Editing Benalla (section)

== Culture ==
[[File:Benalla Art Gallery 002.JPG|thumb|[[Benalla Art Gallery]]]]
[[File:Benalla Broken River Foreshore Sculpture 001.JPG|thumb|Benalla Terracotta Mural Garden and Amphitheatre]]
Benalla's cultural facilities include the Benalla Performing Arts and Convention Centre which includes a cinema and theatre. The city also has a [[Benalla Art Gallery|major art gallery]] which forms a landmark perched over [[Lake Benalla]] on the site of the original police station.

Benalla has more than 50 murals on the CBD Benalla Street Art trail, and beyond including local villages such as Goorambat and Winton Wetlands. The annual Wall to Wall Street Art Festival has been held since 2015, curated by Juddy Roller Studios, usually the week before Easter.  Over one long-weekend dozens of world class artists create one giant outdoor gallery in the town. The Wall to Wall Festival also includes workshops, artist talks, live music, markets, street art tours and more.

Benalla is also home to a former artist's hub known as North East Artisans - an entirely self funded, not for profit community art gallery run by volunteers established in 2014, shutting down in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://northeastartisans.weebly.com/about.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=NEA North East Artisans |language=en}}</ref> It featured a shop gallery with the works of local artists, an exhibition space, artist studios and a cafe, with regular exhibitions and live music events featuring local, national and international musicians. On August 31st 2022, the Gallery Shop at 28C Carrier street closed for business. They planned to keep the website as a " ''<nowiki/>'virtual archive' celebrating the 'life and times' of NEA until the subscription ceases ".''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gallery Shop closure and NEA's transition from being an Incorporated Organisation |url=https://northeastartisans.weebly.com/news/gallery-shop-closure-and-neas-transition-from-being-an-incorporated-organisation |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=NEA North East Artisans |language=en}}</ref> The website was last heard from on Deceber 12th 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Window to Window - paused for 2022 - hopefully to return in 2023 |url=https://northeastartisans.weebly.com/news/window-to-window-paused-for-2022-hopefully-to-return-in-2023 |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=NEA North East Artisans |language=en}}</ref>

The Benalla Festival is another annual local [[garden festival]] dating from 1967, then known as the "Rose Festival.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Benalla Festival 2024 |url=https://benallafestival.com.au/about/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=benallafestival.com.au}}</ref> It is held over the first two weekends in November with dozens of free and low cost events including the community Street Parade, Music by the Lake and fireworks, and A Day in the Gardens Market held in the Benalla Botanical Gardens. Events in the festival are described as a "''collaboration of community efforts that encompass art, music, dance, history, sport, family attractions, exhibitions and much more."''<ref name=":0" />

=== Sport and recreation ===
[[File:Benalla Distric Cricket players practise.jpg|thumb|Benalla District Cricket players during afternoon practice]]
The town has an [[Australian rules football]] team ([[Benalla Saints]]) competing in the [[Goulburn Valley Football League]]<ref name="d">{{Citation|last=Full Points Footy |title=Benalla |url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Benalla.htm |access-date=2008-07-25 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516191344/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/benalla.htm |archive-date=16 May 2008 }}</ref> and a team (Benalla All Blacks) competing in the [[Ovens & King Football League]].

Benalla has a [[Thoroughbred racing in Australia|horse racing club]], the Benalla Racing Club, which schedules around eleven race meetings a year including the Benalla Cup meeting in early October.<ref name="RaceClub">{{Citation|last=Country Racing Victoria |title=Benalla Racing Club |url=http://www.countryracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_club_info&club=40&Itemid=80 |access-date=2009-05-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719021157/http://countryracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_club_info&club=40&Itemid=80 |archive-date=19 July 2008 }}</ref>

Benalla Wolfpack play rugby league in [[NRL Victoria]]'s Murray Cup.

Golfers play at the Benalla Golf Club on Mansfield Road,<ref name = "golf">{{Citation | author = Golf Select | title = Benalla | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=929 | access-date = 2009-05-11 | archive-date = 31 August 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090831022118/http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=929 | url-status = live }}</ref> which celebrated its centenary in 2003<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.benallagolfclub.com.au/ |title=Benalla Golf Club |access-date=1 March 2022 |archive-date=17 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517170828/https://www.benallagolfclub.com.au/ |url-status=live }}</ref> or at the course of the Golden Vale Golf Club on Golden Vale Road, Benalla.<ref name = "golf-2">{{Citation | author = Golf Select | title = Golden Vale | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=977 | access-date = 2009-05-11 | archive-date = 22 October 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091022041117/http://golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=977 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Benalla is also the closest major centre to [[Winton Motor Raceway]], a privately owned motor racing circuit which holds motor racing event at all levels of domestic competition, including [[V8 Supercar]].

Benalla Gardens Oval is the home of the Benalla & District Cricket Association.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://benalla.cricketvictoria.com.au/ | title=Benalla & District Cricket Association | publisher=[[Cricket Victoria]] | access-date=3 March 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221104401/http://benalla.cricketvictoria.com.au/ | archive-date=21 February 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The ground has hosted touring teams since the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/555946.html | title=Sachin of Benalla | publisher=[[Cricinfo]] | date=2 March 2012 | access-date=3 March 2012 | author=Ryan, Christian | archive-date=4 March 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304151448/http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/555946.html | url-status=live }}</ref> In the Rural City of Benalla there are numerous cricket grounds.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://benalla.cricketvictoria.com.au/plugins/groundsdisplay.cgi?site_id=1465 | title=Benalla Cricket Grounds | access-date=3 March 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321054554/http://benalla.cricketvictoria.com.au/plugins/groundsdisplay.cgi?site_id=1465 | archive-date=21 March 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Benalla is also home to the Benalla Bandits Baseball Club who compete in the North East Baseball Association. The team plays out of Racecourse Reserve, Benalla.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130410144041/http://www.benallabandits.baseball.com.au/db/Clubdisplay.asp?ID=3082]

Benalla is home to the Gliding Club of Victoria at the State Gliding Centre located on the Benalla airfield. This club is the longest continuous operating gliding club in Australia and has played host for the World Gliding Competition in 1987 and 2016.{{cn|date=August 2024}} Many of the club's members travel from Europe each summer to enjoy the warm weather and ideal soaring conditions of the region.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

There is a park and walking track that circumnavigates [[Lake Benalla]], featuring a ceramic sculpture mural community that was created as part of an employment project for local artists.

=== Heritage ===
[[File:Benalla Botanic Gardens.JPG|thumb|[[Benalla Botanical Gardens]]]]
The following sites are [[National Trust of Australia|National Trust]] sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/ |title=Heritage Victoria - Victorian Heritage Database |access-date=2011-05-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507130808/http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/ |archive-date=7 May 2011}}</ref>
* [[Benalla Botanical Gardens]].
* Stringybark Creek Site, famous in the [[Ned Kelly]] story.
* The former Shire Offices in Mair St, Benalla.
* The [[Kelly Gang]] camp site.
* [[Benalla Migrant Camp]] is listed on the [[Victorian Heritage Register]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/196487 |title=Former Benalla Migrant Camp |website=vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au |publisher=Heritage Council Australia |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=17 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517132328/http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/196487 |url-status=live }}</ref>