Waderbirds - Odyssey of the Wetlands

The idea for WADERBIRDS dropped into my head when I was directing an outdoor community theatre event on the foreshore of Western Port Bay, southern Australia, in 1989. This production was called THE SEAGRASS STORY and was the first time I was introduced to the Eastern Curlew and the many other migratory birds who make yearly visits to the bay.

When I first heard how far the Eastern Curlew travels each year - from one side of the world to the other…and back – I had the urge to follow these birds, stopping over at wetlands along the way where they feed and rest on their enormous migration to Siberia. I imagined a team of theatre artists creating outdoor events with each community to tell the story of this magnificent migration.

photo :Robert Colvin

That’s what happened. In 1990 Kate Clere, a community theatre director, Nell White a project manager and myself an artistic director, began work researching, planning, making contacts and raising funds for an international theatre tour. We invited visual artist Tim Newth, choreographer Beth Shelton, composer Greg Sneddon and ornithologists, including Dr Clive Minton, to join us. In 1993 we made the journey.

In each location – Auckland Aotearoa/New Zealand, Melbourne southern Australia, Broome north west Australia, and Kushiro northern Japan – we were joined by artists, arts managers and bird lovers. Together we created four memorable theatre performances, with hundreds of people participating and thousands watching.

That was only the beginning!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EASTERN CURLEW

THE WAY OF THE BIRDS - THE BOOK