Goondiwindi: Art, river walk and discoveries

Goondiwindi combines the Macintyre Riverwalk with a diverse art scene: along the river, information signs offer insights into natural, social, historical and cultural aspects; in the business district, murals, sculptures and smaller artworks add to the scene. After dark, projections on the water towers provide another highlight. When planning your trip, you can choose different focuses among the river, art and outdoor activities.

Exploring the Macintyre River

The three-kilometre, tree-lined Macintyre Riverwalk runs alongside the river and offers several sights. Information signs describe features of the natural environment as well as social, historical and cultural aspects of the river. So the trail does more than follow the water: it also offers different ways to learn about the Macintyre. Its length gives you a clear measure when deciding how to fit it into your day as an activity in its own right. For travellers who enjoy being outdoors and want to discover more than the river landscape, the Riverwalk combines exercise with the stories and themes of the river.

Art at the Civic Centre and in Bowen Lane

At the Goondiwindi Regional Civic Centre, art and travel information come together in one place. The Art Space at 100 Marshall Street presents exhibitions by individual artists, art groups and curators. The Goondiwindi Visitor Information Centre is also located in the Civic Centre and provides information about activities in the region and other places for travellers to visit. The Goondiwindi Art Trail begins at the gallery and leads to murals, sculptures and art installations in Bowen Lane. This makes it easy to combine a visit to the gallery with a search for artworks in the lane; you can also find information at the Civic Centre to help plan further travel ideas.

The public art collection in Goondiwindi’s CBD also grows each year beyond the gallery. It includes murals, sculptures and smaller works in Bowen Lane and along the river walk. Individual works may change. The variety of the art is also evident in striking sculptures: the Nungwai sculpture “Coat of Arms” marks the entrance to Goondiwindi from the Cunningham Highway. Another Nungwai sculpture, “Once Upon a Time”, was created in 2019. The Gunsynd statue stands in Apex Park on the banks of the McIntyre River.

Sculptures and evening projections

Works at Nungwai include 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. “Smoko in the Meadow” offers a different scale: the sculpture depicts an oversized kitchen table with flowers and a coffee cup above a life-size version.

The water towers also become a canvas at night: launched in 2024, Lanescape’s “Illuminate the Flow” project projects animated artworks onto the towers every night. After dark, the projections make them an attraction for visitors. Together with the concrete heads illuminated at night, this installation adds an evening focus to the artworks in the business district.

Water activities east of Goondiwindi

Nearby, east of Goondiwindi Town, is the 210-hectare Goondiwindi Natural Heritage & Water Park. There are opportunities for water skiing, wakeboarding, canoeing and boating. These activities on the water add to the art and river experiences; conditions on the water may vary. When planning your trip, this offers a distinct focus alongside a day on the Riverwalk or among the art venues.

Choose a holiday rental to suit your travel focus

When choosing a holiday rental in Goondiwindi, you could first consider which experiences will shape your trip: the Riverwalk and art around town, the projections after dark, or water activities east of the city. If you’re travelling with children, comparing these options can help you identify shared interests before checking the location of a specific accommodation against the places you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Lake Barrine, Hatton Vale, Trinity Beach, Kulgun, Daydream Island, Lake Eacham, Mount Coolum, Elbow Valley.

For the main travel overview: Queensland.