June
The winter weather didn’t stop a vibrant event calendar in June, with performances, exhibitions, music and book launches.
June Events
June began with Rapture at Albany’s Historic Whaling Station. Supported by the City of Albany through the Albany 2026 program, the immersive performance combined dance, sculpture, projection and sound to explore the Torndirrup coastline and the healing power of the sea.
The month also saw the continuation of ArtSouthWA's Festival of Halls, another Albany 2026-supported initiative that has been activating heritage halls across the Great Southern since April. June featured the lively Bornholm Dinner Dance, bringing country hospitality and community connection to one of the region's treasured halls, while Wholly Local transformed Albany Town Hall into a vibrant seventies celebration, with flares, tie-dye and live music filling the city's most iconic venue.
The third Live @ the Town Hall concert of the year welcomed audiences of all ages, headlined by Darcie Haven. Excitement also grew for the August edition, with the announcement that Baker Boy would bring his acclaimed live show to Albany for the first time.
History and truth-telling remained central to the Albany 2026 program with the public launch of A Gift of Truth Telling: Notes on the Bicentenary of Albany. Supported by the City of Albany and jointly edited by Malcolm Traill and Harry Freemantle, the 38th edition of Studies in Western Australian History brought together more than 40 authors across 18 articles, offering fresh perspectives on Albany's history through a Menang First lens.
The month's defining moment came with the opening of Binalup, Menang | First Light, First People at Albany Town Hall, with more details provided below.
Binalup, Menang | First Lights, First People Exhibition Opening
The Albany Town Hall welcomed guests for the opening of the powerful exhibition Binalup, Menang | First Light, First People on Friday, 26th July.
A Menang-led collaboration between Elders and award-winning portrait photographer Nic Duncan, the exhibition featured striking portraits and personal stories that honoured the contributions of Menang Elders and other respected Menang community members.
The exhibition was officially opened by His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia, following a Welcome to Country by Menang Elder Uncle Lester Coyne. Guests also heard from Menang storyteller and author Kim Scott, City of Albany Mayor Greg Stocks, project creators Menang Elder Aunty Carol Pettersen and Nic Duncan, with moving performances by the Wirlomin Singers and a poetry reading by Menang Elder Aunty Averil Dean.
Images: Krysta Guille
Krysta GuilleBinalup, Menang | First Light, First People Opening Image Recap
June Featured Events
Rapture invited audiences to experience an intimate evening of dance, sculpture and sound inspired by the tides, the moon and the restorative power of the sea.
Wholly Local Festival filled the Albany Town Hall with live music and nostalgia, celebrating the incredible talent of Great Southern musicians with a vibrant seventies-themed event.
Live @ the Town Hall returned this June with its third instalment for 2026, throwing open the doors to music lovers of all ages for a huge night of live music.
The Bornholm Dinner Dance brought the community together for an evening of music, dancing and country hospitality at the historic Bornholm Hall as part of the Festival of Halls.
The public launch of A Gift of Truth Telling: Notes on the Bicentenary of Albany, Issue No. 38 of Studies in Western Australian History, brought together historians, researchers and community members to celebrate a significant contribution to Albany's bicentenary.
A Menang-led collaboration between Elders and award-winning portrait photographer Nic Duncan