The gallery operates from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm on weekends, excluding Christmas Day and Good Friday. A notable feature of the gallery is a painting of Tower Hill, a scenic crater lake near Warrnambool that has been a muse for artists since the time of European settlement. Painted in 1855 by Eugene von Guerard at the request of landowner James Dawson, this artwork provides a historical narrative of the area and its Indigenous inhabitants.
Alongside the von Guerard masterpiece, the Warrnambool Art Gallery showcases various drawings, watercolors, and lithographs of Tower Hill, all crafted by von Guerard. These pieces demonstrate a captivating interplay between art and nature, as the von Guerard painting influenced the landscape restoration of Tower Hill. Through its rich collection of von Guerard's art and dedication to promoting local artists, the gallery offers a compelling exploration of the region's heritage and contemporary artistic endeavors.