First Lights – Kooranup, Rottnest Island

The Fremantle Biennale’s acclaimed drone light and sound experience, First Lights, returns in 2023 with Kooranup, a sequel to the stories shared through Moombaki in 2021.

This epic spectacle of light, movement and sound will again transform the night sky with 160 drones taking flight over the stage of the bilya (river) and wardan (ocean). Pioneering new technology and artistic practices to share ancient knowledge, Koornaup will reveal the first stories of place.

The last chapter will unfold across the ocean, on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), with a collective offering, led by Ilona McGuire and writer Cass Lynch. This closing chapter offers a space for deep contemplation across land and water, weaving together the many stories across time, both beautiful and heartbreaking, that are held by the island. Audiences are encouraged to register their attendance online.