Our Birrarung: Past. Present. Future.

Celebrate the Birrarung and World Rivers Day with Sammy J!

Celebrate the life force of our Yarra, Birrarung river with Sammy J and the Djirri Djirri Dancers at the closing of the 2024 Birrarung Riverfest on World Rivers Day. Join this family-friendly event and connect with a community of river-lovers from source to sea.

Attendance is free but while you’re booking please consider making a donation to support Festival Presenter, Yarra Riverkeeper Association in their vital work towards a healthy, protected, loved Birrarung.

Official Program – 1pm to 3pm to be followed by a scrumptious afternoon tea at 3pm!

• Commencing on the banks of the Birrarung, a welcome by Janet Bolitho, President of Yarra Riverkeeper Association.
• Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with the Djirri Djirri Dancers (in front of The Edge theatre)
• Walk into The Edge theatre with Sammy J and pied pipers Mal Webb and Kylie Morrigan on trumpet and trombone
• The Edge Theatre: Welcome by Sammy J
• The Past, Speaker 1: Dr Mandy Nicholson, Wurundjeri woman
• The Past, Speaker 2: Dr Judith Buckrich, historian and author
• The Riverfest Concert Choir with Laura Brearley and Wamba Wamba didgeridoo player, Uncle Ron Murray
• The Present, Speaker 3: Sam Russell, Urban Guerrillas tree-planter
• The Present, Speaker 4: Meg Elkins, Yarra Yabbies river-swimmer
• Original river songs with musicians Craig Barrie, Nicki Johnson and Jeannie Marsh and choir
• The Future, Speaker 5: Ewan McEoin, NGV Reimagining Birrarung Curator
• The Future, Speaker 6: Alex Felson, Design with Country curator
• Closing remarks with Janet Bolitho, final all-in choir song and afternoon tea.

Drop-in Program – 11am to 1pm

• Birrarung 2100 exhibition, expansive river maps, and floor talk with Alex Felson and Kirstine Wallis
• River Jellyfish art installation by Carolyn Cardinet
• Eco-inking artistic quilt display by Annie Bolitho
• Melbourne Climate Choir with Jeannie Marsh (on the steps beside The Edge theatre at 12.30pm)

The Yarra Riverkeeper Association sincerely thanks all speakers, artists, singers, musicians and the many communities and organisations along the Yarra, Birrarung who have come together to make this event possible. Thank you also to The Riverfest Concert Choir, a collaboration between Melbourne Climate Choir, The Brunswick Rogues and Community Music Victoria.

Guaranteed you will leave this event feeling connected to the river and inspired to take action for a healthy, protected, loved Birrarung. This is an event you won’t want to miss.

Our Birrarung: Past. Present. Future. is presented by Yarra Riverkeeper Association in partnership with Fed Square, as part of RESET

About Riverfest

Celebrate our river at one of 30+ events being hosted over three weeks from 1- 22 September. Whether you enjoy riverside walks, cleanups or paddling adventures, there’s something for everyone at Riverfest. Riverfest is presented by the Yarra Riverkeeper Association. Check out the full Riverfest program here.