I absolutely love a road trip!

When I learnt to drive (about 2,500 years ago, haha), I used to take myself off for day trips, no purpose but just to drive, see the sights from a different perspective and have the experience of complete freedom.

I have recently come back from 17 days heading East from where I live in South Australia. I visited loads of wonderful art galleries which friends have been asking about so I thought I would jot down what I did and a little about my solo tripping experience!

Hopefully it’s inspiring enough to set you on your way too!

FAQs

Q: Aren’t you lonely travelling alone?
A: No, as I love my own company. I meet people if I want to but I find it a great way to sift through my thoughts and get to know more about myself. Podcasts and music are my best friends but sometimes just silence (apart from the car noise!) is great too. Looking at the sights wiz by and being able to stop when and where you want it fabulous. If I see a lovely tree I want to take a photo of I can just stop without asking anyone else if they mind. On this trip my time was broken up with a friend in Melb, my son in Sydney and another friend (by accident!) in Canberra so that did make it extra special. Alone is great but sometimes a little touch base with some loved ones is even better!

Q: Do you get scared being alone and driving such a long way?
No, I try and stay focussed on how wonderful the time is and that people are generally lovely. If I was to get into car trouble I think I would feel pretty comfy asking for help. You keep your wits about yourself, follow your intuition and go at a pace that is (on or under speed limit) comfortable for you. There is no need to overtake, there are so many overtaking lanes if you find yourself stuck behind a caravan doing 40km p/h. Also if you have to go slow just enjoy the scenery of which there is MUCH! I don’t love the big trucks and if I am feeling ‘wobbly’ around them I’ve been known to pull over (safely where there is a pull over area) and just chill for a while.

Q: Do you listen to anything when you travel?
Yes! I love listening to podcasts, my fave music and finding new music on ‘Spotify’ when your current song goes to ‘song radio’.
I have put a list of the podcasts I enjoyed on this trip at the end of this blog. I don’t bother with the radio as generally the service isn’t that clear.

SIM’S TIPS (some of these are obvious but I thought if you’re new to solo travelling it might help)

Plan. At least some of the way or a general outline. I booked all my accommodation up until Canberra before I left. And then I booked the rest just before Canberra. Given it was not only school holidays but also Easter and Anzac Day I knew accommodation could be low. And it was! Which didn’t bother me going home as I just went to locations that I could find a (decently priced) motel for the night. This was fun as it changed where I ended up. I do like to be spontaneous (very much so!) but as I get older I find the requirement for comforts, not only physical but emotional, a little more of a important than when I was younger.

When you look on google maps you can click on things like, accommodation, galleries, cafes etc and it will show you what’s around the area which is very handy. We definitely live in a super time to travel locally, it’s not hard, doesn’t have to be overly expensive and there is SO much to see!

Pack. I am a notorious over packer! And since I was alone and had my car I did allow myself to take everything I ‘thought’ I might need! I had one general suitcase and one bag with toiletries etc but then I added an art bag, another bag of shoes (just in case) and knowing the weather was going to be everything from 31 degrees and sunny to in Jindabyne it was -1 degrees in the mornings I knew I might need a few changes of clothing. I took a couple of bags, inc one freezer bag, with fruit and snacks etc plus a couple of soup packs and crackers. I am gluten free so I like to make sure I have an ‘emergency’ meal that is super easy in case I get caught hungry. I always like to take my own pillow too. Motel pillows can be so fluffy! No I didn’t use everything I took but I got close!

Prepare. Like anytime you go away make sure everything at home is sorted as well as you can so you don’t have to think too much about it when you are away. I like to also make sure someone knows where I am. Both my adult kids (and my Dad!) have me on ‘tracker’ which is nice to know if needed they would know where I was. There isn’t always service on the road, like The Alpine Way which is 126kms (so a good couple of hilly, curly hours driving) and there is no service at all so I did make sure they knew I was heading there before I lost service. I am probably a little more overly cautious these days, I have family that love me at home so I want them to feel I am ok so I tend to stay in touch a bit when I can.

