Albany 2026: Mammang Koort floral installation brings Menang knowledge to life for Lighting the Sound

The floral installation Mammang Koort, a colourful pathway imbued with Indigenous history and local stories, provides the perfect welcome to those entering the Anzac Peace Park to witness Lighting the Sound. While Kari Kola’s record-breaking light show is the big star of this month’s Albany 2026 program, the Mammang Koort floral installation provides a living portal for people to walk through on their way to watch the green lights illuminate the Torndirrup Peninsula and beyond. Three arches placed at the entrance to the Anzac Peace Park invite attendees to take a journey through Albany’s natural landscape and Noongar history, walking through a collection of native flora representing aspects of Menang Noongar culture. Named after the Menang name for King George Sound, sounds of whale song play throughout the evening, lending an otherworldly quality to the installation after dark. The heart of the installation is formed by a koornt, or traditional shelter, built by Menang man Larry Blight. People walking through the installation can tie a ribbon to the structure, representing a wish for the future. The installation changes colours each weekend of Lighting the Sound, based on the changing colours of the bloodroot, a traditional ingredient that also inspired the colours of the stunning light display, with the first weekend based on red earth, the second being black for renewal, and the third is yellow for light and hope. Artist Lara Rose Bos is no stranger to building impressive floral installations, boasting an impressive resume of work at Perth events, but she said it was a privilege to be able to collaborate with Menang elders and local producers to build a structure with meaning and story. “I first spoke to Lynette Knapp, who provided me with that initial insight into the story I wanted to tell, and the aspects of Noongar culture and history I most wanted to incorporate,” she said. “I also spoke to Professor Stephen Hopper, who is an expert in local plants and landscapes, and from there we worked out how to build this thing. “Larry Blight came on board and was such a great helping hand, he’s just pure sunshine, and he built the koornt, the shelter at the heart of the artwork, and seeing elders tie their ribbons to the outside and make a wish for the future was a really special moment for me.” Lindsay Dean was another Menang contributor, collaborating with his dance group Mooditj Nop to choose traditional dances that reflect the different phases of the installation each weekend. Bos said she tried to source as much of her materials locally as she could, contacting plant growers and suppliers, and hosting workshops at the Empty Bobbin and with the Albany Weavers group to create art pieces to weave among the natural elements of the piece. “Having so many people on board and so many hands involved in building the concept and bringing it to life made it connected to the local community, there are so many people who I think feel a bit of ownership in this work, which I think is brilliant,” Bos said. “I’ve been completely humbled by people’s reactions and experiences with the piece, it’s been overwhelming. “At least half the people who have been coming down to the Peace Park to see the lights have been coming through the installation, it’s been wonderful to see people slow down a bit and take a moment to hear the story or interact with it. “I’m privileged to have learnt so much about Albany and the Menang culture, and to have witnessed such a beautiful response from the community.”