Nestled in the lush hills of Panorama, an unexpected world of light, history, and art awaits inside Sleeps Hill Tunnel. Returning for the second year in a row at this year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival, this award-winning exhibition invites you to journey through a historic tunnel that has been transformed into an interactive, immersive experience. From its days as a steam train passage to its time as a mushroom farm, the tunnel now serves as a living canvas for projections, sound, and light, breathing new life into an aspect of Adelaide’s rich history that you may not have known ever existed.
The journey through this industrial relic turned immersive art installation is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. As you make your way through the 377-metre-long tunnel, you’re enveloped by a cascade of projections and installations that evolve with every step. Along the way, screens display old newspaper clippings and projections on the tunnel walls, showing the history of the space through text, black-and-white photos, and archival video footage courtesy of the History Trust of SA and the State Library of SA.
In The World Beneath Our Feet, a soil-projection piece by The Barbican, you wear headphones and follow a voiceover through a fascinating exploration of the hidden networks beneath the earth. Through captivating visuals, you discover how soil, organisms, and plants work together to sustain life, revealing the intricate systems that underpin biodiversity and human existence.
As you move deeper into the tunnel, you’re transported into a forest of glowing mushrooms, with projections of mushroom time-lapses by Steve Axford and Cath Marciniak. Vibrant fungi grow before your eyes, stretching across the walls and ceiling in a hypnotic display: a beautiful tribute to the tunnel’s former life as a mushroom farm. But the real showstopper comes next: Glow in the Dark Mushroom World by South Australian local artist Clare Miyuki Guerin. The tunnel is transformed into a fluorescent forest, where giant, neon mushrooms tower over you in a kaleidoscope of wild colors. A psychedelic display of hand-painted mushrooms hangs from the walls, casting an electric glow across the space. Together, these two sections burst with colour and energy, transforming the tunnel into a whimsical, dreamlike landscape that feels like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland.
The tunnel then opens into an Infinite world of mirrors, where the space seems to stretch endlessly in all directions. From floor to ceiling, every surface is covered in reflective panels, creating an almost dizzying kaleidoscope of light and colour. Abstract shapes and boxes also glimmer with mirrored surfaces, bouncing light off every angle. A surrealist soundtrack pulses through the space, syncing with the psychedelic light show that bathes the entire tunnel in vibrant, ever-changing hues. Curated and created by Adelaide-based event production company and Fringe’s Innovation Partner Novatech, it’s a mind-bending experience that leaves you questioning where the tunnel ends: and if it ever does.
The journey culminates with Transcendent, a stunning projection by South Australian creative production studio Watchpost that brings the tunnel’s history full circle. As the projection plays across a screen covering the tunnel’s opening, you watch a train travel through the tunnel before emerging into the stunning Adelaide skyline, captured from soaring heights. The shift from the industrial past to the present is both awe-inspiring and tranquil, offering a powerful contrast to everything you’ve just experienced. It’s the perfect finale: an uplifting glimpse of the city, leaving you with a sense of wonder and connection to both history and place.
Whether you’re a history buff, an art enthusiast, or simply someone seeking an unforgettable adventure, Sleeps Hill Tunnel offers an experience that’s truly one-of-a-kind. It’s a family-friendly exhibition perfect for kids with curious minds and their parents alike, inviting the whole family to dive into a world of wonder. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city CBD and embark on a journey into the hills of Panorama, where Adelaide’s past and present merge in a tunnel of light, sound, and awe-inspiring beauty. And if you’re fortunate enough to catch one of Dave Munro’s talks, the owner and custodian of the tunnel, you’ll hear firsthand about its fascinating history and future. All aboard: this is one journey you won’t want to miss.
Sleeps Hill Tunnel
Venue: The Tunnels, Grandview Crescent, Panorama
Dates: Fri 14 February – Sunday 30 March
Times: Various times | Tunnel Owner Talks will be provided at 11:30am, 2pm and 6pm daily
Rating: ★★★★½