THE PORT’S CALL | SHIP ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE TIMES

SHIPPING MOVEMENT PERFORMANCE TIMES

The Port’s Call takes place with every arriving and departing ship, and daily at sunset.

CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date shipping movements or follow @fremantlebiennale or @byronscullin on Instagram.

Note: this schedule is being live updated and shipping movements can change at a moments notices.

Sunset performance times are listed below.

FRI 3 NOV

SUNSET: 6:32PM

SUN 5 NOV

SUNSET: 6:33PM

MON 6 NOV

SUNSET: 6:34PM

TUE 7 NOV

SUNSET: 6:34PM

WED 8 NOV

SUNSET: 6:35PM

THU 9 NOV

SUNSET: 6:36PM

FRI 10 NOV

SUNSET: 6:37PM

SAT 11 NOV

SUNSET: 6:38PM

SUN 12 NOV

SUNSET: 6:39PM

NEW EVENT: AJA MONET IN CONVERSATION WITH SISONKE MSIMANG

New York born and raised surrealist blues poet, writer and community organiser, aja monet, will be appearing at Lawson Flats – for a conversation with writer, activist and political commentator, SISONKE MSIMANG. This will be an intimate event in Luis’ Bar with two of the world’s most brilliant and acclaimed storytellers.

Presented in partnership with Lawson Flats.

DATE: Thursday 16th November
TIME: Doors at 6pm for a 6.30pm start
LOCATION: Luis’ at Lawson Flats
TICKETS: Members $20, non-members $40

RSVP: Very limited tickets. Exclusive Member pre-release here. Non-Members email concierge to join the waitlist, or become a member here.

A BATH AT THE TEMPLE DEVOTED TO THE GLORIOUS BEINGS OF SMALL FAVOURS

A free bath and an ocean plunge!

Join the Commonwealth of New Bayswater Temple devotees in a bath and morning ocean ritual each Friday of the Fremantle Biennale. Head down to the Temple from 7am – 7.30am to lodge your application with the glorious beings of free baths.

The free baths will begin from 7.30am, with devotees plunging themselves into the water at Bathers Beach (an Australian beach adjacent to the temple).

With your morning ablutions complete, final offerings can be made to the glorious beings, in an act of cooking and disposing of sentimental items. A ceremonial brew will then be prepared and shared outside the temple for all*

Fri 10 & Fri 17 Nov
7am

*Bring a piece of wood to burn, and a cup to drink from for the tea ceremony.

COBALT | CLOSING PARTY | FULL LINEUP & NEW LOCATION

We’ve got a brand-new space in play, and we’re taking advantage.

Our closing party COBALT is moving to the Fremantle Passenger Terminal!

This iconic Fremantle building has been closed to the public since 2009 and will reopen exclusively for the Fremantle Biennale. The Terminal’s expansive balcony will become the backdrop for a dazzling line-up of local and national vinyl spinners.

Watch the cargo ships go by as the sun sets to shimmering rhythms. Let’s dance!

FULL LINEUP:
NINGALOO RECORDS
AQUENTA
MISS ESTONIA
KAYA RADIO DJ’S
DANIEL DALTON

Set times TBA.

BUY TICKETS HERE

FIRST LIGHTS – KOORANUP (Rottnest Island)

The Fremantle Biennale’s acclaimed drone light and sound experience, First Lights, returns in 2023 with Kooranup. This epic spectacle of light, movement and sound will again transform the night sky with 160 drones taking flight over the stage of the bilya (river) and wardan (ocean).

First Lights – Kooranup consists of three stories in three different locations, with the final shows to be held on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November, 2023.

First Lights – Kooranup on Wadjemup is free to attend but due to limited capacity, registrations are essential.

GETTING THERE

Ferry Services:
Dedicated event ferry services will be run by SeaLink, Rottnest Express and Rottnest Fast Ferries from Fremantle and Hillarys locations.

SeaLink (Depart 3.30pm. Return 9.45pm) > BOOK HERE
Rottnest Express (Depart 4pm or 5.30pm. Return 9.30pm) > BOOK HERE
Rottnest Fast Ferries (Depart 3pm or 6pm. Return 9.15pm) > BOOK HERE

All registered attendees will need to collect a wristband at the Rottnest Island Events Info Marquee, which is located on Thomson Lawn, in front of the Main Jetty on Rottnest Island. Open 2 – 6pm on both Friday and Saturday.