When: April 2025
Length: 2,900kms
Days: 17 days
Car: Subaru Crosstrek / auto and great fuel economy 6lt/100. If travelling it’s obvious you need a decent car but I think going solo this is even more important. I felt safe and that it wouldn’t break down or if in an accident it was equip with a decent safety system. It’s great to make sure you know how to check your oil etc and how to change a tyre. I didn’t need to do these things but I do know how.
Galleries: A list of galleries I visited is right at the end of this blog, links all the way through also.

THE TRIP:

DAY 1 - Adelaide drive 7ish hours (614kms)
Through Coonalypn (check out the painted silos) / Tintinara / Keith / Bordertown, Nhill, St Arnauds
Arrived in Bendigo (motel for the night)
DAY 2 - Lovely early morning walk through the streets of Bendigo, sussed out where the art gallery was but I was two hours too early. I walk everywhere, you see so much more and don’t have to park your car.
Bendigo is a lovely town, Lake Weeroona was sweet to wander around at sunset and relax after a decent day drive yesterday. It feels like quite an artistic town with interesting gardens and sculpture on the streets.
Visited: BENDIGO ART GALLERY / Frida Kahlo + Material Cause: Art x Textiles exhibitions plus the general gallery which had a huge range of contemporary and historical works.
It was great to see and read in detail about Frida’s life and the incredible challenges she worked through after her accident. The exhibition was predominately her clothing and photos of her, however they did have one of her rare 150 paintings which was so fabulous to see.
Drive to Daylesford (1 hour / 75kms)
Visited: BLACK DOG GALLERY - Christina, artist and owner, is a fabulous mixed media abstract painter. It’s my third visit to her very cool house and gallery. Even just the building is gorgeous!
BROMLEY&CO - The work of artist David Bromley. Just incredible to see such a prolific amount of work in another stunningly curated space.
MICHAEL PARKER GALLERIES - Fab works but mostly reproductions (prints on canvas) of his large artworks, lots of other interesting sculpture and lovely things to view. Definately worth a visit.
Eat at: CLIFFY’S - Very popular cool Vic vibes cafe.
Drive to Spotswood, Melbourne (1.5 hrs / 117kms), this is where my friend lives and I stayed there four nights. Interesting place to stay for a hill billy like me as it is directly on the train-line and only a short stone’s throw from the West Gate bridge. The noises never stop but I’ve stayed there enough times now to feel comfortable (and able to sleep!) and love my dear friend.

DAY 3 - Visited: KABLOOM FLOWER FESTIVAL - This was just a total bonus. Had no idea it was on and it was worth the 1 hour drive out of Melbourne through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges to the leafy area of Tesselaar.

DAY 4 - Visited: IAN POTTER CENTRE, NGV GALLERIES - Fashion exhibition by designer Martin Grant / plus Top Arts which is an exhibition by 40 year 12 students studying ‘Art Making and Exhibiting and Art Creative Practice in 2024’. I loved to see how incredibly patient, creative and talented the emerging artists are.

DAY 5 - Visited: NGV - Highlight! Yayoi Kusama exhibition! Hot tip… if you are going to a huge popular exhibition in Melbourne go at 8am! There was almost no one there and gallery attendants told me there were generally lines out the door generally. I had entire rooms to myself. The colours, design sense, imagination and persistence of Kusama was inspiring!

DAY 6 - Drive down to Geelong for a visit (1 hr from Melbourne city)
Visited: BOOM GALLERY, Geelong - A super cool gallery I visited years ago but remembered how cool their art was so I looked them up again. A new location but it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Visited: VINCENT FANTAUZZO GALLERY, Chapel Street, South Yarra - Oh my goodness! Portrait joy! Award winning, outstanding artist with quite the life story to go with it. I purchased his memoir ‘Unveiled’ and had the honour of meeting him in person, sharing a great chat about being an artist in 2025, dreams and goals. No photos but I bought his memoir which is a great read so far. Very intense young life he led!

DAY 7 - Drive to Benalla (3 hr drive / 268kms) Little lunch stop by the lake overlooking the Art Gallery! Win win!

Visited: BENALLA ART GALLERY - Fabulous gallery! This was a last minute find while on the road and it was definitely worth stopping for. Apart from their general gallery works including Sydney Nolan’s and Arthur Streeton there were two contemporary exhibitions on: ‘Jason Parker: Rise, Ruin, Renew, Repeat’ and ‘Baby Guerrilla: Dancing with Gravity’. Both really entertaining and inspiring.
Another great thing about Benalla are their murals!

