Event details
Join us for a night of Indigenous culture and storytelling, curated by Jason Tamiru, Cultural Interpreter, Baimi Lore, Serpent Dreaming.
Start your journey wandering through the magical Maranoa Botanic Gardens before gathering together for a Welcome to Country, music and stories featuring opera singer Shauntai Abdul–Rahman, folk music outfit KINJA, dance troupe Culture Evolves and more surprises.
Maranoa Botanic Gardens sits on high country; a place where the sun and moon appears first.
Experience Djirrungana Kulture (High Culture) here in a special evening celebrating the start of Summer in the Park 2026.
Free, all welcome. Family friendly event.
Shauntai Abdul-Rahman
Multifaceted vocalist and composer. Wiradjuri soprano, Shauntai Abdul-Rahman effortlessly inhabits the worlds of opera, inspirational soul and gospel, classical composition and theatre making. Shauntai holds a BMus, is an alumna of Melba Opera Trust and has performed as a guest artist or principal artist with Short Black Opera, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Australian Dance Theatre and will make her Opera Australia debut in 2026 in Leah Purcell's The Drovers Wife, composed by George Palmer. Shauntai is also currently writing a new exciting musical, supported by Creative Victoria, called 'Wait A While' inspired by the life of her late father Wally Carr who was an Indigenous Champion Australian Boxer, who is inducted in the Boxing Hall of Fame here in Melbourne.
KINJA
KINJA are Ron Murray and Sarah James, two musicians celebrating the cultural heritage of their ancestors in a blend of Indigenous Australian and Celtic music. Ron, a Wamba Wamba man and Sarah, whose roots are Scottish, perform under the name Kinja, a Wamba Wamba word meaning "my home". Their music explores and unites the heritage of Indigenous Australia, Scotland and Ireland. With Ron on didgeridoo and Sarah playing the fiddle and singing, the sounds of Australia uniquely combine with Celtic jigs, reels, airs and ballads. Ron and Sarah believe that playing together is their own special contribution to reconciliation between Indigenous and non Indigenous people in this country.
Chenile Chandler
Chenile is a proud Wurundjeri woman of the Kulin Nations and is a singer, actor and model who performs at many different events including AFL Dream Time at the 'G and AFL Grand Final matches, Boxing Day Test matches, the Australian Open and even opening for Ed Sheeran for his global tour in 2023. Chenile also translates songs from English to Woiwurrung, and has performed these at many high profile events.
About Summer in the Park
All Summer in the Park events are free! Check out the rest of the schedule on the Summer in the Park page.
Bring the family and/or meet your friends. Bring a picnic and a rug and pick your favourite spot as the sun goes down.
Summer in the Park is an LGBTQIA+ safe space.
We love animals but please leave your furry friends safely at home as Maranoa Botanic Gardens is a protected site.
There will be a zero-tolerance policy for anti-social behaviour.
Parking
Street parking is available via Parring Road entrance.
Weather
In the event of severe weather, we may cancel or postpone events. Please check this page for updates.
Summer in the Park will generally continue in rain, wind or heat.