Wristbands will be checked at the entrance to the event.

On the Island:
From the Main Jetty the Army Groyne is a short 10-15 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride along Parker Point Road, turning left at Army Jetty Road.

For those with access needs a return bus service will run from Main Settlement bus stop to the Army Groyne event site.

To find out more about Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) and to plan your visit Rottnest Island website.

For further information on First Lights – Kooranup visit the project page here.

Photo: Kim Scott, First Lights – Binalup, 2023. Produced by Fremantle Biennale. Co-presented with City of Albany. Photo: Jarrad Russell.

NEW VENUE ANNOUNCED! FREMANTLE PASSENGER TERMINAL

We’re very excited to announce that a brand-new venue is going to be added into the mix for SIGNALS 23.

We’ve gained access to yet another place that has been closed for quite some time – The Fremantle Passenger Terminal.

This iconic venue was once a bustling hub for cruise ships, community events, and more. Until 1994, the space housed international acts and live music, now it will now be the backdrop for two of our major events- when the poems do what they do, a night of spoken word poetry and music with aja monet, Jazz Money and The Colour Beige, as well as our closing party Cobalt, which will feature a line-up of local and national DJ’s including Ningaloo Records, Aquenta + more.

The vast and expansive space features era-evident 60’s architecture, artworks by celebrated Australian artist Howard Taylor, and an epic balcony that juts out over the port, in prime position to watch the ship pass.

Learn about the glory days of this iconic venue here.

NEW PROGRAMMING NOW LIVE

We’ve released a whole lot of new programming, activating some of our existing works and spaces with lineups of musicians, speakers, workshops, tours and more!

The Er Pavilion will become a gathering space for story, music, conversation, and performance for the three weeks of the festival. Experimental music programming, architectural events, artist talks, and art tours. These events are all free to attend, but some require registration. See the full pavilion program here.

Yellow Bus will transform into a hub of activity with talks, film screenings and cultural storytelling, as well as workshops in damper making, natural dyeing, shoe-making and ornamenting & adornment using emu feathers. Registration is required for the shoe-making workshop.

Over at the Commonwealth of New Bayswater Temple, you’ll find nightly devotions to the glorious beings of small favours, and the Mirror Regatta on Sunday 5 November. Meanwhile the Commonwealth’s Embassy will host a series of concerts in the park. A full list of international acts and musicians will probably be announced closer to, but if you want to get in early to these exclusive and famed gigs you can book your tickets here.

FIRST LIGHTS – BINALUP FILM

Our touring project and unique choreographed drone light and sound event, First Lights, has travelled across Western Australia and Australia in 2022 – 2023. Led by Traditional Owners and artists from each region, First Lights pioneers new technologies and artistic practices to share ancient knowledge and the first stories of place.

As our drones took flight in Albany, Western Australia for First Lights — Binalup, we commissioned film director Luna Laure to document the immense journey that encompassed the development of this ancient story. With interviews from award-winning Noongar artist Kim Scott, Menang Custodians and the technical team behind it, witness insights into the mammoth undertaking that is bringing stories of Country to the skies.

First Lights – Binalup was co-presented with the City of Albany.
Artist: Kim Scott
Sound Design: Envelope Audio
Animation: Jarrad Russell
Technical Partner: Stellar Lights

For more information visit our First Lights website.

“This piece is inspired by some of the Creation Stories around the town of Albany. Riffing on rhythms of south coastal Noongar language and gathering energy from pools and pulsing water, it summons the great Mother to return with light and song and open up our world.”
– Kim Scott

VOLUNTEER WITH US

VOLUNTEER WITH US!

We’re looking for a team of confident, enthusiastic, and approachable volunteers to work with us for SIGNALS 23.

Our volunteers support our Front of House team working across all our festival events. The role includes customer service and assisting our visitors to access our events and venues across the Fremantle Biennale.

Our volunteer positions are flexible to your availability, and you can volunteer as much or as little as you choose.