Our History

Every year, a temporary city rises in the Western Australian Wheatbelt. It is built by artists, makers, volunteers, dreamers, and participants who come together to create something extraordinary. Then, after a short time, it disappears again.

Blazing Swan began with a simple idea: to create a regional Burning Man event in Western Australia that embraced participation, creativity, self-expression, and community.

What started as a small gathering of passionate individuals has grown into one of Australia's largest regional Burning Man events. Along the way, thousands of participants have contributed their time, skills, ideas, and creativity to help shape the event into what it is today.

It all Begins Somewhere…

Blazing Swan was founded by a small group of Western Australians who had experienced Burning Man in the United States and played active roles in the development of other regional Burning Man events, including AfrikaBurn in South Africa and Burning Seed on Australia's east coast.

Before Blazing Swan found its home in the Wheatbelt, two smaller events were held in 2013 - Ignite in Bickley and Synchronicity in Mosman Park. These gatherings helped establish the foundations of the community and explore what a regional Burning Man event in Western Australia could become.

The search for a permanent site eventually led to Kulin, a small Wheatbelt town whose creativity, generosity, and welcoming spirit immediately resonated with the community. It felt like home.

In 2014, the first Blazing Swan was held beside Lake Jilakin, just outside Kulin. Inception had around 1,400 participants.

What began as a small gathering has now grown into a thriving annual event involving more than 3,000 participants, volunteers, artists, and contributors.

We are deeply grateful to the Burning Man community for the inspiration and support that helped make Blazing Swan possible, to the thousands of volunteers and participants who continue to shape the event each year, and to the Kulin community for their ongoing friendship, support, and hospitality.

Built by Community

From the beginning, Blazing Swan has been a volunteer-driven endeavour.

Artists have imagined and constructed ambitious installations. Theme camps have created spaces for connection, learning, play, and celebration. Volunteers have built infrastructure, supported participants, managed operations, and helped create a safe and welcoming environment.

Every structure, artwork, performance, camp, and shared experience has been made possible through collective effort.

The story of Blazing Swan is not the story of a single founder, committee, or organisation. It is the story of a community choosing, year after year, to come together and create something greater than any individual could achieve alone.

A Temporary City in the Wheatbelt

Over the years, Blazing Swan has developed its own identity, shaped by the unique landscape, climate, and culture of Western Australia.

The event has grown and evolved, adapting to new challenges while remaining grounded in the principles of participation, self-reliance, communal effort, gifting, and leaving no trace.

Each year brings new art, new camps, new ideas, and new people, while returning participants continue traditions and build upon the foundations laid by those who came before.

Looking Forward

Blazing Swan continues to evolve because the community continues to evolve.

Every participant contributes to the next chapter of the story, whether through volunteering, creating art, joining a theme camp, supporting the organisation, or simply showing up ready to participate.

The history of Blazing Swan is still being written, and every year adds another chapter.

We look forward to seeing what comes next.