Drive to Albury and stay the night (1.25 hrs / 117kms)
Visited: MOMA GALLERY - There wasn’t much here that kept my interest I’m afraid. It was a quick whip around and out the door. When you know what you like viewing it makes it easy to know where to spend your time.

DAY 8 - Drive to Jindabyne (3.75 hrs / 267kms) - a joyful drive if you like hills, corners and stunning nature! It could make some a little car sick I suspect as the Alpine Way is VERY long and VERY curvy! Luckily it was an absolute stunner of a day and the road was fairly quiet so sunroof was open and sounds of birds overtook my car noise. I grew up in the hills and learned to drive this way so it feels natural and easy for me however I don’t think it is everyones cuppa of tea. Quite steep cliffs and thinnish roads can make it into someones nightmare. I was also feeling very pumped about getting to Jindabyne where I would see my darling son, Benji (24) who was there visiting his girlfriend then together we would drive him back to Sydney where he lives.

Still DAY 8 - I was so lucky to find myself in a hotel right on Lake Jindabyne and there was a sculpture exhibition ‘Lake Light Sculpture’ opening the next morning all along the lake banks. A great diverse range of works from local artists emerging and established. I also got mildly obsessed with the incredible sunset over a little island in the lake!

Back to the hotel for a little quick watercolour sketch. I don’t tend to make much art when on the road, I think I am so consumed with the scenery and experience then at the end of each day I am generally pretty ready for a rest so I just don’t feel the urge… well that’s not true, I feel the urge but not strong enough to dive in. However I record so many voice notes on my phone so I can remember a feeling, an idea or concept. I learn so much about my beautiful chaotic brain when out on the road. I find it quite fascinating the depth in which the mind can reach when unencumbered with daily life ‘chores and distractions.

DAY 9 - Early rise and walk back down to the lake, curious to see if the sculptures had worn well over night. This time I was lucky to experience the sunrise over the lake. Again, the peace and quiet of being up early before anyone else and wandering on a beach (that is generally not there however the lake is very low right now) is delightful. I feel so at one with nature in these moments, watching the birds and their rituals and personalities going about their daily tasks. Just to be a viewer into this world and being deeply aware that as we run around like ants building nests this natural calm is surrounding us watching on - maybe wondering what on earth we are doing rushing so much … to what end?

Final destination before leaving Jindabyne, Wildbrumby Distillery, apart from the delicious schnapps and gins they create it’s a great spot for a cuppa and cake overlooking the stunning beautifully maintained gardens.

DAY 9 - CONTINUED - on the road again… with my son as a companion heading to Manly. (5.5hrs / 474kms). Pretty decent drive and nice to have awesome chat time with my son. Quite the contrast arriving in Sydney from Jindabyne… traffic on top of traffic, bridges, underpass tunnels… neither Benji or I overly keen on this kind of driving so it was excellent to have him as my navigator and second set of eyes under pressure.

Manly - what a top spot! Benji lives right near the beach and although I am not a swimmer I love looking at water and watching the people go by, fishing, swimming, boating and occasionally I do wonder if I am missing out on a huge part of life not being a beach goer or keen on getting into the ocean.

DAY 11 - Parking was a bit challenging in Manly. Mainly permit parking but also given it was Easter there was nothing near by, so having to park a 7 min walk away from where I was staying with my son in his flat, I decided that the car had found it’s home for the next four days and public transport was the go! Lots of walking and seeing the fabulous architecture (another passion of mine) and taking buses was a great way to get to know the area and relax without worrying about dealing with traffic.

Visited: Art Gallery of NSW - every time I pop into a National Gallery I google ‘Gordon Coutts’. He was my great great Uncle and a painter originally from Scotland and moving to Australia in 1880. He was friends and mentored by Irish artist John Lavery. He then moved to San Francisco in 1902, spent time in Mexico and finally living out his final years in Palm Springs where he built an amazing Moroccan style villa which still stands today as ‘Korakia’ and is used as accomodation and wellness retreats (sounds exactly what I’d love to do one day!!).

