Despite the sticky heat, hundreds of people would flock to one of the oldest, ramshackled buildings in Katherine to get their hands on famous works of pottery by mother and son duo Danny and Ruth Murphy.

For more than 25 years they would sit side by side in their studio creating a mass collection of work for their annual exhibition.

"Back in those days people wouldn't call and ask us what we have, they waited for our yearly exhibition," Mr Murphy said.

"It was like an end of year stock-take sale, people would come with elbows out."

It has been five years since an exhibition was held at the Gallon Licence Gallery, just out of town on Gorge Road. Ruth Murphy was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away a couple of years ago leaving a gaping hole in Katherine.

The event was like an institution, Mr Murphy said, the pair would together have hundreds of pieces on show - an amount he couldn't amass on his own.

But next Friday, the heritage listed shed, built around the 1880's and famous for hosting Australian novelist Jeannie Gunn for a night or two as she made her way to Elsie, will be taken back to its glory days.

On show will be a culmination of Mr Murphy's work, wooden pieces by Dr PJ Spafford, a new collection from artist and museum curator Simmone Croft and jewellery by Helen Aland.

Since 2013 - the last exhibition - the tin building hasn't received much love. Bar the occasional history enthusiast dropping by for a look, it's been left to its own device.

But its rickety charm is what makes the exhibition, Mr Murphy said.

"The lure is in its unpretentious-ness," he said.

"People go into galleries and feel like they don't fit in.

"This building has so much history attached. It epitomises Katherine's philosophy. It isn't showy, it is down-to-earth and Katherine people are like that. Ego is kept at bay."

The exhibition is set to open on November 22 at 6pm and run on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

The Gallon Licence Gallery can be found half a kilometre past the Hospital on Gorge Road, on the left.

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