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More than a decade in the making, the completion of the Heysen Gallery at The Cedars in Hahndorf marks a significant milestone for one of the State’s most significant heritage sites.
Nestled among the rolling Adelaide Hills landscape that once inspired some of Australia’s most iconic artworks, the $9 million gallery will feature an inaugural exhibition entitled Heysen: A Shared Legacy.
The gallery sits alongside the historic home and studios of landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen and his daughter, acclaimed artist Nora Heysen – the first Australian woman to win the Archibald Prize and the country’s first accredited female war artist.
“This will be the first time in South Australia that we’ve had an artist father and daughter displayed in the gallery,” James Sexton, Chair of the Heysen Heritage Foundation, said.
And although it took 12 years to make it a reality, the first idea for the gallery dates much further back.
“Hans discussed with his family the desire to have a gallery at The Cedars,” said Emma Farnam, The Cedars’ general manager, describing his vision as “a place of observation and education.”
When Hans died in 1968, his son David continued those conversations with his grandson, Peter Heysen. Now, more than half a century later, that vision has come to life, exactly where Hans himself originally envisioned it.
Designed by Hahndorf-based Fore Design, the gallery is connected by walking paths that connect the space to Hans and Nora’s original studios and the surrounding bushland.
Hans Heysen, who emigrated from Germany as a child, was one of the first European artists to capture the distinct light and character of the Australian outback.
A committed environmentalist ahead of his time, he also spent much of his life fighting land clearing and quietly purchasing and protecting native trees, including much of the land surrounding The Cedars.
That legacy has shaped the gallery’s design, which prioritises sustainability, natural light, timber tones and a low-impact footprint that sits within the environment rather than competing with it.
Inside, the inaugural exhibition Heysen: A Shared Legacy brings together more than 120 works by Hans and Nora, many of which have rarely, if ever, been publicly displayed.
“About half of the paintings have been lent to us,” James said.
“A lot of these paintings may never have been seen before, including very rare ones.
“There’s a famous one that the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova wanted to buy, Zinnias and Autumn Fruit,” he said.
“Hans had already given it to his wife, so he said, ‘I’ll paint you another one’. He painted another one, sent it off to London, only for Anna to reject it.”
“We’ve got both those two paintings, plus the letter of rejection,” he said.
Visitors will still be able to walk through the original house, studios, and surrounding site, including guided artist walks that map the exact vantage points where Heysen painted some of his most recognisable works.
“It’s a rare Australian experience,” Emma said.
“The Cedars has been a hidden gem for so long”.
When: 4 July 2026 – 27 June 2027
Where: Heysen Gallery, The Cedars
For more information, click here.
