"I wanted it to be a place where a kid could ride their bike on the path through East Bowral, leave it out the front, and come into the gallery and look around for free," he said.

The dream came from a childhood growing up in Sydney's north-west, where it was "really, really uncool" to admit to any artistic aspirations, and he wanted to provide a window to another world for kids who would not otherwise have one.

"At the back of my mind, I wanted it for my children," said Mr Quilty, who first thought of a regional gallery when he moved to the area with his family 15 years ago.

"And I wanted it for children in the area too. It's for everyone.

"And if anyone feels like they don't belong - no one's going to ask you what you think, and I promise you, you won't walk away from this place without being inspired."

Read more: Story of Gundungurra land proudly displayed at gallery

Ngununggula has been ready and waiting with its first solo exhibition installed, and as soon as the NSW Government said it was possible, they have thrown open the doors, at least to the double-vaccinated locals who will have it to themselves for at least a couple of weeks.

The culmination of years of work from many people, the gallery is located in an old dairy on the National Trust property Retford Park, which was painstakingly transformed by architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer.

Ngununggula director Megan Monte called the opening this week "a moment".

"It's been a long time coming," she said.

"It's been in the works - and hearts and minds of many - for so many years."

She has exhibitions scheduled for the next year or so, including work from John Olsen, Tracey Moffatt, Ken Done, Rosie Deacon and brothers Abdul and Abdul-Rahman Abdullah.

But for the next two months the focus is on multimedia artist Tamara Dean, who has the honour of being the inaugural solo exhibitor.

She was brought on board in March last year, on the heels of a terrifying bushfire season and just as COVID-19 was making its present felt.

Those experiences informed her series High Jinks in the Hydrangeas, much of which was photographed in the Southern Highlands and near her home in Cambewarra.

"We were evacuated a few times...it was traumatic," said Ms Dean.

"Within a few months, there was COVID and I was approached to do the exhibition, and I started using my photographic process to talk about what was happening in the world.

"Home became a refuge during COVID, and I was forced to use myself as a model and just see what I could make each day and respond to what was happening."

She regards the work as a kind of psychological representation of the last couple of years - upside down, contradictory, sometimes ludicrous.

"It's a deeply personal response," she said, "but also universal - people inherently get it."

Visitors to the gallery will also be introduced to the work of Megan Cope, who spearheaded what is now an installation in the entry pavilion, incorporating the work of local indigenous artists.

The name Ngununggula, meaning 'belonging', was itself suggested Gundungurra elder Aunty Velma Mulcahy 'Val' OAM.

Next up in January will be an exhibition curated by Highlands Indigenous artist Djon Mundine, who plans to source work from all around Australia in a display he is calling the Dingo Project.

He will produce some of the work himself, including a piece that revolves around locking himself in a room with a dingo and filming the process.

Ms Monte said there are big plans for the gallery to reach people of all walks, with school excursions, nighttime events and perhaps even a festival on the cards.

"We want to capture ordinary people as our everyday audience," she said.

Ngununggula opens Tuesday, October 12, and can be found at 1 Art Gallery Lane, Bowral. For more details go to ngununggula.com.

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