Since the days of the impressionists, artists have enjoyed the experience of painting outdoors. It is one of the true joys of being a painter.
Not only are we at one with nature, but there is also the camaraderie when two or more paint on location.
Plein Air Down Under (PADU) is Australia’s longest running and largest outdoor painting festival and includes awards and prizes, feature artists, youth involvement, demonstrations and two exhibitions of plein air paintings.
Join over 200 artists at Australia’s premier outdoor painting festival (est 2019). Held annually in Mandurah and the Peel Region of Western Australia, this vibrant festival brings together artists for a week of creativity, learning, connection and outdoor painting.
PADU Experience Peel Paint Outs are held from 22 – 25 September in the wider Peel Region, incorporating rural landscapes away from the CBD. The festival weekend of 26 – 28 September is held around Mandurah and the historic town of Pinjarra and celebrates outdoor painting with exhibitions, painting demonstrations, have-a-go activities and awards and prizes.
Plein Air Down Under presents a week of outdoor and evening paint-outs, over $12,000 in awards and prizes, workshops, youth involvement and two art exhibitions. In 2026 internationally renowned artists (TBA) will run Masterclasses, paint and demonstrate throughout the festival.
Over 200 artists will be painting throughout Mandurah’s town centre and beautiful foreshores, cultural precinct, and the historic town of Pinjarra. When the artists aren’t on site painting, the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre serves as the festival hub, offering artists and spectators the opportunity to watch demonstrations, and enjoy the festivities.
Highlights of the 2026 festival will include:
- Workshops and Masterclasses
- Painting demonstrations
- Free have-a-go art activities for all ages
- Spirit of the Landscape Art Exhibition
- Artist registration open to professional, non-professional and youth artists
- Over $12,000 in awards and prizes
- Day and evening paint-outs
- A two-hour Quick Draw painting competition
- Opportunities to exhibit, sell and buy original artwork.
Gallery
This is a must see stop on the Peel Open Studios trail, 2 – 10 May.![]()
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The Mandurah Plein Air Artists will be exhibiting and painting at the Halls Head Community Hall. As well as their plein air work in watercolour, oil, pastel, acrylics and pen and wash, there is printmaking and 3D beaded assemblages. Bring your paints and join in.![]()
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There is a coffee van, toilets and plenty of onsite parking. ![]()
Bring your own paints and join in, everyone is welcome!![]()
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MPAA is a not-for-profit group and now has over 100 financial members. As well as being active in weekly paint outs, exhibitions and workshops they also facilitate and host Plein Air Down Under, Australia’s largest and longest running outdoor painting festival. This is definitely a group that punches well above its weight! ![]()
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10am to 4pm![]()
2, 3, 9 & 10 May![]()
1 Halls Head Parade, Halls Head
Here's something for your diary!![]()
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Mandurah Open Studios - The Exhibition opens this Friday evening, Friday 10 April at 6pm. This exhibition presents an inspiring collection of artworks, reflecting the diverse mediums and exceptional creativity of artists participating in the Mandurah Open Studios 2026 event.![]()
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Over the next month we will be featuring our very own Plein Air Down Under artists who will be opening their creative space for Mandurah Open Studios.![]()
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Friday 10 April at 6pm![]()
Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Alcoa Art Gallery![]()
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Mandurah Performing Arts Centre ![]()
Exhibition Opening, Mandurah Open Studios - THE EXHIBITION
🎉 We’re delighted to welcome back Ray White Mandurah as one of our valued Platinum Sponsors for the fourth consecutive year!![]()
If you’ve joined us at Plein Air Down Under over the past three years, you’ll remember Theo, Emma and their incredible team—always smiling, always ready to lend a hand, and always going the extra mile for our artists. From complimentary coffee to Saturday night dinners and volunteering throughout the event, they truly help make the festival experience something special. 💛![]()
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We’re also excited to announce the return of the Ray White Mandurah $3,000 Acquisitional Award—our top prize for 2026. This prestigious award will be presented for a painting of Mandurah created on Day One of the festival, Saturday 26 September.![]()
