Mildura Arts Centre Rio Vista House

rio vista historic house

the former home of Mildura Irrigation Settlement pioneer, WB Chaffey

It was the Chaffey family who originally lived in Rio Vista before it was purchased for £18,000 and converted into an art gallery.
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Back in 1944 a valuable art collection had been bequeathed to the Mildura City Council by Senator RD Elliott, owner of the Elliott Newspaper Group, The bequest was on the condition that a suitable place be found to house the collection. Several rooms in Rio Vista including the conservatory were converted for display purposes and many of the original surfaces were painted over. Conversion into the Mildura Art Gallery saved the house from probable demolition and subdivision of the surrounding grounds.

In more recent times the focus has been on exploring the history of the Chaffey family and the restoration of Rio Vista to the splendour of its earlier years. Rio Vista Historic House is undoubtedly Mildura’s most important heritage building, visited by thousands of visitors, locals and school children each year.

Mildura Arts Centre – Mildura Rural City Council acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land, which now comprises the Mildura Rural City municipality. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and celebrate and respect their continuing cultures and acknowledge the memories of their ancestors.

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Terms of Use