In 2013, Mooghalin Performing Arts introduced the Yellamundie Festival, which identifies, develops and presents new First Nations stories for the stage. Since then, 10 of the works developed by the biennial Festival have gone on to full production including Kylie Coolwell’s Battle of Waterloo, presented by Sydney Theatre Company in 2015, Nathan Maynard’s The Season, presented at the 2017 Sydney Festival and on a national tour the following year, and Jane Harrison’s The Visitors, co-presented by Moogahlin Performing Arts, Carriageworks and Sydney Festival in 2020.

This year’s Yellamundie Festival takes place at Carriageworks as part of Sydney Festival on 22 & 23 January, under a new Artistic Director Lily Shearer, who has added music and dance to the programming for the first time. The live program includes a play called The Lookout by Dalara Williams, a dance performance called Waterholes by Shana O’Brien, a music work called The First Shot by composer Troy Russell, and a music performance called Gumbirrangarroo Dalanngarroo (Longest Time Right Now) by Brad Steadman and Mark Ross.

Two performances – Seventh Season Dreaming, a dance piece by Melbourne-based Sermsah Bin Saad, and a play called Capricorn by Brisbane-based writer Aidan Rowlingson – had to be withdrawn because...