Bullanginya Dreaming Laservision blooloop innovation awards 2024

Bullanginya Dreaming – Luna Light Journey

  • 1st place

Project creator(s)

Entered into the following categories

Awards

  • First place, Storytelling

Located in the idyllic Bullanginya Lagoon, Barooga NSW, the ‘Bullanginya Dreaming – Luna Light Journey’ stands as a groundbreaking cultural and entertainment experience that blends history, art, and technology.

Laservision logo

This permanent Luna Light Journey offers a unique insight into the rich traditions of the Bangerang People, paying homage to their deep-rooted connection to the land. It is the largest First Nation light and sound show in Australia, transforming over 40 acres of natural Australian bushland into a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture, history and the environment.

At the heart of ‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ lies the objective to provide visitors with a memorable and immersive experience. This 1.8-kilometre walking track invites guests to disconnect from the outside world and enter the Dreamtime – a cultural and spiritual concept central to Indigenous Australians. The journey takes approximately 1.5 hours, during which visitors engage with 13 distinct activations, each showcasing significant elements of Bangerang history and culture.

The storyline weaves together key cultural elements, from a ’Welcome to Country’ ceremony to the profound connections between the Bangerang People and their environment. Some of the highlights include ’People of the Tall Trees’, ’Patterns of Nature’, ’Chaos’ and the ’Life of a Tree’. An excerpt from ’Life of a Tree’, where an old gum tree is the centrepiece of the activation, details that ’my silent presence has witnessed the ebb and flow of time, encapsulating history within my majestic stature’. Each activation is a dynamic and culturally significant moment, designed to educate and inspire while maintaining a deep respect for the traditions of the Bangerang People.

Attendees are not simply passive observers but are invited to become part of the experience. To illustrate, the ‘Chaos’ activation is a spectacular, synchronised mesh of special effects, high-powered lasers, pulsating audio and programmed LED tubing positioned within a clearing in the bushland. Depicting the extreme weather events that have shaped Australia’s rugged landscape, this activation immerses the individual.

Bullanginya Dreaming Laservision blooloop innovation awards 2024

Moving to the next activation, attendees experience an ethereal ‘Waterways’ spinning light sculpture where they become part of the installation amid a serene, accompanying sound bed. This interplay of emotions from one activation to the next, where every aspect has been inspired by Dreamtime stories, ensures a production on the grandest of scales.

The intrinsic beauty of the ‘Bullanginya Dreaming – Luna Light Journey’ is that everyone’s interaction is different. It immerses the senses, but it does not overstimulate. In turn, this allows each visitor space to interpret the spectacular they’re experiencing via their unique lens. It’s staggering to hear the varied feedback from attendees – what one person holds dear could almost be entirely overlooked by another.

Bullanginya Dreaming Laservision blooloop innovation awards 2024

The project is a result of extensive consultation with the Bangerang People and ensures that the stories, designs, and representations are accurate and respectful of traditional practices. Each aspect of the light and sound show is inspired by Dreamtime stories, traditional Bangerang artwork and cultural artifacts.

Engaged by Barooga Sports Club, Laservision took on the monumental task of producing the entire ‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ experience. From the initial concept to design, production, post-production and installation, Laservision’s team spent months crafting a seamless integration of technology into the natural bushland. This required careful consideration of the site’s unique challenges. For example, a major flood event delayed construction and prompted a redesign of the walking track and the methods of installing critical equipment. To ensure that future floods would not damage the installation, Laservision engineered a system for safely removing and reinstalling the equipment when needed. Additionally, the team worked with environmental and wildlife experts to minimise disruption to local flora and fauna, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Bullanginya Dreaming Laservision blooloop innovation awards 2024

‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ is about bridging the worlds of modern technology and ancient traditions, creating a space where people can connect with the stories of the Bangerang People and the land itself. The light show brings these stories to life, helping visitors understand that the land belongs to no one – rather, we belong to the land. Visitors are not simply passive observers but are invited to become part of the experience. By creating an experience that blends traditional storytelling with cutting-edge technology, ’Bullanginya Dreaming’ fosters unity and respect, reminding us all of our shared responsibility to protect the environment and preserve cultural heritage.

With its seamless integration of art, history and nature, ’Bullanginya Dreaming – Luna Light Journey’ stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring connection between people and the land. Experienced at night under the stars, it offers a journey of reflection, learning and wonder – one that will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Partners

Bangerang People (Indigenous community):

  • Uncle Dozer Atkinson (Welcome to Country, People of the Tall Trees and Flora & Fauna narrations)
  • Rebecca Atkinson (Artist)
  • Aunty Esme Bamblett (Life of a Tree narration)
  • Roland Atkinson (Shields narration)
  • Casey Atkinson (Producer)
  • Bangerang People musicians

Barooga Sports Club:

  • Tony Tranter
  • Amy Batten
  • Caleb Brooks
  • Anton Noble
  • Bobby Brooks
  • Terry Vogel

Laservision:

  • Shannon Brooks
  • Juan Zubiaga
  • Angela Davis
  • Emma Lai
  • Michael Hanlon
  • Steve Kalagurgevic
  • Arif Mohammed
  • John Kincaid
  • Sam Connolly
  • Josh Ginsberg
  • Robert McRostie

Barooga Sports Club engaged Laservision to produce ’Bullanginya Dreaming’. As the client, they were involved at every step of the project. Currently, they are responsible for maintaining and operating Bullanginya Dreaming four nights per week.

Without working closely with the many talented artists from the Bangerang People (Indigenous group local to the region), ’Bullanginya Dreaming’ wouldn’t exist. The Bangerang People and Laservision’s creative vision for Bullanginya Dreaming was achieved with their artists collaborating with our creatives.

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