The walls of the gallery were bursting with colour as more than 130 works, representing 80 artists, were displayed. 

Among these are were works from well-recognised artists such as Roy de Maistre, Jackie Rankin, Ben Quilty, David Ryrie, Robin Wallace-Crabbe and Jenny Bell, among others. 

NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin officially opened the exhibition, saying “art, like books, cannot be enjoyed in a hurry”.

“Art helps to define a unique identity and encourages a sense of belonging in a community,” Mr Harwin said.

He acknowledged this was the largest exhibition in the gallery’s 38 years and thanked the three curators, Jennifer Lamb, Jane Cush and Gina Mobayed. 

“This collection is a great tribute to the generosity of this community and all the artists who left this legacy for the city,” he said. 

He said Goulburn was in the top five cities in NSW for receiving funding from the Regional Cultural Fund, including $4.5 million for the Performing Arts Centre and $1.3 million for an upgrade of the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium. 

Goulburn Regional Gallery director Ms Mobayed paid her respects to her predecessors in Ms Lamb and Ms Cush 

“They have built a lasting legacy,” she said.

She said ​art was a platform for connection a bridge from one person to another and that Goulburn Bustle represented as much of the permanent collection that they could fit inside the gallery. 

“It begins with two original Dutch paintings from 1635 to the most recent acquisitions of contemporary work,” she said.

“In between is a deep well of generosity as artists have donated their work to us and trusted us to care for it so that the public can access it.” 

Jennifer Lamb was a gallery director for 23 years, from 1983 to 2007. 

“When I first started, we hardly had any money, so I wasn’t collecting, so the focus was on getting money to pay artists to make exhibitions,” she said.

“Artists started giving us work and because we were doing interesting touring exhibitions, the arts ministry of NSW gave us money to buy work in 1993 and that is when more collecting began in earnest. 

“Since I left, Jane and Gina have been fantastic at getting funding for the gallery.” 

She said picking works for the exhibition brought back stories and memories associated with the works.

Ms Cush said it was a hard task picking the works to exhibit because there were so many fantastic artworks to choose from.

“We have so many fantastic artists who have either been collected or who have donated their works. It was hard to leave some out, but there was a space constraint,” she said.