LENNY’S COUNTRY : Curious Legends
Welcome to Lenny’s Country
A vibrant, family-friendly celebration of local Indigenous culture led by respected Worimi Elder and artist, Auntie Debbie Dates. Settle in for an evening of heartfelt storytelling and knowledge sharing, local Worimi art, and yarns about LENNY’S COUNTRY – the land, community, and native wildlife, brought to life through the masterful illuminated puppetry of Curious Legends.
Pack a picnic, get creative with hands-on activities, and enjoy an unforgettable night of connection, culture and imagination under the open sky. As Auntie Debbie shares First Nations stories, audiences are invited to listen, reflect, and be guided on a journey of family, nature and deep connection to Country. Throsby Creek Foreshore holds significant cultural importance for the Dates mob and local communities – a place where Awabakal and Worimi waterways have long provided food, gathering and cultural practice.
As part of the event, Curious Legends will unveil new illuminated puppets, co-created with the community in response to the powerful histories of this site. These striking works will perform and rove throughout the space, bringing First Nations stories and local history vividly to life.
Commissioned by New Annual for the 2026 festival.
WET WEATHER PLAN
In the unlikely event of extreme weather impacting this event, news will be posted on social media and on this event page.
DURATION
3 hrs
SENSORY & CONTENT WARNING
Suitable for all ages. Family Friendly. Please contact Curious Legends for accessiblity needs.
ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Aunty Debbie Dates, Aunty Tammy Towers and the Worimi Community.
Aunty Debbie Dates is a proud Aboriginal woman and a recognised traditional Elder from Worimi Country. She has been producing cultural artworks for many years and is passionate about preserving our traditional stories and culture through Aboriginal design. Aunty Debbie interprets and converts our traditional Worimi stories into artworks which in turn is used to teach cultural connections and values to our youth. Her artistic designs illustrate the connections between animals, people and place and show the importance of culturally significant species in a cultural landscape. Aunty Debbie enjoys sharing her cultural knowledge through artwork and believes it is essential in illustrating Worimi people’s values of Sea Country.
Curious Legends Curious Legends is a Newcastle-based theatre company dedicated to sparking wonder in audiences of all ages through imaginative performance. Since 2005, they have grown from humble beginnings into a nationally and internationally recognised company, creating large-scale site-specific works, community projects, workshops and touring productions. Best known for their striking illuminated puppets, their multidisciplinary practice spans traditional theatre, multimedia and immersive experiences. Through laughter, magic and storytelling, Curious Legends invites children and their adults to explore the extraordinary within the everyday, celebrating creativity, connection and the power of shared imagination.
Pack a picnic, get creative with hands-on activities, and enjoy an unforgettable night of connection, culture and imagination under the open sky. As Auntie Debbie shares First Nations stories, audiences are invited to listen, reflect, and be guided on a journey of family, nature and deep connection to Country. Throsby Creek Foreshore holds significant cultural importance for the Dates mob and local communities – a place where Awabakal and Worimi waterways have long provided food, gathering and cultural practice.
As part of the event, Curious Legends will unveil new illuminated puppets, co-created with the community in response to the powerful histories of this site. These striking works will perform and rove throughout the space, bringing First Nations stories and local history vividly to life.
Commissioned by New Annual for the 2026 festival.
WET WEATHER PLAN
In the unlikely event of extreme weather impacting this event, news will be posted on social media and on this event page.
DURATION
3 hrs
SENSORY & CONTENT WARNING
Suitable for all ages. Family Friendly. Please contact Curious Legends for accessiblity needs.
ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Aunty Debbie Dates, Aunty Tammy Towers and the Worimi Community.
Aunty Debbie Dates is a proud Aboriginal woman and a recognised traditional Elder from Worimi Country. She has been producing cultural artworks for many years and is passionate about preserving our traditional stories and culture through Aboriginal design. Aunty Debbie interprets and converts our traditional Worimi stories into artworks which in turn is used to teach cultural connections and values to our youth. Her artistic designs illustrate the connections between animals, people and place and show the importance of culturally significant species in a cultural landscape. Aunty Debbie enjoys sharing her cultural knowledge through artwork and believes it is essential in illustrating Worimi people’s values of Sea Country.
Curious Legends Curious Legends is a Newcastle-based theatre company dedicated to sparking wonder in audiences of all ages through imaginative performance. Since 2005, they have grown from humble beginnings into a nationally and internationally recognised company, creating large-scale site-specific works, community projects, workshops and touring productions. Best known for their striking illuminated puppets, their multidisciplinary practice spans traditional theatre, multimedia and immersive experiences. Through laughter, magic and storytelling, Curious Legends invites children and their adults to explore the extraordinary within the everyday, celebrating creativity, connection and the power of shared imagination.