Bowerbird
Arts Trail
Open Art Studios from
Batemans Bay to Broulee.
Visit working studios and
meet the artists.NEXT TRAIL
5th-6th December 2026 10am-4pm
About the Bowerbird Arts Trail
An open art studio experience, set between Batemans Bay and Broulee on the South Coast of New South Wales. Over one weekend, visitors step inside working artist studios — many nestled in coastal gardens — and meet the makers behind the region’s vibrant creative community.This self‑guided trail invites you to discover hidden creative spaces, watch live demonstrations, and enjoy behind‑the‑scenes insights into painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, glass and mixed media. Every studio reveals its own story of place, process and inspiration.NEXT TRAIL
5th-6th December 2026 10am-4pm
What You'll Experience
Wander through coastal hamlets, garden studios and bushland pockets between Batemans Bay and Broulee.See artists at work, explore their creative spaces, enjoy a relaxed, welcoming weekend of painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, glass and mixed media.
Each studio is a glimpse into the maker’s process, inspiration and connection.
Open Studio Locations
The Bowerbird Arts Trail runs between Batemans Bay and Broulee on the South Coast of NSW, with studios opening in the coastal neighbourhoods, garden spaces and bushland pockets along the way.
Each trail features a different mix of participating studios, all within this stretch of coastline.A detailed map and studio list are ready around two weeks before each open weekend to help you plan your visit. The map shown is an example only; studio locations vary each trail.
Meet the Artists
Suzanne Carter Tomakin
Suzanne's contemporary mixed media practice spans expressive abstract painting and sculptural woven textiles. Inspired by nature and human connection, her layered works invite viewers to pause, reflect and discover the stories woven beneath the surface.
Naomi Crowther
Surf Beach
Naomi's richly textured paintings are inspired by the waterways, bushland and coastline and botanicals of the NSW Far South Coast. Using thickly layered paint, Naomi creates contemporary works that celebrate nature while exploring themes of renewal, connection and quiet reflection.
Janet Kininmonth
Batemans Bay
Janet creates contemporary kiln-formed glass inspired by the ocean, native flora and the unique light of the NSW South Coast. Her highly collectable glass sculptures, serving ware and jewellery capture the fluidity and brilliance of glass, reflecting her deep connection with the coastal landscape.
Jane Whiting
Batehaven
Jane is an oil painter whose work celebrates the beauty found in everyday life, from quiet interiors and elegant tablescapes to beach scenes and expansive coastal landscapes. Her paintings explore the stories, memories and emotions that spaces and objects can evoke, inviting viewers to pause and connect with the familiar in a new way.
Dave Ramsland
Malua Bay
Dave's evocative oil paintings capture the beauty and atmosphere of the NSW South Coast. Inspired by the region's ever-changing landscapes and seascapes, he combines studio practice with plein air painting to create works that reflect his deep connection to the natural environment.
Ness Shannon
Mogo
Ness is inspired by the natural world, she works across a wide range of mediums while also sharing her passion for creativity through art therapy, community workshops and wellbeing programs that celebrate connection, self-expression and the joy of making. Ness is the founder of Active Art in Mogo.
Mandy Hillson
Broulee
Mandy's practice centres on handmade paper created from natural materials, including locally harvested plant fibres. Inspired by a deep sense of place, she combines paper pulp, photography, watercolour, print, stitching and collage to explore the stories and quiet beauty held within the natural environment.
Lesley Van Haalen
Rosedale
Winner of the 2026 Bowerbird Arts Trail People's Choice Prize, Lesley's creative practice spans pastel, watercolour and acrylic, alongside beading and found-object art. Her varied work reflects a love of colour, creativity and the landscapes and seascapes of the NSW South Coast.
Hans Van Haalen
Rosedale
Hans uses watercolour and acrylic paint to depict the beauty of his local South Coast environment and his travels. His work captures familiar landscapes and seascapes with a strong sense of place and an appreciation for the natural world around him.
Kerrie Wilson
Malua Bay
Kerrie Wilson is inspired by the relaxed beauty of life on the NSW South Coast. Working primarily in watercolour and mixed media, Kerrie creates character-filled magpies, Australian gums and botanicals, whimsical caravans and unique coastal pieces incorporating shells and sea glass.
Connie Searle
Tomakin
Connie's expressive paintings celebrate colour, texture and the freedom of intuitive mark-making. Her richly layered works combine playful shapes, gestural lines and luminous colour, creating vibrant compositions that invite the viewer to discover something new with every look.
Judith Wilkins
Malua Bay
Judith's expressive, intuitive works filled with bold colour, rich texture and layered detail. Guided by curiosity and a love of experimentation, her paintings move freely across styles and subjects, resulting in vibrant, individual works full of energy and personality.
Louise McDonald
Broulee
Louise captures landscapes, people and everyday moments of coastal life with both her camera and artist lens. With an observant eye for light, colour and composition, Louise finds beauty in both the natural world and stories unfolding within her local community.
Ellen McDonald
Broulee
Ellen's textile art explores traditional handcraft techniques alongside eco dyeing and contemporary textile methods. Her mixed-media works combine embroidery, sewing, knitting, quilt making and art books.
Ken Taber
Jeremadra
Ken is well known for his swamp birds and atmospheric paintings of forests, coastlines and ships at sea. Inspired by light, water and the surrounding landscape, Ken's art and sculptures can be discovered throughout his beautiful five-acre water garden.
How We Started
The Bowerbird Arts Trail is a creation involving likeminded artists from Batemans Bay to Broulee. Through collaboration, we wanted to create an easy, accessible art experience for locals and visitors to the region. The South Coast offers plenty of outdoor activities, but some people simply want to visit artist studios — and we wanted to make that option straightforward.Our aim was to build a simple, easy‑to‑navigate open‑studio weekend where people could move between creative spaces without checking individual opening times. The founding artists — Gemma Porteous, Janet Kininmonth, Suzanne Carter, Naomi Crowther, Kerrie Wilson and Pauline Barnes — coordinated the first weekend using this approach.From the beginning, the goal was practical: support each other, share visitors, and create a consistent experience across the region. Referring visitors from one studio to the next worked well, and the coordinated trail format has continued to grow. Each season brings a new mix of participating studios within the Batemans Bay–Broulee stretch.The Bowerbird Arts Trail shows that there is space in the art world — and in our coastal community — for everyone. Collaboration has helped us build a friendly, supportive network and a simple way for people to enjoy local art, and to experience the creative energy that strengthens and uplifts the body, mind and spirit. We invite you to explore what the Eurobodalla arts community has to offer.See you on the trail
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