Gunawarra Re-creation by Taun Wurrung (Taungurung) woman Isobel Morphy Walsh is a powerful story of culture, memory and women’s healing. Drawing on the traditional Kulin story of Gunawarra – the black swan and how it came to have black feathers – the play unfolds with spirit, strength and song in a profound work of contemporary theatre that breathes new life into the lifelong stories of the Taungurung people. This new 2026 season is led by award-winning Artistic Director Andrea James (Yorta Yorta, Gunaikurnai woman), marking her directorial debut with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company. It follows an incredible opening season at Melbourne Theatre Company in 2024 under the directorship of Dr Rachael Maza AM (Yidinji, Meriam). This powerful production is more than theatre – it is a transfer of ancestral energy, woven with care, pride and deep cultural memory highlighting the strength, authority and wisdom carried by Blak women, and their extraordinary capacity to heal.
2026 Tour
8 – 11 July
Southbank Theatre, VIC
17 – 18 July
Geelong Arts Centre, VIC
5 – 8 August
QPAC, QLD
Photography: Tiffany Garvie (Gunggari)
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