You might be surprised to learn that Macarthur has a thriving arts scene. The Campbelltown Arts Centre profiles contemporary visual arts, performance, dance, music, live art and emergent practices. The Centre is featured as part of the Sydney Festival each year in January and maintains a strong link to Country. The Centre also has a wonderful café , The Arts Centre Cafe in the Gardens, which does not disappoint!
The Town Hall Theatre is located in the Campbelltown CBD and is a short walk from the Arts Centre precinct. Regular theatrical productions are put on by the Campbelltown Theatre Group Inc. Don’t miss the chance to check out some community theatre while you’re in town. The Theatre is said to be haunted by the ghost of Fred Fisher, whose demise in 1826 has been made famous through the Legend of Fisher’s Ghost. George Worrall, who was executed for the murder of Fred Fisher, rented the land on which these buildings stand.
A short 14km away you’ll find the historic township of Camden, which is home to the recently opened (March 2018) Alan Baker Art Gallery at Macaria. The collection of Alan’s works that have been put together and hung in the Art Gallery is a collection that tells a story of life throughout the 20th Century through the eyes of a brilliant artist. The works capture part of history from those early years as an artist living Sydney, during the Great Depression, WW2 in New Guinea, serving in the A.I.F, the tragedy of losing two of his sons in a boating accident on the Georges River, to then moving to the Oaks near Camden, NSW. The gallery is located at 37 John Street Camden and is open to the public from Thursday through to Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
Cobbitty Gallery is another local must see as they have a large range of work on display but also have some really quirky sculptures, resin pieces, and wood work. They run art classes regularly, and you guessed it, there is an artisan bakery, Cobbitty Bakehouse, located at the front of the gallery.
Leave yourself plenty of time to visit this one as there’s lots to see (and eat).
Macarthur is also home to Marina Strijakova who is an accomplished visual nature artist. Marina works with a range of media including oil on canvas, soft pastel, acrylic, textile design, and fashion.
You can see all of Marina’s artwork as well as meet her on our ‘Around the World in Wedderburn‘ tour that runs in Spring. Her stunning garden is something very special and it’s easy to see where she gets her inspiration from and why her artwork is so captivating.
If you’d like to grab a delicious bite to eat and check out ever changing exhibitions near Camden, The ARThouse café should be on your list too. It’s a quirky little café opposite the library in Narellan Town Centre.
The union of cafe’s and art are becoming more common and proving to be a match made in heaven in the Macarthur area with the introduction of The House of Art Camden in 2019. They offer delicious light meals in a beautiful courtyard, with an extensive collection in their loft.
There are a range of accommodation options available across the Macarthur area to suit all tastes and budgets, so if you’re interested in visiting a few exhibitions why not stay the weekend? We’d love to have you.
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