Warrnambool Art Gallery is one of the oldest regional galleries in Victoria, founded in 1886. The permanent collection is particularly strong in 19th-century colonial landscapes, including the famous 1855 painting of Tower Hill by Eugène von Guérard that later served as a guide for ecological restoration of the reserve. The gallery also holds a solid collection of contemporary Australian printmaking and photography.
It is a compact, well-curated space that merits an hour or two. The travelling exhibition programme brings in shows from major institutions, so there is usually something current alongside the permanent collection. Admission to the permanent collection is free. The gallery café is a good coffee stop in the town centre.