Galup VR Experience

Galup VR Experience was a cinematic virtual reality work which explored the transformative impact of truth-telling.

In the heart of suburban Perth there’s a lake with a buried history. Whadjuk Noongar Elder Doolann-Leisha Eatts spent her life sharing the truth of what really happened there.

Lake Monger was a traditional Noongar camping and meeting place known as Galup (Kaarlup) – a place of fires. Today, thousands of people visit the lake and its iconic black swans without knowing the events that happened there or understanding the significance of this important site.

Galup VR Experience was an invitation to learn more about Australia’s collective past as you sat with Doolann by her fire to hear about one of the first colonial massacres of Noongar people.

Noongar performer Ian Wilkes and his son Calven joined Doolann to immerse you in this powerful retelling of history. As the rush-hour traffic passes by and the centuries slip away, they shed light on the tragic events that occurred in and around Galup in 1830, guiding audiences towards an immersive understanding of Noongar culture and the impacts of settler colonialism.

This profound and intimate truth-telling experience brought people together for connection and healing. Created by Ian Wilkes and Poppy van Oorde-Grainger with an oral history from Elder Doolann-Leisha Eatts, and guided by a team of supportive Noongar Elders, Galup resonated long after you leave.

“I have lived my whole life dreaming that this story would be told. It was my greatest desire, right from when I was 10 years old.” – Doolann-Leisha Eatts