On Parramatta Road by Lyndal Irons

Lyndal Irons documents and preserves Australia’s first highway, a stretch perpetually threatened by change. It is a field study of life on a road considered dead, across car yards, brothels, bed shops and around 20 suburbs of greater Sydney. “I aim to restore a sense of journey to a road better known for daily transit," Irons says. "Part documentary photography and part road trip, my series preserves today's road for future reference and encourages a deepened experience of everyday life.”

Danny, a salesman and yard hand at RA Motors, Granville. © Lyndal Irons.
Danny, a salesman and yard hand at RA Motors, Granville. © Lyndal Irons.

On Parramatta Road is a long-term project, consisting of work previously recognised as a finalist in numerous photographic prizes, including the Australian Life Photographic Prize (2011, 2012) and the Bowness Prize (2015). This series received the 2015 Pool Grant worth $10,000.

Exhibition times

7am – 8pm Weekdays

8am – 4pm Weekends

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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.

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.

Sydney: Until 30 June. The photographs in Max Dupain: Student Life were taken at the University of Sydney in the early 1950s, a period of rapid change marked by the politics of the Cold War.

May

Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.

Sydney: Until 21 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.

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.

June

Sydney: Until 6 July. Presenting the results of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest, the annual exhibition showcases the best and most important photojournalism and documentary photography of the last year.

Melbourne: June 5 - 16 August 2025. The explore the history of Alan Adler's photobooths and their cultural significance, alongside visual stories told by the community.

Adelaide: 7 June – 16 August. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this photographic exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance.