Bass Coast Cultural Venues presents: National NAIDOC Week 2025
- Bass Coast Cultural Venues
- Jun 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 17
To celebrate this years National NAIDOC Week, our Arts, Culture & Heritage department have curated six exciting events around Bass Coast Shire to ignite opportunities for reconciliation and connection through arts and culture.
Steven Ulula Parker
Art Exhibition
Kicking off celebrations, we have invited local Millowl artist Steven Ulula Parker to host WARREENY NGUL - Ocean Voice. Uncle Steve is a descendant of the Boonwurrung, Yorta Yorta, and Erub peoples and is an artist, surfer and leading cultural educator.
WARREENY NGUL is an immersive exhibition combining painting, traditional objects and songline audio recordings. Steven’s work brings together ceremonial and contemporary practices, that invite audiences to connect to the nature of Millowl (Phillip Island) as a place of healing.
Steven Ulula Parker | WARREENY NGULU | Ocean Voice
Saturday 31 May - Sunday 20 Jul | Daily | FREE
Berninneit, Cowes
You can find more information on the WARREENY NGULU exhibition here:
Maree Clarke
Art Installation
"This was a wonderful collaborative event with a lot of wisdom and warmth...I'm very much looking forward to seeing ‘our’ glass canoe in final form."
- Karen L
"I really enjoyed this Art workshop! The community involvement was friendly and very informative... Everyone seemed to enjoy being part of this collaborative project, hearing the stories and history. Look forward to seeing the finished sculpture back at Berninneit!"
- Sue H
It is an absolute honour to have celebrated First Nations artist Maree Clarke install her glasswork masterpiece Yawa, (Long Journey) at our very own Berninneit Cultural Centre. Maree, of Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Mutti Mutti, and Boon Wurrung heritage brings her profound cultural insight and collaborative creations to Yawa, a piece were community workshops where over 300 participants contributed to the patterns adorning the Murrini glass panels.
Led by Maree Clarke alongside three generations of her family – Kerri Clarke, Wade Mahoney, Mitch Mahoney, Molly Mahoney, and baby Yarran Clarke-Mahoney – these workshops, including one held at Berninneit earlier this year, enriched the artwork with shared cultural practices and community spirit.
Fabricated at Canberra Glassworks, Yawa spans an impressive 5000 x 565 x 290 mm (LWH), crafted from glass, stainless steel wire, and powder-coated steel. Its patination captures the essence of river reeds, further enriching its connection to the local environment.
Yawa will be installed at Berninnet Cowes on Saturday June 14th at 2.00pm.
This is a free event and does not require a booking.
We highly encourage you to come along to this incredible unveiling.
Maree Clarke | Yawa | Long Journey
Saturday 14 Jun | 2.00pm - 4.00pm | FREE
Berninneit, Cowes
You can find more information on Yawa here:
Catching The Light
Art Exhibition
Illuminating Lightbox Lane, in partnership with The Bass Coast South Gippsland Reconciliation Group, eight local First Nations artists will take part in the Catching the Light exhibition. Utilising Lightbox Lane’s unique gallery display, Catching the Light will brighten the streets of Wonthaggi with imagery of strength, vision and legacy.
Catching the Light will run from Friday July 4th until Wednesday December 31st.
This is a free event and does not require a booking.
Bass Coast Cultural Venues & Bass Coast South Gippsland Reconciliation Group presents: Catching The Light
Exhibition runs from Friday 4 Jul - Wednesday 31 Dec | Daily | FREE
Light Box Lane, Wonthaggi
You can find more information on the Catching The Light exhibition here:
Birdz & Fred Leone supported by Fonzie
Live Music Performance
Next door at The Union Theatre presented by The Hills Are Alive and Ocean Sounds, Birdz and Fred Leone will be treating everyone to a night of sharp, poetic, rhythmic, lyricisms fused with Aboriginal Creole. Local Gunai singer Fonzie will be kicking off the night with a sweet set!
Birdz & Fred are cousins by family, but brothers in music. Both artists hail from Ngulungbura Clan of the Butchulla nation with Fred Leone being one of the three Butchulla songmen. Indeed, their new E.P.s title, 'Girra', means FIRE in the Butchulla language and pays homage to their traditional language, roots and identity. Girra is a project the likes of which has not been seen before. Fred’s role as a Songman sees him as one of the custodians of the traditional songs of the Butchulla tribe and one of a handful of keepers and custodians of their language.
Bass Coast Cultural Venues, The Hills Are Alive & Ocean Sounds presents:
Birdz & Fred Leone
Saturday 5 Jul | 7.30pm | $35
The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi
Get tickets to Birdz & Fred Leone here:
Uncle Kutcha Edwards
Live Music Performance
Crossing back over the bridge, we are thrilled to announce that Berninneit will present the much beloved Uncle Kutcha Edwards. Multi-award winner, Uncle Kutcha uses his mesmeric music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. His charismatic stage presentations deepen our understanding of Australia’s first people.
As a respected elder and survivor from the Stolen Generations, a Kutcha Edwards live experience takes you on a journey with stories from his life, that segue so eloquently into each song choice lifting your spirit. At the heart of it Kutcha’s music is pure soul.
Uncle Kutcha Edwards will perform on Sunday July 6th at 7:30pm – Berninneit, Cowes.
Bass Coast Cultural Venues presents: Uncle Kutcha Edwards
Sunday 6 Jul | 7.30pm | $35
Berninneit, Cowes
Get tickets to Uncle Kutcha here:
Bass Coast Shorts: NAIDOC Week
First Nations Screening
Cinema Screening
Concluding our NAIDOC catalogue of events is a Bass Coast Shorts NAIDOC Screening special at The Union Theatre Wonthaggi.
A compilation of short films created by First Nations’ artists from around the world, Bass Coast Shorts NAIDOC screening explores a series of narrative and documentary films by and about First Nations people both Australian and international. These shorts present insights into
the close connection to nature that characterise First Nations communities, shorts that while confronting the history of colonisation also offer hope, inspiration and humour. Positive and insightful stories that are cinematic, entertaining and important.
Bass Coast Shorts 2025 - NAIDOC Week First Nations Screening will be held on Sunday July 14th at 2:00pm – The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi
Bass Coast Cultural Venues presents:
Bass Coast Shorts 2025 NAIDOC Week First Nations Screening
Sunday 13 Jul | 2.00pm - 3.30pm | FREE
The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi
Get tickets to Bass Coast Shorts: NAIDOC Week here:
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