Who are we?

Bundoora Homestead Art Centre has a unique proposition.

Built on lands of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people who have lived and shared culture on Country for 60,000 years.

Housed in a heritage mansion that has served as a family home, a repatriation mental hospital, and a site for internationally significant medical discoveries.

Home to a verdant garden, a sanctuary for magnificent birdlife. A contemporary art gallery, a place to make and learn, a community space.

This is our origins - what we build from.

Our story

Bundoora Homestead Art Centre is the public art gallery for Darebin and the home of visual arts in the municipality.

The gallery is housed in a magnificent Queen Anne-style Federation mansion, built in 1900 by the Smith Family on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. In 1920 JVM Smith sold Bundoora Park to the Commonwealth Government and over the next 70 years, the building was used as a convalescent farm for returned war veterans and a mental repatriation hospital until decommission in 1993.

In 2001, with the help of La Trobe University and the Commonwealth Government, Darebin City Council restored Bundoora Homestead and opened it to the community as an arts and cultural space.

The house and gardens are registered by Heritage Victoria and certified by the National Trust. Learn more about the history of the building 

Our mission

It is our mission to provide a vibrant and inclusive creative hub for audiences far and wide.

We are here for anyone who is looking for new ideas, playful experiences, learning opportunities, points of connection, or simply somewhere peaceful to while away the afternoon.

We have talks, heritage resources, and creative clubs.

We are home to lush gardens, a delicious café, gallery shop, community library, and makers space.

Entry is always free.

We invite you to visit us, to explore, to take up space, and to help build a rich creative community in Darebin.

Our goals

Our aims are to:

• Provide platforms for artists of all backgrounds and experiences to exhibit, having their ideas seen and heard
• put First Nations communities at the heart of what we do. Recognising, respecting, and giving space to the immense cultural legacy of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people who lived on this land for 60,000 years, and who continue to thrive as a rich living culture
• enrich the lives of our audiences with meaningful, relevant, bold, innovative, and challenging creative experiences giving new perspectives and unexpected encounters
• support and connect with our local community through the delivery of exhibitions that reflect the character of Darebin life and opportunities to meet and share ideas
• provide enriching educational, creative workshops and events that create robust learning opportunities, points of inspiration and connection
• offer our community a space that is equal and accessible for all. A space that belongs to our community, is welcoming and brings joy
• To manage and develop the Darebin Art Collection so that it may inspire, inform, engage and connect our community in an appreciation of contemporary visual arts.