Shepparton: Discover Art, Culture and Nature

Discover Shepparton through its diverse cultural and natural highlights: historic and contemporary ceramics, Aboriginal art, a 19th-century building and the wetlands at Victoria Park Lake. The Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) combines art with views across the lake; at the lake, the focus is on walking, cycling and observing nature.

Art and cultural perspectives

Ceramics are a distinctive focus at SAM. The museum holds one of Australia’s most significant collections of historic and contemporary ceramics. Four large exhibition galleries, including a dedicated Children’s Gallery, give the museum a variety of exhibition spaces. The collection brings together ceramics from different periods, while the Children’s Gallery adds a space explicitly designated for children to the museum’s offerings.

SAM is located on Yorta Yorta Country and overlooks Victoria Park Lake. Both the cultural context and the lake view are part of the setting around the museum. Those wanting to discover Shepparton through art will find a different perspective here than on a visit focused primarily on local history or activities on the water.

The Bangerang Cultural Centre focuses on preserving and displaying local Aboriginal artefacts. Visits are currently available by appointment only. Be sure to take this requirement into account first when planning your visit. Kaiela Arts gives visitors the opportunity to view and buy authentic Aboriginal art. Exhibitions and events are held there regularly throughout the year; specific events may change. If you are planning a visit or purchase, confirm the current arrangements before you travel.

Local history at the Heritage Centre

The Shepparton Heritage Centre Museum is built around the Public Hall, Shepparton’s oldest surviving building. The hall was built in 1873. Alongside the history of the site, the museum has an extensive collection, housing more than 7,000 objects. The building and collection provide two different reasons to visit: the preserved history of the building on the one hand and the wide variety of museum objects on the other.

Victoria Park Lake: activity and nature

Visitors and locals alike enjoy walking or cycling around Victoria Park Lake. The wetlands by the lake are also popular for bird- and turtle-watching. Sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed. The lake therefore appeals to people with different interests: you can enjoy some exercise by the water or focus on wildlife, without expecting to see any particular animals.

Aquamoves offers another option for activities. The facility is centrally located in Shepparton, behind Victoria Park Lake and next to the All Abilities Playground. Its indoor pool facilities include the Rapid River, a waterslide and a Tarzan Swing. This makes it easy to distinguish the open lake, with its focus on walking and cycling, from the indoor pool facilities. Facilities and availability may change; check which activities are currently available before visiting.

Highlights for your stay

When looking for a hotel in Shepparton, you can start by considering which themes you want to shape your stay: art and Aboriginal culture, local history or time at Victoria Park Lake. The places mentioned offer different ways to get to know the destination; for planning, the appointment requirement at the Bangerang Cultural Centre and the current arrangements at Kaiela Arts are especially important.

Discover more destinations: Marlo, Cape Schanck, Sale, Miners Rest, Toolangi, Mickleham, Johanna, Burnbank.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.