Kelly Hill Caves
Part light work, part guided meditation. Deep beneath Kangaroo Island, we used the cave itself as a canvas to tell a story that spans 500 million years.
This project offered a rare chance to work with one of nature’s most remarkable environments. Kelly Hill Caves on Kangaroo Island presented a delicate challenge: how to share the geological story of the Earth without overwhelming the quiet, natural character of the site itself.
We created an experience that sits somewhere between a light piece and a guided meditation. Visitors descend underground into a space that feels both ancient and otherworldly, where the formation of the caves is evoked through shifting colour, texture, and sound. Rather than literal illustration, the story is told abstractly — allowing the cave walls to carry the narrative.
The Narrative
Across twenty minutes, the experience moves through 500 million years of geological change. Using a dramaturgical approach to deep time, we shaped a journey through continental drift, asteroid impacts, and the slow accumulation of life — all expressed through light playing gently across the cave’s natural surfaces.
The Collaboration
To realise this atmosphere, I collaborated with lighting specialist and system designer Chris Petridis. We worked with composition consultant Cameron Goodall and sound designer Matthew Hadley to develop an evolving soundscape, with narration delivered by actor and long-time collaborator Matt Crook.
The Environment
Working underground brings a specific set of technical and environmental constraints. The project drew on our experience designing within fragile, organic settings — installing AV infrastructure that remains visually discreet and allows the cave to remain the primary storyteller.