Michael Reid at Murrurundi

The art gallery Michael Reid at Murrurundi strives to showcase the best in contemporary Australian and Aboriginal art. Over the last two years the gallery has exhibited solo exhibitions from Jasper Knight; Chris Langlois; Robert Jacks; Sally Gabori; David Bromley; Adam Lester; Crispin Akerman- to name but a few In some respects the gallery began life in the style of a Kevin Costner movie–build it and they will come. Michael Reid at Murrurundi has quite literally risen out of the ruins of an early 1840s convict barracks. Bobadil House and the early barracks (now Michael Reid at Murrurundi) were built between 1840 and 1842 from locally quarried sandstone for the A.A. Company surveyor Henry Dangar. Originally named the White Swan Inn, later known as the Woolpack Inn and then as the Mountain View Inn, my wife's great-great grandfather purchased the property in the 1870s and renamed it Bobadil. Family lore has it that the barracks, reconfigured as horse stables some time in the late 19th century, were hit by lightning in 1948. The fragmented walls that remained were taken to the ground, the foundations re-dug, the stone cleaned and reassembled. The roof has been re-built from a design taken from early 20th century photographs of the stables and internally the sandstone flagstones have been re-laid. Distinctive Design, based in Redfern Sydney and led by Terry Brooks, worked on the space from its inception amidst ruins, through to hanging the first painting. No expense has been spared and no corners cut to create a nationally significant art dealership and exhibition space in regional New South Wales. Situated in the thoroughbred, vineyard and coal-belt of the Upper Hunter Valley, in the small but significant town of Murrurundi, the gallery is an accessible drive from Moree, Armidale, Tamworth, Scone and Newcastle.