PLEIN AIR DOWN UNDER OUTDOOR PAINTING FESTIVAL WEEKEND

Workshops, Paint Outs, Exhibitions, Awards & Prizes, Demonstrations and Artist Talks.

This festival celebrates everything to do with outdoor painting.

Plein Air Down Under invites artists and art lovers alike to join in the fun of the Peel Region’s outdoor painting festival.
Come and paint, or come and watch!

Over $12,000 in cash and prizes are on offer for artists accepting the challenge of capturing the character and beauty of Mandurah and Pinjarra’s natural and built environment.

 

Pre and post festival weekend activities include:

  • World Wide Paint Out: 7 & 8 September, Mandjar Square Mandurah
  • Spirit of the Landscape Exhibition, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
  • Painting Masterclasses with feature artist Lori Putnam (USA)
  •  Portrait Painting Masterclass with feature artist Tony Robinson (Ireland)
  • Plein Air Painting Masterclass with feature artist Leon Holmes (WA)
  • Watercolour Workshop with Gordon Alexander
  • Plein Air Drawing Workshop with Andy Dolphin

 

Festival weekend activities include:

  • Artists Meet and Greet at the Leon Holmes Gallery
  • Demonstrations by feature artists
  • Day and evening paint outs and festivities
  • Two-hour ‘Quick Draw’ painting competition
  • A day painting in historic Pinjarra
  • An exhibition of festival weekend artwork
  • Free have-a-go painting activities for all ages
  • Awards and prizes

 

Ticket Information:

  • FREE to watch and enjoy the surrounds
  • Youth Artist Registration (aged 18 and under) $10.00
  • Adult Artist Registration: $77.50 Standard, $62.50 Early Bird to 31 July.

2024 ASRF Mandurah City Street Rod Nationals

An Australian Street Rod Federation, 4 Day event encompassing both entrant only and general public activities around the Peel region. Over 200 Street Rods and 400+ people hitting the streets of Mandurah, with many coming from the east coast but most from all over Western Australia.

The event kicks off with a Meet and Eat on the Eastern Foreshore around 6pm Friday 22nd March. Entrants are invited to bring their Street Rods down, parking on the Eastern Foreshore where they will be cared for by our Security team. Entrants can then go and enjoy the array of meal choices up and down the road.

Saturday we have Entrant only activities all day and into the evening but the public will be able to see many of the Rods cruising the streets as they make their way to and from the various activities.

Sunday is the big day, our Show and Shine spectacular at Peel Thunder HQ, Rushton Park, open to the public from 10am until 4pm. Tickets are $15 per adult, $5 kids, and $40 for a Family (up to 4 kids). In addition we have two special guests, with over 500K subscribers & views in the millions between them, they are social media & you tube stars Karl Fisher of Japhands Kustoms from Canada, plus Jordan Bennett of Bennett Customs from Dunsborough.

Post 4pm we are back into an Entrant only event, as we take in a busy few days, wind down, have a lovely meal together and farewell our Entrants.

Mandurah Wedding Fayre

Mandurah’s only outdoor Wedding Fair, showcasing the very best of our local wedding vendors & venues

Come down to Keith Holmes Reserve on Feb 25 to meet around 50+ local professional and friendly Wedding vendors ready to help you make planning your dream wedding a breeze!

A fun, family friendly event where you can chat with local vendors face to face, enjoy a spectacular bridal gown catwalk show, feast on some tasty wedding food samples and enjoy the live music performed from a range of wedding entertainers, DJs, and MC’d by Ali Hill from Wave FM!

The best part?

The event is completely free, generously sponsored by the City of Mandurah.

So come down, enjoy some exclusive ‘On the Day’ vendor expo discounts and participate in our exciting ‘snap and tag’ wedding competition with your chance to win some fabulous wedding day related prizes!

This event is being hosted by the following local businesses:

  • Marriage Office Mandurah
  • Zoo Bridal
  • Birds of a Feather Events

Surrounding hospitality establishments will be open and free public car parking & toilets are available.

Make it a date with your partner and we will see you there

A palette of experiences: Plein Air Down Under Festival in Mandurah

French for open air, ‘plein air’ painting is all about capturing the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject outdoors. And that’s exactly what the Plein Air Down Under Outdoor Painting Festival sets out to do.

Plein Air Down Under Festival in Mandurah

Discover a palette of experiences

Love to paint? Why not take it ‘plein air’!
French for open air, ‘plein air’ painting is all about capturing the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject outdoors. And that’s exactly what the Plein Air Down Under Outdoor Painting Festival sets out to do.

Western Australia’s largest outdoor painting festival returns this year during the September long weekend (23-25 September), providing a unique opportunity for artists to share their love of painting outdoors amongst the magnificent surrounds of Mandurah’s town centre, cultural precinct and the historic town of Pinjarra.

