Families can also head to Ararat Fitness Centre for Play Gym sessions on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays, where children aged up to four can join 9.15-10am sessions and four-to-12 year-olds can attend from 11am to noon for $9 per child. Ararat Gallery TAMA will host free drop‑in art sessions on Fridays July 3 and 10, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, encouraging children to experiment with materials and explore their creativity in a relaxed studio setting.
Families can stay for as little or as long as they like, with no bookings required and all materials supplied.
The gallery will also host a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony with Billy Briggs on Thursday, July 9, from 2-3pm in the Ararat Gallery TAMA courtyard.
At Ararat Town Hall, audiences can enjoy a one‑hour performance from the Trash Test Dummies on Tuesday, July 7 from 11am to noon, with tickets starting from $10 and group discounts available.
Council chief executive Tim Harrison said the winter school holiday calendar reflected the council’s commitment to making sure families had plenty to do close to home.
“School holiday programs are one of my favourite things about Ararat,” he said.
“When you see kids at the library watching a movie, learning to code with their friends, or proudly carrying home an artwork they made at TAMA, you get a real sense of how much our community cares about its young people.”
The full Winter School Holiday Activities program, including session times, ages, ticket information, and contact details for each venue, is available on the council’s website www.ararat.vic.gov.au/events.
For more information, families can contact Ararat Library, Ararat Fitness Centre, Ararat Gallery TAMA, or Ararat Town Hall directly.
New exhibitions
Two new exhibitions showcasing local creativity and community connection are now on display in Ararat.
A Community Wall at Ararat Gallery TAMA features a new black-and-white photographic exhibition titled ‘Ararat, A Community In Focus’. The photographs are a selection from a photography project instigated by photojournalist Andrew Chapman in 1998.
Chapman invited a team of 40 professional photographers to explore and document Ararat and the surrounding region.
Open daily from 10am to 4pm, the free exhibition presents a thoughtful look at the people and places that shape the region.
Visitors can explore a cross-section of the local community, from lawn bowls and hairdressing to merino farming and grape growing.
Ararat Mayor Bob Sanders said the collection was a meaningful celebration of local identity, offering a distinct perspective with a subtle Australian gothic tone and capturing everyday moments in a way that invited reflection and recognition.
“Andrew Chapman and his collaborators captured something special here,” he said.
“This exhibition reflects the character of our community and the people who make Ararat what it is. It is both familiar and thought-provoking, and I encourage everyone to take the time to see it.”
Also open is a new exhibition in Ararat Laneway, created by the Anime and Manga Club and supported by Grampians Community Health.
The exhibition will be on display until August 16 and features a collection of artworks inspired by popular series including Demon Slayer, Pokémon and Spy x Family, alongside original character designs.
The Anime and Manga Club allows young people in late primary and early secondary school to connect over shared interests and creative expression.
The group meets fortnightly on Wednesdays during school terms from 4-5pm at Grampians Community Health, 60 High Street, Ararat.
Sessions cost $5, and new members are welcome.
The entire July 1, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
