Vespers x Sanctuary Within
A one-night only event in the City of Melville.
Experience two extraordinary works in one night at the Lowerlands of Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve: Vespers, a drifting symphony carried by a fleet of couta boats across the river, and Sanctuary Within, a fierce, soul-stirring performance of maloya music and dance.
Join us at sunset for an unforgettable evening of music, performance and dance. Start at Waylen Bay, then follow the river path to the Lowerlands. Bring a picnic rug or chair, settle in, and enjoy offerings from local food vendors between performances.
Vespers reimagines the bilya (river) with a floating choir of vessels, live-mixed from the shoreline and aboard the boats. Composer Rachael Dease and sound designer Tim Collins reunite with Perth’s couta boat custodians and community choirs to transform Waylen Bay into a living soundscape – a procession shaped by light, tide and wind.
Sanctuary Within is a powerful celebration of maloya – the sacred improvised music, dance and ritual form of Réunion Island. Led by Réunionese artists Dr Muriel Hillion Toulcanon, her band Salama and internationally acclaimed special guest, Kaloune. Together with fifteen dancers and musicians, they forge a new space for maloya – an immersive performance of rhythm, movement and magnetic energy.
5.30pm: Lowerlands parking opens
6.15pm: Vespers at Waylen Bay
7pm: Food vendors open at the Lowerlands
7.30pm: Sanctuary Within at the Lowerlands
Date, Time and Location
Waylen bay & Lowerlands, Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve
Sat 15 Nov, 6pm – 9pm
Image Credit
PHOTO 1: Muriel Hillion by Peter Zuvela; PHOTO 2: Kaloune, Photo by Laurent Gudin; PHOTO 3: Muriel Hillion, Photo by Peter Zuvela; PHOTO 4: Photo by Peter Zuvela; PHOTO 5: Kaloune, Photo by Ismael-Moussadjee
Muriel Hillion, a Réunionese artist and researcher based in Western Australia, explores Creolisation in the Indian Ocean through vibrant music, powerful singing and captivating dance. With a decade of performances, teaching and a doctoral focus on Maloya dance and music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), she created the first Australian Creole musical Island Vibrations in 2022 and the Award-winning Salama Odyssey in 2023. Collaborating with multicultural artists from various backgrounds, Hillion integrates storytelling in English, with visuals, dance, singing in various languages and traditional instruments.
Kaloune is a singer-musician and above all, a poet who has been interested in Afro-descendant memory for around ten years. All her artistic work revolves around the notion of the repair of memories linked to trafficking and slavery, through poetry. The corpus of her repertoire revolves around the following notions: the rehabilitation of the dignity of the human being, the reclamation of her oral culture as heritage, and the anchoring of the Réunionese imagination as an intellectual, philosophical and spiritual foundation specific to the island. Together with her collaborators (through Kinibé) they create new memories and enrich the mythology (Reunionese and global) evoked in the songs of the servis kabaré.
Rachael Dease’s artistic practice encompasses art music, dance and theatre scoring, installation and songwriting, often with an emphasis on community and connection. While her own music projects have garnered international critical acclaim and multiple awards, Dease is a quintessential and in-demand collaborator – creating large and small scale works across many genres. Classically trained, with a knowledge of sound design and production, she creates music and sound that supports, enhances, elevates, and extends.
Tim Collins is a multifaceted professional in the entertainment industry, working as a sound designer, composer, musician, technician, and tour manager. Since 2001, he has built a diverse career spanning theatre, festivals, concerts, studio production, musical theatre, and live broadcast, with extensive experience in both performance and production logistics. Tim has also contributed to arts education as a mentor and lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and Curtin University. His recent composition and sound design credits include Hoods (Barking Gecko Arts) and The Pool (Black Swan State Theatre Company). In 2022, he was awarded the Performing Arts WA Award for Outstanding Sound Design for his work on Cicada (Barking Gecko Theatre).
Waylen Bay, Applecross
THE STRAND,
APPLECROSS
Lowerlands, Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve
58 Duncraig Rd,
Applecross
Duration: 4 hours
5.30pm: Lowerlands parking and event area open
6.15 – 7pm: Vespers at Waylen Bay
7pm: Food vendors open at Lowerlands
7.30pm: Sanctuary Within at Lowerlands
This event takes place outdoors along the beach at Waylen Bay and at the Lowerlands. Audiences are invited to walk between the two sites along the river path (a short 10-minute walk). Event staff will guide audiences along the route.
Free drinking water will be available at the Lowerlands. We recommend bringing a picnic blanket for the grassed areas, and your own low seating if required.
Toilets are located at the Lowerlands and at Goolugatup – Heathcote Reserve.
Please dress for the weather and bring warm clothing for the evening.
In the event of inclement weather the show may be delayed or cancelled. Please follow Fremantle Biennale on social media for up to date information.
Food & Drink: A range of food vendors and non-alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase. You are also welcome to bring your own picnic. Please note: no bar or BYO alcohol.
The Lowerlands is a 10-minute drive from Perth CBD. Event parking will be available at the Lowerlands, directly adjacent to the event site. See Event Map.
The closest train station is Canning Bridge, with bus route148 stopping nearby.
Vespers: Accessible viewing will be available at Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve, 58 Duncraig Road, Applecross. ACROD parking is located here — please follow signage and staff directions to the viewing area. Please see the event map above.
Sanctuary Within: Reserved ACROD parking will be available at the Lowerlands Parking area close to the event site. Please note: the Lowerlands event area consists of grass and hardened gravel; assistive access may be required.
