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Benalla is a vibrant town located in the north-east region of Victoria, around 200 kilometres from Melbourne. With a population of just over 14,500, Benalla is known for its natural beauty, and its arts, culture and recreational offerings, headlined by the Benalla Art Gallery, the Winton Motor Raceway, and the nationally significant Winton Wetlands. Most recently, its expansive silo and street art trails have made it a popular destination amongst a whole new generation of visitors.
The Benalla Street Art Community Committee was the first to recognise the potential benefits of street art for Benalla. The founding committee members were Jeff Calvert, Danny Claridge, Sue McKay, Jim Myconos, Geoff Oliver, Karl Phillipson and Michael Thompson. Collaborating with Juddy Roller, they revitalised the town’s streets with notable and popular murals.
From 2015 to 2019, the Wall to Wall Street Art Festival helped boost the local economy and attract tourists, making Benalla a compelling destination just off the Hume Highway. During this period, Juddy Roller curated the festival, resulting in over 80 murals by prominent artists, bringing Benalla widespread recognition.
Then COVID-19 hit. Victoria faced severe lockdowns, which posed significant challenges to small businesses and the creative industries alike.
In March 2024, the Benalla Street Art Festival was revived by the Benalla Rural City Council and Visit Victoria in response to popular demand. Curated by Eddie Zammit, the festival aimed to feature new, previously overlooked artists. The 2024 festival attracted over 50,000 visitors, and plans for the 2025 festival are already in progress.
Our aspiration is for the Benalla Street Art Festival to evolve into a globally renowned celebration of arts and culture, showcasing diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility.
You can take a bus from North Melbourne to Benalla via Seymour in just over three hours.
The drive up the Hume Highway is straightforward and takes just over two hours.
V-Line trains operate from Southern Cross Station to Benalla Station every four hours, and the journey takes just over two hours. NSW TrainLink XPT also services this route twice daily.
You can take an overnight bus from Canberra to Benalla. The trip takes a little over six hours.
Driving down the Hume Highway is straightforward and takes just under five hours.
A train ride to Benalla takes approximately eleven hours one-way. The station is conveniently located right in front of Benalla’s North Eastern Hotel.
Benalla features a variety of excellent local breweries, cafés, produce, pubs, restaurants, and wineries, making it an ideal place to enjoy and visit.
Benalla and the surrounding areas offer a wide range of accommodation, including numerous camping options to suit all visitors, farm stays, hotels, motels and private rentals.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work, and pay our respect to their Elders past and present.
