I found a slice of London in Townsville

This breathtaking exhibition showcases 200 years of Wedgwood’s ceramics.

Dreaming of wandering the hallowed halls of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum? Save yourself the jet lag – for a limited time, British artistry has come to Australia’s tropical north, hosting a breathtaking exhibition showcasing 200 years of Wedgwood’s ceramics.

Exclusive to Townsville’s Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Wedgwood: Artists and Industry is a 100-piece exhibition on show until August 24.

Townsville City Galleries director Holly Arden says: “Visitors need to know that this is nothing like looking inside your grandma’s china cabinet. The company’s founder, Josiah Wedgwood, was like an early Kim Kardashian – a brand powerhouse.”

Strolling through the exhibition with Arden, I saw a trove of treasures. One of the most powerful was a tiny abolitionist medallion, bearing the image of an African man kneeling in chains beneath the words, “Am I not a man and a brother?” Designed to spark conversation and stir hearts, these medallions were worn as pendants, badges, and tokens of support, distributed by the politically progressive Josiah Wedgwood to friends and fellow abolitionists.

It sits alongside the Sydney Cove Medallion, crafted from clay gathered in 1789 and adorned with classical figures representing Hope, Art, Labour and Peace – a symbolic call to inspire settlers to embrace life in the fledgling colony. A First Edition copy of Josiah Wedgwood’s classic Portland Vase has its own cabinet in the building’s original bank vault.

Arden’s favourite piece is a lavish salad bowl that would have been the talk of the table in the 1880s. Picture: Morgan McMahon/Supplied.

Arden’s favourite piece is a lavish salad bowl that would have been the talk of the table in the 1880s. Showing the delightful audacity of Wedgwood’s designs and made of majolica, the bowl’s base is a bright orange lobster and there are matching salad servers.

The second floor of the exhibition showcases modern Wedgwood pieces, highlighting bold collaborations with contemporary creatives such as New York interior designer Sheila Bridges and Peter Blake, the artist behind The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. Other surprises are a striking Topshop dress and a daring pair of shoes featuring a sky-high Wedgwood Jasperware heel.

It’s almost unthinkable that many of these exquisite pieces were once used as everyday tableware, but you can experience it for yourself just across the road in Restaurant 1889 at The Brewery. To celebrate the exhibition, diners can have a relaxed lunch or a sumptuous afternoon tea served on Wedgwood’s dazzling Renaissance Gold china. It’s a delightful way to extend your Wedgwood experience, with every bite adding a little more sparkle to the story.

It’s almost unthinkable that many of these exquisite pieces were once used as everyday tableware. Picture: Roslyn Budd/Supplied.

Need to know

• Tickets range from $5 to $30; allow one hour. whatson.
• For breakfast or coffee, try The Hoi Polloi, a fun, hidden café with house-made treats. Jam Restaurant offers a taste of local produce and seasonal dinner menus.
• Explore ceramics with a pottery class guided by Baylee Griffin at the North Queensland Potters Association or learn to draw underwater with Kerrie Everett-Horrocks at Discover, Dive, Draw.
• With its waterfront location and rooftop infinity swimming pool, the luxury Ardo Hotel starts from $305 per night.

The writer was a guest of Townsville City Council.

Originally published as I found a slice of London in Townsville