Heritage and culture
The Heidelberg Artist Trail
The Heidelberg Artist Trail is a celebration of Victoria's rich artistic history and cultural heritage.
Walk in the footsteps of artist Walter Withers (1854-1914) and immerse yourself in Nillumbik’s rich artistic history along the Diamond Creek Trail between Wingrove Park and the activity centre in Main Road.
The signs place viewers at or near the locations where six of Withers’ famous paintings were created. They show a reproduction of the painting itself along with information about the work, and visitors can compare Eltham today with that of the turn of the 19th century.
The signs are among more than 50, installed in the late 1990s in Nillumbik, Banyule, Manningham and the Yarra Ranges.
The Heidelberg School was a late 19th century group of painters, often described as Australian Impressionists, who painted outdoors.
Walter Withers, who was born in England in 1854, was a member of the Heidelberg School and first came to Australia in 1888. He lived in Kew, Eaglemont and East Ivanhoe, before moving to Eltham in 1903 where he painted works featuring the local area until his death in 1914.
Paintings featured along the trail in Eltham:
- Country Road, c1898
- Spring, c1910
- On The Eltham Road, 1906
- The Drover, 1912
- Landscape with Sheep
- The Silent Gums, 1909
Further signs in Diamond Creek feature the works of artists May Vale and Jane Price, while signs in Research and Warrandyte feature the work of Clara Southern.
Signage renewal
In 2024, the signs, which had weathered over time, were replaced with new materials and a more accessible design while retaining the essential information they convey and incorporating an Acknowledgment of the Country. This renewal project was possible thanks to the support of the Living Local Suburban Grants Program, administered by the Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions from the State of Victoria.
Heidelberg Artist Trail signs - after
Heidelberg Artist Trail signs - before