A major exhibition of garments designed by Prue Acton is currently on display at the Benalla Costume and Pioneer Museum.

The collection spans the period from 1963 to the mid-1980s. It includes 'after-five' wear, elegant suits and casual styles. Items are from the Benalla Museum's collection together with others on loan from private owners and also from Museum Victoria.

Prue Acton was born in Benalla, Victoria in 1944 where her father was stationed during WWll. At 15 years of age she commenced a four year course in Textile Design at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). At nineteen she entered the fashion scene, launching over twelve collections in some years.

In the 1970s and 1980s she created the distinctive Australian range inspired by Australia's fauna, flora, and landscape colours. On five occasions she outfitted the Australian Olympic Games Team winning three awards. In 1982 she was presented with the OBE.