Albany 2026: Town Hall hosts well-attended opening of Binalup, Menang: First Light, First People exhibition

The Albany Town Hall was full on Friday night as the Binalup, Menang: First Light, First People exhibition — a photographic showcase of Albany’s Noongar community — was officially opened to the public.

The exhibition, a joint project from award-winning photographer Nic Duncan and Menang elder Carol Pettersen, comprises portraits of many of the most recognised and highly respected members of the Great Southern’s Noongar community.

Each portrait is accompanied by an excerpt from an interview with the subject, allowing the people featured in the exhibition to tell their stories in their own words.

Many of the people who were photographed and interviewed came along on opening night to see the final outcome of the project, which has been more than a year in the making.

Governor of WA Chris Dawson travelled to Albany to officially open the exhibition, and spoke to the crowd about the importance of honouring Noongar history and stories.

Kim Scott, Lester Coyne, and Averil Dean, all of whom were photographed for the exhibition, added their own words about the exhibition and the impact of putting Noongar stories front and centre, particularly during Albany’s bicentenary celebrations this year.

Mr Scott opened proceedings with a speech that touched on the at-times painful history of stolen country, dispossession, and the attempted erasure of Noongar culture in WA.

He said much of the work to rebuild that culture was being undertaken by many people whose portraits adorned the town hall’s walls.

To conclude his speech, he invited the Wirlomin Singers to share the microphone with him, and the group performed two Noongar-language songs to rapturous applause.

Duncan and Ms Pettersen thanked everyone who had been part of the project and helped bring it to fruition, and spoke about how it came about on a camping trip on the Great Southern coast.

Both women also spoke about the importance of including a Menang-led project in the Albany 2026 program, and taking the opportunity to bring to light many untold stories from elders and community members.

“When the Albany 2026 bicentenary was announced, there was a shared concern amongst our elders that this might once again highlight colonial milestones while overlooking the foundational and continuing contribution of our people,” Ms Pettersen said.

“From that concern came purpose. We wanted to commemorate as well as celebrate.

“This project stands as a collective commitment to ensure a strong and visible Menang presence, one that acknowledges contribution and reflects a living culture that’s always been here.

“These portraits are not simply images, they are living stories.”