Goodbye Oxford Tavern - Lyndal Irons

Lyndal Irons, 'Harley at the Mic', 2013, archival pigment print, 20x24
Lyndal Irons, 'Harley at the Mic', 2013, archival pigment print, 20x24"

Sydney photographer, Lyndal Irons, presents Goodby Oxford Tavern, an exhibtion curated by Jack Sargeant, at Strange Neighbour. On 7 August, 2013, Petersham’s Oxford Tavern closed its doors after offering decades of topless service and free live performances from showgirls, seven days a week. On its final Tuesday night, dancers travelled from all across Australia, patrons queued down Crystal Street, and drank the kegs dry. Irons documented the 48 hours before the iconic venue closed its doors for good, ending an era and changing the neighbourhood forever. In 2014, Goodbye Oxford Tavern was exhibited at the Fracking Redundants gallery (Petersham, NSW) and the Australian Centre for Photography (Paddington, NSW). A book of the work was compiled in 2014.

Lyndal Irons, 'Goodbye Oxford Tavern', 2013, archival pigment print, 20x24”
Lyndal Irons, 'Goodbye Oxford Tavern', 2013, archival pigment print, 20x24”

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April

Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

Brisbane: Until 13 July 2025. Amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954) extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered only recently. This exhibition is curated by seven Brisbane photographers.

Melbourne: 1 March – 25 May 2025. Featuring the work of approximately 60 artists, The Basement brings to light rare vintage prints from the 1960s – 1980s, from students and teachers of the College’s Diploma of Art & Design (Photography).

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

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May

Melbourne: Until 25 May. An exhibition of the mature and recent work of photographer / artists who trained at the ground-breaking Prahran CAE, Melbourne in the 1970s and '80s.

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Sydney: Until 14 June. With a career spanning fifty years, his virtuosic artistry continues to unfold in powerful, haunting images that explore the timeless mystery of the human condition.

Melbourne: One off event on Sunday 25 May. Photography Studies College (PSC) is calling artists, photographers, designers and technologists to be part of AI Symposium 2025 Beyond the Lens – unpacking the creative and cultural impacts of AI.

Perth: From 31 May – 28 Sept 2025. Featuring 85 works from three major series – Deep Springs, Overpass, and Cross Country – the exhibition spans twelve years of Contis’s evolving photographic practice.