General News
25 March, 2025
Railway Station Gallery; 30 years a platform for local arts and crafts
FOR 30 years the Stawell Railway Station gallery has been creating a platform for local artists and crafters to display their work.
FOR 30 years the Stawell Railway Station gallery has been creating a platform for local artists and crafters to display their work.
Members of the committee that runs the railway station gallery, Linda Maher and Pauline Shirrefs, sat down with the Stawell Times-News recently.
“It’s just nice to have our own little gallery,” said Ms Maher.
Ms Shirrefs noted that there is a lot of local artistic talent around Stawell with a wide variety of skills.
While sitting in the station’s old parcel room, she could look around and point out displays of hand-crafted jewellery, paintings, ribbon art, knitting, hand made hand bags and cards for almost any occasion.
“Linda makes nearly all the handbags,” Ms Shirrefs said.
“It's a bad week when you don't sell one of Linda's handbags.”
The Gallery opened on Good Friday in 1995.
The organisation originally wanted to call the Wesley Church building home, but council opted to demolish it.
When the railway station, including the stationmasters quarters were leased from VIKTRAK, the facility had fallen into disrepair.
A considerable amount of work was required to restore the residence, and through the years, the group has continued to maintain and upgrade the historic building, using funds raised from its monthly high tea.
Currently, the gallery is hosting the exhibition ‘Fun With Textiles and Fibers’ by two members, Jenny and Lorraine.
It is open from Friday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.
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