Where to see Aboriginal art in Sydney

The AGNSW has a broad collection of works on paper, bark and canvas, as well as sculptures, fibre works, photomedia and multimedia – of which only a small proportion are on display at any given time. The Sydney Modern Project expansion added a huge additional new building to the AGNSW campus – and now the Yiribana Gallery, which is dedicated to showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, has been elevated from the lowest level of the original building to a bright new dedicated space right by the entrance foyer. You can see more work by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists throughout the Gallery, including Lex Namponan's wooden camp dogs (or Ku') hiding throughout the building.

Address: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney 

At many major museums and galleries, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections can feel sidelined into some box-ticking small gallery off the side. Not at the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney. Instead, Aboriginal art and Indigenous artefacts are interspersed throughout the collections as part of the Ambassadors series by Indigenous curator Matt Poll, which ensures that First Nations voices are prominent in the display of artefacts from their cultures. It's open daily and entry is free. 

Address: University of Sydney, University Pl, Camperdown

The MCA is home to the Ramingining Collection (bark paintings, carved-wood sculptures and functional objects from northeastern Arnhem Land), the Maningrida Collection (works primarily in fibre) and the ‘Arnott’s Bark’ collection of paintings on bark. Besides these permanent collections, the MCA contains many works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in the Level 2 gallery as part of the exhibition MCA Collection: Today Tomorrow Yesterday – including works by Vernon Ah Kee, Daniel Boyd and Gordon Bennett, among others.

Address: 140 George St, The Rocks 

Western Sydney Parklands – an area that's eight times the size of Centennial Park – has an 11km walking track with audio-enhanced artwork from Aboriginal artists. It's titled ‘Gabrugal Yana’ (which means walk of the Gabru or Cabro people – the traditional custodians of the Fairfield and Liverpool areas). To celebrate and honour the Dharug Aboriginal culture, six trees along the walk have been transformed with Aboriginal artworks that represent Dharug seasons – with audio experiences that bring the artwork to life and share educational insights into the Dharug language. The walk starts at Wylde Mountain Bike and BMX hub in Cecil Park, where you can park and fill up your water bottle before hitting the trail. From there, it winds through Cumberland Plain woodland and old farmland to Middleton Grange – an area that's set to become an important recreational space for the growing local communities.

Address: Wallgrove Rd, Eastern Creek 

It's worth the trek to Canberra for the NGA's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection – the largest in the world, comprised of more than 7,500 works, and displayed in a purpose-built wing containing 13 galleries. There's a hugely diverse range of works on display and the Aboriginal art colection is growing each year.

Address: Parkes Pl East, Parkes