Nature~ista celebrates the flamboyant flair of the animal kingdom through the lens of contemporary artists. Leila Jeffreys and Maria Fernanda Cardoso explore the natural world’s most stylish inhabitants—birds, spiders, and mythical beasts—through studio photography and sculptural imagination. From feathers to fur, scales to silk, this exhibition invites us to see animals not just as subjects of science, but as icons of beauty, personality, and fashion.

Jeffreys’ intimate bird portraits reveal the soft elegance of doves and pigeons, while Cardoso’s magnified images of spiders showcase their dazzling, armour—like patterns. Together, their works transform the outdoor gallery into a catwalk of nature’s most extraordinary designs.

How to get there:
Public Transport: Route 30 Bus, 30min from Ballarat. Bus stop Lakeside Drive/Midland Hwy, plus 5min walk.
Driving: From Ballarat: 15min drive, via Midland Hwy/A300 towards Creswick
From Melbourne: 1hr 30min drive, via National Hwy M8 towards Creswick, Parking onsite

Main image: Leila Jeffreys, Superb Fruit Dove, from the series Ornithurae, 2017.