Sarah Johnson, who has moved back to Newcastle from the Manly Art Galley and Museum, began at the city gallery on Wednesday.

It was an exciting return for the Newcastle university graduate, whose first job was working at the former Newcastle Museum in Hunter Street. She then spent 15 years in Sydney.

‘‘There’s such an amazing creative underbelly in Newcastle – musically and artistically,’’ Ms Johnson said.

Mrs Johnson has arrived in time for the $21million redevelopment and expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery, due to begin by the end of the year.

‘‘It’s a really exciting period of change for the gallery,’’ she said.

‘‘It has one of the most significant collections in the country,’’ Ms Johnson added.

Newcastle City Council has called for detailed design tenders with most of the construction expected to take place in 2013.

The new gallery will have increased exhibition space, a studio for the artist-in-residence, new entrance and reception area, a 120-seat theatre, a 120-seat cafe, shop and two retail spaces.

Part of Mrs Johnson’s role as curator will include recommending new works to purchase, overseeing the moving and storage of art during renovations and organising and writing about exhibitions.

‘‘It was a real anomaly to have a collection as important as ours and not have a curator,’’ gallery director Ron Ramsey said.

The gallery’s former curator was Katrina Rumley.

Amy Edwards