Buluunggal Festival
About
The Buluunggal Festival is continued as an annual gathering on Gumbaynggirr Country to celebrate the annual arrival of Buluunggal (mullet) in the Nambucca River.
Since it’s emergence in 2022, the festival has aimed to be a welcoming day where Gumbaynggirr Custodians can share connections with Country and nourish relationships with buluunggal.
Led by Uncle Bud Marshall and Gumbaynggirr Elders, the festival celebrates connection with the River through story, dance, art, music, stalls, and a free mullet barbeque feed.
There is always a strong team effort from Elders, community organisations, dancers, musicians, volunteers on the BBQ and serving food, stallholders and artists.
“Uncle Benjie would sit up on that wall there, right in the middle. He’d watch the mullet come across. He’d know exactly where they were going and then, bang, he would spear them.”
-Uncle Bud Marshall
Festival highlights
Local dancers
Sharing Gumbaynggirr knowledge and culture through dance is at the heart of the Buluunggal Festival.
Uncle Bud invites local dancing groups to showcase their efforts in celebrating the day, including the Frank Patridge School dance group, Giingan Yiiliwiyay Girrwaa dancers, Budaabang Bari Dancers, Jalay Jalay dancers, and the Figtree descendants.
Around the V-Wall
The V-Wall at Nambucca Heads becomes a vibrant part of the Buluunggal Festival, offering space to walk, reflect and connect with the seas, skies, and waterways of this place. Guests are invited to stroll the grounds and shape their own Buluunggal experience through music, dance, and storytelling.
Uncle Benjie Buchanan’s powerful sculpture stands near the V-Wall, honouring Gumbaynggirr stories and Country. Along the path, local artists share their work at market stalls… each piece a reflection of culture, creativity and community.
Mullet fish barbeque
Every year, Uncle Bud heads to South West Rocks to pick up Mullet Fish to be cooked up for the festival.
The barbeque is a free and tasty feed for all, and has been an important way to help celebrate the day and everyone together. Plenty of mullet is cooked with Lemon Myrtle by using Uncle Bud’s smoker, and so many volunteers come along to help out preparing everything else.
Sit back and watch the performers and dancers as you enjoy this tasty feed. Or better still,
Musicians
Music is a big part of celebrating the Buluunggal, bringing together community, artists, and performers to share culture and stories with the audience through song and dance.
Incredible local musicians and bands perform alongside community artists and dancers from all over Gumbaynggirr Country. This has included Manduway and Tom, Michael Donovan, Gunganbu, and Hot Mess. Uncle Bud and Uncle Martin have also shared the stage with friends and family to sing together in celebrating community.
