New Hamilton Gallery

Council endorsed plans in late 2022 to move forward with a new Hamilton Gallery, confirming intentions to build on its current site and progress a CBD. The decision set in motion the long-awaited aspiration for an improved gallery to house the shires significant collection, while the agreement to purchase buildings in the Hamilton CBD forms part of plans to build a new facility to house a new digital hub, library, cinema, and office spaces, which will also serve as a government hub.

The CBD location for the Hamilton Gallery will support the broader Council vision for the activation with the development of a vibrant and connected civic precinct the community can be proud of.

The goal is to position the new Hamilton Gallery as a national leader in regional art galleries to create a place that is truly exciting, inclusive, and ambitious.

The new Gallery will be a place where the collecting and presenting of art is complemented by civic and community functions. The Gallery has the ability to strengthen the connection between culture and life by connecting art to local people in a way that is inclusive, generous and exciting.

The new Hamilton Gallery will foster:

• Local identity
• Civic Life
• Creative Pathways
• The Collection
• Natural Environment
• First Nations Cultures
• Connections

Southern Grampians Shire Council has taken another major step toward delivering the New Hamilton Gallery, one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the Shire, endorsing the progression of the project to the detailed design stage.

Following the successful completion of the concept designs, Council has awarded the detailed design contract to internationally renowned architectural firm Angelo Candalepas and Associates (ACA).

ACA was awarded the concept design contract in September 2024 through a competitive tender process which included 28 submissions from some of Australia's most highly regarded architects.

ACA has worked closely with the Southern Grampians community over a four-month period through a co-design process and will now bring those ideas and aspirations to life through detailed design stage.

A closed tender process was undertaken for the detailed design stage, with only one tenderer evaluated. This was due to several factors, including the reluctance of other architectural firms to proceed with detailed design if they were not involved in the concept phase. Engaging a new architect at this stage often leads to reworking the concept design, resulting in increased costs and potential delays.

An independent Probity Consultant was engaged to oversee the process and ensure it met the highest standards of fairness, accountability, and transparency and to assure that the project is being completed with the maximum benefit to our community. The state government agency, Office of Victoria Government Architects, who are the largest procurer of architectural services across the state, contributed their time and expertise with two senior principal advisors sitting on the evaluation panel.

Southern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Dennis Heslin praised the decision to move forward with ACA, calling it the best possible outcome for the project.

“ACA have already demonstrated their ability to combine world-class design with a deep respect for our community’s vision,” Mr Heslin said.

“This next stage ensures we keep that momentum going, whilst positioning us strongly to secure further investment from our government and philanthropic partners. ACA are a world-renowned firm, designing buildings of national and international cultural significance such as the new National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. I am very pleased that we have been able to retain such a celebrated and decorated architect.”

The contract for Stage 2: Detailed Design, is valued at $3.35 million, with the vast majority of funding coming from sources external to Council. This includes $2.9 million from the Federal Government’s Regional Partnerships and Precincts Program grant and a generous philanthropic donation of $400,000.

A saving of $382,150 was made from the concept design stage and a carry forward of $55,451 will be contributed by Council to the detailed design stage. Council has a capped commitment of up to $10 million towards construction, conditional on additional funding support from State and Federal governments and philanthropic partners. The total construction cost of the gallery is currently estimated at $48.9 million.

Council also acknowledged the recent bequest from the late Venise Alstergren, a celebrated artist and ardent supporter of Hamilton Gallery. Her gift of funding and artworks to the gallery is both a tribute to her love of the arts and a reminder of the philanthropic support building around the project.

Independent reviews confirmed that the current gallery building would not be suitable to deliver the conditions needed to house and display major artworks, with structural, environmental and spatial limitations making a purpose-built facility the only viable option.

“This is about building a gallery that can stand proudly on the national stage, attract major exhibitions, and showcase our outstanding collection for generations to come. Artwork from the Hamilton Gallery collection has been exhibited in every major Gallery across Australia including recently the National Gallery of Australia and Hobart’s MONA. Other galleries and other communities are benefitting from our collection, and I’d like to see our community reap the rewards from the collection our Gallery has built,” Cr Heslin concluded.

The New Hamilton Gallery is one of the most exciting and significant cultural projects ever undertaken in the Southern Grampians and is expected to deliver long-term economic, social and cultural benefits for the region.

To view the concept plans, please visit the website. To stay up to date with all things Council, consider signing up to our newsletter.

Southern Grampians Shire Council has officially endorsed the concept designs for the New Hamilton Gallery at its July Ordinary Council Meeting, marking a major milestone in this transformative cultural project.

The endorsed designs are the result of an extensive community consultation process, which saw over 146 submissions received during the public exhibition period. Feedback strongly reflected three key priorities for the project: community connection, tourism growth, and green spaces.

Southern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Dennis Heslin said the endorsement signals a significant step forward for the long-anticipated project.

“To have a project of this scale endorsed by Councillors and embraced by the community shows a real commitment to bringing this long-held vision to life,” Cr Heslin said.

Community engagement has been central to shaping the designs, with multiple stages of public input taking place including early sessions during the tender development phase in May 2023, co-design workshops commencing in December 2024, and the final public display in June 2025.

“We are confident these designs deliver on our service needs – creating an enduring home for our nationally significant art collection, fostering community connection, increasing green spaces, and supporting a thriving tourism sector,” Cr Heslin said.

