year the Associations holds its Phyllis Austin Memorial Trophy competition to identify a member whose work demonstrates outstanding creative growth and excellence. The trophy honours one of its foundation members who worked hard to realise the dream of a place for artists on the Lower River.

In March/April each year we invite people to enter into an 8×8 miniatures competition which has a different theme each year.

LCACA maintains an active interest in encouraging local young people to develop their artistic and artisan talents. There is a regularly changing display of their work in a dedicated area of Ferry Park Gallery and a Youth Art Section in the Competitive  Exhibition.