THE Ballarat Fine Art Gallery is set to host one of its most significant exhibitions of Australian art.

The exhibition, An Australian View: Art from the ANZ Collection, opens tomorrow night and features about 60 key 19th century artworks.

Ballarat is the only Victorian venue to host the exhibition, which is on a limited national tour.

Curated by John McPhee, former head of Australian art at the National Gallery of Australia, the exhibition features paintings and works on paper from the 1820s to Federation.

Ballarat Fine Art Gallery director Gordon Morrison said the exhibition was a coup for the city.

"The show is going to be a feast for lovers of 19th century Australian art. It contains some works that will stop you dead in your tracks - works which I am sure the vast majority of our visitors will encounter for the very first time."

The exhibition includes works by Glover, Martens, von Guerard, Buvelot, Strutt, Gould, McCubbin and Phillips Fox.

City of Ballarat chief executive officer Richard Hancock will open the exhibition with representatives from the ANZ and Art Exhibitions Australia.

The exhibition is open until February 5.

ANZ card holders will be entitled to concession rates.