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A new art gallery focused on environmental art has been hailed as a “green shoot of recovery” for tourism in the Grampians region, following two consecutive summers of devastating bushfires.
The Wama Foundation, situated 10 minutes outside Halls Gap in western Victoria, a three-hour drive from Melbourne, opened in July. The first stage of this 16-hectare project includes the National Centre for Environmental Art, surrounded by botanical gardens featuring native plants and grasslands.
The second stage will introduce accessible walkways, play areas, and a sculpture trail.
The CEO of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism, Marc Sleeman, states that the region is currently in a “period of rebuild” following two challenging summers. Bushfires either side of 2024 destroyed over 135,000 hectares of national park and farmland in the Gariwerd/Grampians area.
Sleeman sees the Wama Foundation as crucial to the region’s long-term recovery strategy, commenting, “It offers a new and fresh incentive for visitors, symbolizing a green shoot of recovery with the establishment of a new business. This instills a sense of positivity and hope within our community after difficult years and marks a significant shift in our regional attractions.”
Wama Foundation’s interim CEO, Ange Turrell, explains that the arts center will not only attract new visitors but also aid in conserving the region’s unique biodiversity.
With 80% of the Grampians/Gariwerd national park affected by the bushfires, the botanic
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/24/endemic-plants-environmental-art-new-gallery-tourism-victoria-grampians
