The Bungendore Woodworks Gallery holds a prominent place in the community of Bungendore. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Being named the best gallery in Australia hasn’t been enough to save the Woodworks Gallery in Bungedore, which recently announced the imminent closure of the business.
Operating in its current location on the corner of Malbon and Ellendon streets since 1994, the gallery was founded in 1983 by David MacLaren. The accolade of best gallery was received only last year and was awarded by the World Art Awards, an occasion that coincided with the gallery’s 40th anniversary.
The announcement was made via the gallery’s Facebook page on 28 March.
“This decision has not been made lightly. After decades at the helm, artistic director and founder David MacLaren OAM is ready for a well-deserved retirement.”
The Facebook post also indicated that challenging economic conditions had also played into the decision.
“While he has explored succession options, sustaining a gallery of this scale has become increasingly challenging in today’s economic climate. Despite our best efforts, we have not found a viable path forward.”
Previous rumours of closure were quashed in late 2024 when David held a changing of the guard ceremony in which he announced his successor.
The ceremony took place after a 10-month period of planning by David as to who his successor would be, and with much artistic flourish, Rolf Barfoed, a craftsman woodworker from the region, was presented as interim director of the gallery in October 2024.
Gallery manager Sharon Rasker and staff have advised Region they are hoping to share more details after a visit from Mr MacLaren’s family takes place in the coming weeks.
The gallery supports more than 160 suppliers and craftspeople. Sharon has previously said the town needs the gallery and today (28 March) said the closure was “going to be huge for Bungendore”.
The impact will surely be felt across Australia, with makers and artists losing a key distributor and Bungendore needing to brace for the loss of 120,000 annual visitors who visit the gallery each year.
Former Bungendore Show president Katie Asplin expressed her disappointment over the gallery’s closure.
“The Woodworks Gallery has been a long-time and generous supporter of the Bungendore Show, sponsoring competitions in the pavilion. It’s such a shame to lose such a community-minded business, especially one that embraces local arts and crafts.”
Katie also expressed her concern for the Bungendore business community, which suffered with the challenges of the commuter population and now reduced visitor numbers and hoped that the town didn’t become full of empty shops.
The gallery is inviting everyone to visit one last time to experience its legacy and take home a piece of its craftsmanship before it closes.
