Bullanginya Dreaming

Located in the idyllic Bullanginya Lagoon, Barooga NSW, ‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ stands as a groundbreaking cultural and entertainment experience that blends history, art and technology. 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 Nations light and sound show in Australia, transforming over 40 acres of natural Australian bushland into a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture, history and 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 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 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 crafted a flawless integration of technology into the natural bushland.

‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ creates a space where people can connect with the stories of the Bangerang People and the land. The 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.

With its seamless integration of art, history and nature, ‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ stands as a testament to the power of collaboration. 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.

The path to realising ‘Bullanginya Dreaming’ was not without its challenges. Beyond a 1 in 100-year flood, the responsibility of accurately representing First Nations culture was a primary focus, along with discreetly integrating state of the art technologies into the natural bushland, as well as thoughtfully utilising the 40-acre parcel of land.

A 1 in a 100-year flood occurred in the region of Cobram-Barooga in late 2022. As a result, the aftermath of this natural disaster 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, Laservision’s close collaboration with the Bangerang People ensured that the project remained true to its cultural roots. The Luna Light Journey’s design and execution embody the spirits of the land, water and sky as conveyed in Bangerang Dreaming stories. Visitors are not simply passive observers but are invited to become part of the experience. The Bangerang People entrusted Laservision with their culture, history and connection to the land, and we were committed to honouring that trust in every decision we made. Everything you see in this show comes from the Dreaming stories, passed down from Bangerang ancestors. The designs, the colours—they’re not just for show. They represent the spirits of our land, the animals, the waters and the sky. Visuals transition to footage of traditional Bangerang artwork and cultural artifacts.

Laservision’s team spent months crafting a seamless integration of technology into the natural bushland. The integration required careful consideration of the site’s unique challenges. Additionally, the team worked with environmental and wildlife experts to minimise disruption to local flora and fauna, ensuring that the installation had minimal environmental impact predominantly through minimising light intrusion.

How to best utilise the space required extensive planning and consideration. Created in consultation and collaboration with First Nations people, the 1.8-kilometre path is thoughtfully planned to allow attendees to meander naturally through the landscape while respectfully avoiding sacred First Nations sites in the area.

As an immersive sound and light show, audio is featured in all 13 activations at Bullanginya Dreaming.

The audio equipment serves three main purposes – either providing the soundscape, relaying the narrative and/or acting as the background track. In six activations the narrative, or voiceover, is propelled throughout the installation. Each voiceover is accompanied by a background track. Both the voiceovers and background tracks are original productions recorded by local First Nations artists. The remaining activations feature a soundscape synched to, and complimentary of, the visual aspect of the installation.

As a result, an immediate authenticity is present, transporting patrons to another place. Take the second activation for example, which features a ‘Welcome to Country’ and an extract from it reads, “We ask you to treat the earth and all living things with respect. Remain close to your spirit and show respect for your fellow humans. To honour our culture and the lore of the lands.” As will become evident in the second section ‘Lighting’, a custom and interactive light sculpture is the accompanying piece at this installation.

Moving from voiceovers to soundscapes, where the soundscape is central to the installation, the appropriately named ‘Chaos’ activation is one of many instances where the pulsating audio is as important as the accompanying visuals. The booming soundscape is synchronised mesh of high-powered lasers, special effects and programmed LED tubing. Depicting the extreme weather events that have shaped Australia’s rugged landscape, this activation immerses the individual in a ‘chaos’ permeating the senses of sight, sound and smell.

Lighting is an integral part of all 13 activations at Bullanginya Dreaming.

The lighting equipment is used to artistically illuminate the area and bring to life stories from the Dreamtime, specifically stories by the Bangerang People, the custodians of the region. The dance of colours at each installation reflects something bigger, something only time and stories passed down through generations can capture.

As a result, attendees marvel at the gobos projecting intrinsically designed artworks onto the path ahead, they delight in sculptures depicting words and drawings from Indigenous culture in a golden light encircling each sculpture, they breath a bit shallower while pulsating lasers seemingly stretch for kilometres, they admire lights presenting the night in unforeseen ways, they lose themselves in the starlight cosmos and they reflect in the beauty of light animating seemingly inanimate foliage and man-made artworks along their travels.

As mentioned in the ‘Audio’ section, the ‘Welcome to Country’ activation features golden light spilling through the letters carved in the cylindrical sculpture. The sculpture is positioned so the letters form words which share a traditional Indigenous greeting, all encircling the activation.

Being a light and sound show, the visuals are integral to its success and feature in all 13 activations at Bullanginya Dreaming.
The visual equipment is used to tell the educational and entertaining story of the Bangarang People

How is it used and the result it produces at key activations is detailed below:
– ‘Shields’ – In this activation Indigenous artwork is projected onto century’s old gum trees, while a narration detailing traditional practices compliments the animated story.
– ‘By the River’ – Attendees interact with an interactive projection-mapped ‘river’ representative of the native ecosystem. The visuals are dynamic, adapting to the attendee’s location in this section.
– ‘Patterns of Nature’ – In this activation Indigenous artwork in the form of intricate patterns is projected onto century’s old gum trees while a harmonious soundscape accompanies.

Special effects are woven seamlessly into Bullanginya Dreaming, enhancing the atmosphere with an air of mystery. Carefully positioned smoke machines and misting systems create immersive haze effects, enriching the activation’s mood while remaining virtually undetectable.

By skilfully concealing the technology within the natural landscape, we ensure that the mesmerising low-lying smoke appears as if conjured from the environment itself—leaving audiences captivated and wondering, “How do they do that?”

This seamless integration deepens the sense of immersion, as the drifting haze forms an almost three-dimensional layer, enveloping guests and transporting them into the heart of the experience.