But you don’t have to be a Vincent Van Gogh to enjoy what’s on offer. Whatever your age or level of artistic skills – there’s something for everyone – spectators and art collectors alike.

What’s on at the festival hub

The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre is where it all comes together. It’s where you can view exhibited works, sign up for workshops, watch various painting demonstrations with guest artists and in the evening, switch off and kick back with live music.

On Saturday 23rd September, the Lotterywest Demo Zone on the Eastern Foreshore will also be buzzing with a series of free hands-on painting demonstrations. Never tried painting with watercolours? See how easy it is to get started with award-winning artist Amanda Brett.

Be sure to check out the full line-up of free events across the weekend.

plein air down under mandurah 1

Want to register as an artist?

All artists who register to paint at the Plein Air Down Under Outdoor Painting Festival can enter two paintings into the exhibition to be held at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. Judges will be awarding artwork across various categories and there’s a prize pool of over $12,000 up for grabs.

Head to the festival website to register.

plein air down under mandurah 3

There’s artwork to inspire you everywhere you go

Wherever you go in Mandurah, you’ll be immersed in the arts. Continuing outdoors, you’ll stumble upon some of the most creative artworks along Mandurah’s Instagram Trail

3D pelican - Mandurah Instagram Trail
Follow the Mandurah Instagram Trail to find this hungry pelican by artist Jenny McCracken

Thomas Dambo’s famous Giants are still calling Mandurah home, and with the mild weather in play, it’s the perfect opportunity to head further out and explore the Giants of Mandurah

Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone by Thomas Dambo, Coodanup Foreshore
Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone by Thomas Dambo, Coodanup Foreshore

Visit the Mandurah Visitor Centre to get started, choose the Giants you’d like to visit and embark on your self-guided expedition. Don’t forget to check out the amazing ‘Welcome to Country’ mural by artists Peta & Corey Ugle and the 3D Augmented Reality experience that brings the artwork to life by telling the Aboriginal creation story of Mandurah’s vast waterways.

3D Augmented Reality Experience at the Mandurah Visitor Centre
Come to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to enjoy a 3D Augmented Reality experience.

Leave your car at the hotel and hire an e-bike or e-scooter, or jump on a ‘Ride the Giants’ e-bike tour. You can also take a cruise with Mandurah Cruises to visit the Giant ‘Seba’s Song’ – which is best viewed from the water. See all Giants of Mandurah tours here.

Seba's Song Giant by Thomas Dambo
Seba's Song Giant by Thomas Dambo

If you need a change of pace, head indoors and visit some of Mandurah’s colourful art spaces and galleries.

Black Stump Art Gallery in Mandurah
Black Stump Gallery by Emma Blyth, Mandurah

Where to venture beyond the festival

When you feel like taking a break from all the action on land, change up the scenery and hit the open water. If you’d like to see dolphins in the wild and up close, jump on a boat tour or cruise through Mandurah’s waterways and estuaries. It’s home to more than 100 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphins – the largest population in WA. And if you’re exploring with little feet in tow, the Pirate Ship Mandurah is an absolute must! 

For more ideas on where to go and what to do, check out our top 10 things to do in Mandurah.

CC Boat Cruises in Mandurah
Cruising the Mandurah Canals in Halls Head | image courtesy: Mandurah Cruises

Explore a different kind of palate

When you’ve run your paint palette dry and worked up an appetite, there’s no shortage of places to eat in Mandurah. Our top picks include breakfast at Wood and Stone Café, a relaxing lunch that lingers into the afternoon at Boundary Island Brewery and a dinner to share at Flics Kitchen

Boundary Island Brewery
Boundary Island Brewery

Mandurah’s restaurants are always cooking up great vibes no matter where you go. From popular local haunts Brewvino and The Pen to the iconic flavours of Redmanna on the waterfront – you’ll be spoilt for choice. There are so many great places to eat and drink in Mandurah. Just be sure to book ahead and reserve your table to avoid disappointment!

The Peninsula Bar & Restaurant
The Peninsula Bar & Restaurant

Where to stay in Mandurah

If you like to stay close to all the action of the festival, you’re in luck! Some of the best accommodation in Mandurah is centrally located for your convenience. The Sebel Mandurah and Dolphin Quay Apartments are footsteps away from popular attractions and dining options.

Venture a little further along the coast and Seashells Mandurah and C Mandurah Resort & Serviced Apartments have all the facilities you need for a relaxing stay by the water.

Check out all Mandurah accommodation here.

Seashells Resort Mandurah
Seashells Resort Mandurah

And if you don’t want to leave the pooch behind, there’s plenty of pet-friendly accommodation options and experiences.

Pet friendly experiences Mandurah
Walking along the Mandurah Estuary in Falcon

The Plein Air Down Under Outdoor Painting Festival kicks off the Mandurah Arts Festival. Check out ‘our guide to Mandurah’ and plan your visit now!

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