Art & culture
History and art works colour the region’s vibrant cultural scene, which surprises and delights at every turn. Discover our rich history with a tour of the Customs House Museum with historical artefacts, displays and photographs of our early pioneers, or the Texas Railway Museum or Inglewood Heritage Centre, which include a replica tobacco barn. Of course, there’s also Goondiwindi’s own Gunsynd Museum for when you want to take history by the reigns.
Marvel at the Yelarbon Silos
One of the biggest silo artworks in Australia, ‘When the Rain Comes’ stretches 24 metres into the sky and runs just shy of the length of a football field across eight GrainCorp silos. The silos were named the Best Rural Art in the nation at the 2020 Australian Street Art Awards and continue to draw travellers from far and wide. Over 1,000 litres of paint were used to paint the 1,800 m2 scene, which depicts a young boy launching a paper boat into the lily pad-filled Yelarbon Lagoon. If you look closely, you’ll see the paper boat depicts historical newspaper remnants that were found in the old Yelarbon jail. Psst - you can explore more of this history for yourself at the Yelarbon Recreation Grounds. At 96 m long, ‘When the Rain Comes’ is one of the largest silo artworks in the country. Brisbane-based artists the Brightsiders Collective created this iconic oasis scene for the town, in partnership with Council and GrainCorp, taking cues from the local history and landscape in which the artwork sits. With a viewing platform and safe parking just off the highway, it’s an easy photo opportunity as you’re driving around the region. Why not pull up and stay the night at the Yelarbon Rec Grounds, with camping available for a donation.
Take a self-guided tour along the Goondiwindi Region Art Trail
Not all artwork is confined to the walls of art galleries and museums, you’ll find it in the streets and paddocks of the Goondiwindi Region.
In 2018, the once-forgotten Bowen Lane in Goondiwindi was transformed into bursts of colour and character by local art group Lanescape, who turn small lanes into huge works of public art. Start here for a burst of colour across your camera roll. Stay the night and view the illuminated water towns in McLean Street. 'Illuminate the Flow' runs nightly from sunset, featuring artworks & photography from locals artist.
Take a souvenir photo of the quirky, gigantic 'Australia Map' and keep your eye out for a ‘fossilised’ cod and the giant pelican while exploring our many public artworks on the art trail.
The whole trail spans 160 km - but you can pick and choose from the dozens of attractions listed. Along with major artworks, you’ll find smaller works like 26 handmade stained-glass windows in the Holy Trinity Church, or delightful sculptures nestled among the native flora of the Goondiwindi Botanic Gardens. Pick up a copy of the Goondiwindi Region Art Trail brochure from any Visitor Information Centre in the region.
Stop and see the street art in Inglewood
Pull up at the Lions Park in Inglewood and admire the beautiful painted butterfly mural and sundial sculpture beside the park’s popular playground. The next piece of street art is just a pub crawl away at the Old Commercial Hotel, depicting a crop of tobacco and several tobacco growers in a nod to the region’s history.
Visit our regional Art Galleries
For a more formal art experience (read: with four walls and a ceiling), take a wander through one of the two Goondiwindi Region art galleries: the Goondiwindi Civic Centre Art Space and the Texas Regional Art Gallery, tucked inside the Texas Cultural Centre.
Explore Indigenous Art and Artifacts
The local traditional owners proudly display a range of recently returned Indigenous artefacts in the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation Office in Marshall Street (main street), along with traditional artwork and photographs. Drop by their office and immerse yourself in the Indigenous culture of the Bigambul People.
Customs House Museum
Step inside living history at The Customs House Museum. The site itself is as much a part of the exhibition as the extensive historical displays inside, with one building dating back to the 1870s. The house itself was once used as a customs point before federation.
Turn back time at Texas Rabbit Works
Learn the regions rabbits to riches story when you visit the Texas Rabbit Works. Did you know, rabbits once plagued the region, which was cause for the Texas Rabbit Works to be established in 1928. In fact, the Texas community survived the Great Depression by trapping and selling rabbits for export to America and England – turning their rabbit problem into an opportunity. During the prime of its operation, the Texas Rabbit Works exported three tons of rabbit meat a week to England during the 1930s. At the time, the rabbit industry was the largest employer in the country and the Rabbit Works was credited with saving the town during the Great Depression – definitely worth the hop, skip and jump to Texas to learn more. Tour the Texas Rabbit Works for yourself and read about the history of the area through interpretive signage.
Texas Heritage Centre and Tobacco Museum; Texas Railway Museum
Explore the buildings that make up the Texas Heritage Centre and Tobacco Museum, including a mini shearing shed, harness shed, jail and stocks, blacksmith, post office store, farm shed and mission hall. Head next door to the Texas Railway Museum to complete your history fix.
Railway Museum at the Yelarbon Recreation Grounds
Stay the night in a slice of history at the Yelarbon Recreation Grounds, which has all of the usual amenities you’d expect from a campground along with two small museums. Tour the old jail building (by calling the number on the door) or take a wander at your leisure of the railway museum, which is home to old farm machinery.
The Goondiwindi Cinema and Theatre
The Goondiwindi Cinema and Theatre is as much a piece of history as it is a place to watch Hollywood blockbusters. It was built as a Town Hall and Civic Centre in 1937 and has some of the best architectural merit in town - you won’t be the first person distracted from the feature film by this heritage-listed cinema’s art-deco features.
Inglewood Heritage Museum and Australian Tobacco Museum
The museum houses the Australian Tobacco Museum display and includes artefacts, records and photographs from the region’s rich history, including tobacco growing. In the 1980’s tobacco became a huge economic boost to Inglewood and with a large influx of European migrants (mostly Italian) after WWII, the industry flourished.
Gunsynd Memorabilia Tribute
Gunsynd, aka the Goondiwindi Grey, is immortalised in history as a literal show pony who wouldn’t leave the gates until the crowd cheered. Gunsynd was bought in 1969 for a measly $1,300 by four partners but went on to win 29 races including the Cox Plate and the four big mile races – The Doncaster, The Epsom, The George Adams and The Toorak, returning some $280,000 in earnings. You can find a statue and tribute of the famous racehorse on the banks of the Macintyre River, opposite Customs House Museum, and a tribute memorial inside the Civic Centre in Marshall Street, Goondiwindi.