So on finding that Gordon had one of his works in the Art Gallery of NSW, I wondered if I’d find it on the walls… then of course right in front of us Ben said, ‘there it is!’. It is called ‘Waiting’ and it was quite high on the wall so the shot is a bit angled so I dragged one off the net too.

The joy of standing so close and imagining the artist create each brush stroke on paintings I have admired for years never gets old. The crafting, the mistakes, the decisions, frustrations and triumphs are all there. Some of my favourites here including Patricia Piccinini, John Brack, Jeffery Smart, Brett Whiteley and y favourite Tempe Manning portrait just to name a few.

Also the Art Express exhibition of artworks by Year 12 visual arts students from across New South Wales was showing also which was another joy seeing young artists and their talents. I might have stayed in art at school if it was more like this!

And a wander around the city to visit the architectural icons.

DAY 12 - Taronga Zoo - I think it is just a mandatory visit as Ben and I are keen on the animal cuteness. However, it’s always the mind challenge between conservation and trapped I find in my mind. I know they are being so well cared for but sometimes you do really feel the sadness in their eyes.

DAY 13 - Saying goodbye to my kiddo in Manly is never a great joy but I am happy he’s learning, growing and doing what he loves.

Drive to Canberra (3.5 hrs / 300kms) where, very coincidentally, my dear friend and artist mate Kathy Doley was staying also! So drove in around lunchtime, parked at the National Gallery of Australia and met for a wander together! Another amazing space and incredible diverse artworks. Contemporary, traditional, sculpture and every medium you can imagine! There were two exhibitions on, one by Ethel Carrick and the other Anne Dangar. Both beautiful. Carrick’s depictions of french flower markets were just divine. The colours were luminous and vibrant and the mark making (oils) so simple yet it created such a feeling of being there. (second to last image).

DAY 14 - Stay in Canberra over night and wake up bright and early for a wander and to visit the National Portrait Gallery. I must stay, I was a bit excited about this one given my love of painted faces. The first room contained two entire walls were covered with gorgeous portraits, a vast array of styles and subjects. There were also two other exhibitions on, Thom Roberts and Joan Ross. Very different but equally interesting. Both living artists with contemporary styles, Thom has an obsession with seeing people as particular trains and Joan, originally from Scotland, works span collage, printmaking, sculpture and video animation. With a sensational concept and use of fluro!

After a full morning topping up my art heart it was off to Benalla (4.75 hrs / 452kms) for the night. I had some lovely chill time in my motel that afternoon plus a walk around Benalla.

DAY 15 - Up early and a short drive to Shepparton (48mins / 60kms), off to the new (3 years old) SAM gallery. Awesome architecture again with some really contemporary works inside!

Then a quick second visit to one of my favourite spots Daylesford (2.5 hrs / 193kms) for lunch and a last minute wander.

Drive to Kyneton (30 mins / 33kms) visit John Lloyd Gallery. I had a great half an hour chat with John, lovely chap and it was great to meet another artist running their own gallery and surviving successfully on his own art. He owns his main street building and lives upstairs. His days are walk, cuppa, paint, meet people in his gallery, sell art, vino and dinner, rinse and repeat! Sounds like another jolly great plan to me!

A quick drive to my home for the night in Ballarat (40mins / 44kms). Lovely sunset lake walk again and a little motel sketching time.

DAY 16 - A very wet day and I’d hoped for a walk in the Grampians but it was poring so I thought it best to drive on and find another stop instead. I discovered Hamilton for lunch and lucky me another gallery, Hamilton Gallery, was open on a public holiday! A brutalist (architectural style) exhibition was showing ‘OFF FORM, OFF MODERN: A Brutalist Archaeology from The Grampians (Gariwerd)’, plus a couple of other shows.

Though many cute towns including Casterton ‘birthplace of the kelpie’.. who knew!?

Drive to Penola (3.5 hrs / 301kms), Anzac Day so I wasn’t sure much would be open however how wrong I was. The main street gifted me four galleries! I wasn’t allowed to take many pictures of the art so not much to show but links to the galleries here (if they had a website).
Gallery 54 , Local Images Penola Art Gallery, Still Water Studio, and another one I didn’t get the name of.

However if you are in Penola Coonawarra mid to late May 2025 they have their Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival on! Only a 4 hour drive from Adelaide city so it would be great to visit.