Opening had us enthralled

Those who strolled through the welcoming doors of Ulumbarra Theatre gazed with awe at this extraordinary achievement, this magnificent building. There was a buzz of anticipation in the air and ahead an evening of community pride in this beautiful city ready to celebrate Ulumbarra.

We marvelled at the brilliance of  project architects Y2 who were able to transform a cold harsh environment into a performing space worthy of any great city in the world. They deserve special accolades. Theirs was a formidable and daunting task, to transform an abandoned gaol into a contemporary performing arts space. To also combine it with an educational precinct which allows it to be alive and active every day and revert to community use in the evenings is simply breathtaking.

To stroll through this historic precinct is to feel the presence of the Dja Dja Wurrung people who once lived on these traditional lands, and one can sense the loneliness of those isolated prisoners locked in the tiny cells we passed by in the old Sandhurst gaol.

City of Greater Bendigo CEO Craig Niemann was MC for the evening‘s proceedings. Craig has been at the centre of this huge endeavour. His influence on the outcome of this project was evident in the acknowledgements he received.

Speeches by various dignitaries were heartfelt and genuine. A large ribbon was cut by those on stage and the formalities were over.

The official opening ceremony having concluded, Uncle Jack Charles introduced the audience to the history of the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. Thus began a concert, a memorable and astonishing display of traditional and modern aboriginal music, song and dance. We heard haunting and sorrowful songs.  My country and the lullaby Djaara Baby were sung by the soulful smoky-voiced  Emma Donovan, and Soup Angels by Jessie Lloyd. We heard edgy rock,  song and dance songs, a percussion song.

The final song was simply called Ulumbarra, written to celebrate the evening and to pave the way forward for all peoples living on this country.

David Bridie, an inspired choice of director, showcased some of Australia’s finest indigenous musicians and singers. The songs they sang were the dreaming stories of the Dja Dja Wurrung people, and also included was the more recent history of the Ulumbarra site.

The audience was enthralled, spellbound. It was so unexpected and yet so totally, absolutely appropriate that the First Peoples were recognised on the first night of the Ulumbarra Theatre.

Performers received a standing ovation from the Bendigo community.

We felt very privileged to have been participants in such an evening.