Goondiwindi: Art, River and Public Sculptures

Goondiwindi showcases different aspects of its cultural and leisure offerings: exhibitions at the Civic Centre, public artworks and a signposted trail along the Macintyre River. There are also water activities east of town. If you are planning a hotel stay, these different themes offer a practical guide to how you might spend your time in Goondiwindi.

Exhibitions and art around town

The Art Space at the Goondiwindi Regional Civic Centre at 100 Marshall Street hosts exhibitions by individual artists, art groups and curators. The Goondiwindi Visitor Information Centre is also located in the Civic Centre. There, you can get information about activities in the region and other places for travellers to visit. This brings a changing exhibition program and travel information together in one place.

Art is also part of the townscape beyond the Civic Centre. The collection of public artworks in the CBD grows each year, and individual works may change. These include murals and sculptures, as well as smaller works in Bowen Lane and along the river trail. The Goondiwindi Art Trail begins in the Civic Centre’s Art Space gallery and leads to murals, sculptures and art installations in Bowen Lane. This gives the art trail a clear starting point in the gallery and a named destination area with works in public spaces.

Sculptures and nighttime projections

The Nungwai sculpture “Coat of Arms” marks the entrance to Goondiwindi from the Cunningham Highway. “Once Upon a Time”, also a Nungwai sculpture, was created next to “Coat of Arms” in 2019. Nungwai is also home to five concrete heads along the fence line. Together, they weigh twenty tonnes, are illuminated at night and bear the names Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Lot's Wife. The sculpture “Smoko in the Meadow” depicts an oversized kitchen table with flowers and a coffee cup above a life-size representation.

Another public artwork is the Gunsynd statue in Apex Park on the banks of the McIntyre River. After dark, the water towers take centre stage: the “Illuminate the Flow” project, launched in 2024, projects animated artworks onto the towers every night. The nighttime projections make them an attraction for visitors. The artworks therefore differ not only in their form, but also in their connection to daytime or nighttime activities.

Riverwalk and water activities

The three-kilometre Macintyre Riverwalk follows the tree-lined riverbank. Along the way are several points of interest, as well as information signs about natural, social, historical and cultural aspects of the river. Unlike the Goondiwindi Art Trail, which starts in the gallery and leads to artworks in Bowen Lane, the Riverwalk is defined by its riverside location and information signs.

East of Goondiwindi Town is the 210-hectare Goondiwindi Natural Heritage & Water Park. Activities there include water skiing, wakeboarding, canoeing and boating; conditions on the water may vary. This offers a different experience from the signposted riverside trail: the Riverwalk explores themes related to the river, while the park lists opportunities for water activities. When planning your trip, you can choose between a route with several themed stops and a focus on water sports.

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.