Take a look at this short video from last year’s festival, proudly brought to you by Ray White Mandurah—we can’t wait to do it all again! 🎨![]()
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#raywhitemandurah #peeldevelopmentcommission #peelregion #cityofmandurah #everythingmandurah #pleinairmagazine #wasainc #visitpeel #PleinAirPainting #platinumsponsor
🎨 Introducing one of our 2026 Guest Artist - Linda MacAulay![]()
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We are delighted to announce that the wonderfully creative Linda MacAulay Artist will be joining us at Plein Air Down Under 2026!![]()
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Linda is a Victoria-based artist; her art career spans many decades and encompasses exhibiting, teaching, residencies, awards, publications and sales. Perhaps most famously, she spent years as Artist in Residence at Uluru, where she developed her signature large-scale acrylic canvasses that reflect both her deep connection to the Australian landscape and her wonderfully humorous approach to life.![]()
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One of Linda's greatest passions is experimenting with art techniques and materials - and she absolutely loves sharing those discoveries with others. You might recognise her from her feature on the television show Colour in Your Life, or from her YouTube channel where she generously shares her painting techniques with artists all over the world. In 2024, Linda was voted by her peers as the winner of the PADU Experience Peel Award - so she's already a much-loved part of the PADU family!![]()
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Linda will be hosting a workshop during PADU week: ![]()
The WOW Factor – Gouache on Black (Plein Air) with Linda MacAulay![]()
📅 Thursday 24 September 2026 | 9am - 3pm![]()
📍 Peel Region, Western Australia![]()
This workshop is something really special. Discover the magic of painting with gouache on black paper - a technique that creates stunning, high-contrast paintings that absolutely pop. By painting only the light values and letting the black surface do the work, you'll learn to capture fleeting light quickly and confidently. Suitable for all levels, and you'll go home with a stack of little paintings and workshop notes to keep!![]()
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Want a sneak peek? Check out Linda's gouache on black sketchbook on her YouTube channel 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDsevO70nvI![]()
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⚡ Linda's workshops are always popular and spots fill up fast, so be sure to register early!![]()
For full details see here pleinairdownunder.com/workshops/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRAca9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0elg1cDgxa1Q4Q3J4SHd...![]()
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🔗 Find out more about PADU 2026 at pleinairdownunder.com/
🎨 Introducing one of our 2026 Guest Artists - Leanne Pearson.![]()
We are very excited the incredibly talented Leanne Pearson Artist will be joining us at Plein Air Down Under 2026!![]()
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Leanne is a Perth-based oil painter renowned for her luminous artwork and expressive brushwork. With more than 20 years living and working in Western Australia, she has built a reputation as one of Australia's leading contemporary artists — celebrated for her exceptional use of colour and her ability to capture light with confidence and sensitivity.![]()
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Her achievements speak for themselves: Leanne recently was awarded the $50,000 Liberty Liquors Portrait Award, the Cossack People's Choice Award, and is a three-time PADU Open Category Award Winner (2022, 2023 & 2024). Her paintings are held by Australian and international collectors, and she is continually sought out for both private and public commissions.![]()
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Beyond her studio practice, Leanne is a passionate educator - teaching locally, interstate and internationally, and reaching a global audience through her online oil painting membership platform. ![]()
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And the good news is you can attend a workshop with Leanne during the PADU week:![]()
People in the Landscape with Leanne Pearson![]()
📅 Friday 25 September | 9am – 3pm![]()
📍 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Dance Studio![]()
For full details see here pleinairdownunder.com/workshops/#1739947280230-c6100474-6df0![]()
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⚡ A heads up — Leanne's workshops are known to fill up quickly, so we'd encourage you to book asap to ensure you aren't disappointed. You won't want to miss this one!![]()
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🔗 Find out more about PADU 2026 at pleinairdownunder.com
Contact
Postal Address
P.O Box 788
30-32 Pinjarra Road
30-32 Pinjarra Road
Mandurah, WA
Australia, 6210
Australia, 6210