Concept designs by Angelo Candalepas and Associates reflect the region’s cultural narrative while balancing long-term operational needs and sustainability goals.

“Even if you’re not an art lover, it’s exciting to think about the opportunities this project will unlock for our region. A new gallery will attract more visitors, boost our local hospitality and accommodation businesses, and generate meaningful economic benefits for the Southern Grampians,” Cr Heslin added.

The $48.92 million project has Council’s contribution capped at $10 million, only to be spent once all other funding is secured. Council has already secured $5 million from the Federal Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program to fund design work for the New Hamilton Gallery, CBD streetscape improvements, a community hub, and a new town square.

The next stage is the detailed design phase, which will further refine the endorsed concepts. To manage costs, the architects have proposed options such as staged delivery, design alterations, material substitutions, and additional private fundraising.

The total project fundraising target is $70 million, comprising:

• $10 million – Southern Grampians Shire Council

• $30 million – Private donors

• $20 million – State Government

• $10 million – Federal Government

For further information on this project and any of our other major projects, visit Engage Southern Grampians

Hamilton Gallery and the Southern Grampians Shire Council are set to host the second round of community co-design sessions for the New Hamilton Gallery (NHG), where architectural draft ideas will be shared and discussed.

Renowned architect Angelo Candalepas and Associates will visit the region from Wednesday 26 March to Friday 28 March 2025 to share initial concepts with residents, local businesses, creatives, youth, First Nations, schools and key stakeholders.

Developing and launching the conceptual designs marks an exciting milestone for the NHG and we are asking the entire community to come together to engage directly with the architect and his team. This provides an important opportunity for feedback to be received and all opinions to be heard.

Click here to read the media release in full.

Council invites Southern Grampians community members and business owners to help shape the new Hamilton Gallery at the upcoming community workshops.

Co-design architect Angelo from Angelo Candalepas and Associates will be on hand to hear your thoughts about how the Gallery can best service community, business and tourism.

If you're interested in leaving your mark on the new Gallery, register your interest in attending a workshop today.

5:00pm - 7:00pm Monday 2 December 2024, Hamilton Cinema

2:00pm - 3:00pm Tuesday 3 December 2024, Hamilton Cinema

Southern Grampians Shire Council is set to receive a $5 million funding boost from the Federal Government for the design of Hamilton’s Community and Cultural Precinct.

Consisting of the CBD Streetscape, New Hamilton Gallery, the Community Hub and new town square, the projects will be supported by the Federal Government to build community connection while growing the Southern Grampians tourism and cultural sectors.

Southern Grampians Shire Council CEO Tony Doyle said Council is thrilled following this announcement.

“This funding announcement is a huge endorsement of our aspiration for the Hamilton CBD. It gives our major projects a real boost to turn these ambitious builds into a reality for our community,” said Mr Doyle.

“We are very appreciative to receive the funding, which will go toward project design, and importantly it shows a real belief and a commitment from the Federal Government to invest in the future of the Southern Grampians,” said Mr Doyle.

“As a Council we have been advocating hard over the last couple of years at both a State and Federal level to champion the progression of these intergenerational projects that we know will make a real difference in the growth and sustainability of our region.

“We know the Hamilton Community and Cultural Precinct has the capacity to grow not only our local economy but really cement our place as a must-stop destination on the tourism map.”

The new Community Hub will provide a place for community to improve education and business outcomes and skills; provide a much-needed expanded library, as well as the co-location of government and community health services.

The CBD Streetscape will allow for revitalised streets, build upon laneways and encourage community connection through spaces, culture, and events, welcoming visitors and residents to stay and play in what will be a reinvigorated Hamilton CBD.

The new Gallery will provide opportunity to display more of the extensive 9,000 item collection and will be complemented by civic and community functions. The Gallery will also strengthen connection between culture and life through art that is inclusive. It will be positioned as a national leader in regional galleries to create a place that is exciting, inclusive, and ambitious. Importantly, the new Gallery will also drive visitor growth and build the region’s tourism economy.

Check out the release in full here.

Council appointed architect Angelo Candalepas and Associates to undertake stage one (Co-Design and Concept) of the New Hamilton Gallery Design Process at the Special Council meeting held in September.

For more information regarding this appointment, you can view the Council papers from the meeting here.

A countrywide and global search has commenced to obtain architects to design the New Hamilton Gallery (NHG). Southern Grampians Shire Council recently released the tender to engage architects to undertake conceptual design of the NHG.

It is a defining moment in the history of the town, community and region, with the endorsement of the NHG design tender pack being presented and approved at July’s ordinary Council meeting.

The tender alongside the allocation in the recent Council budget to fund the design, will usher in a new enlightenment era of culture and tourism for the community.

Like all exceptional and significant projects such as the creation of Lake Hamilton in 1977 and the inception of the Gallery in 1961, the community has driven and played an important role to advocate and see this project to fruition.

Mayor Cr Robertson commented, “This is a wonderful example of how the public, Council and Councillors have collaborated to see the long-term visions of the community become a reality. We are taking action to grow and highlight our position as a unique and important place within Australia.”

“The New Hamilton Gallery will grow our visitor economy and have a significant economic impact on the region and will complement our agricultural history. It will amplify our culture and the great things our region has achieved and has to offer.”

You can read the release in full here.