On a warm March evening, Mick Ryan Park will transform into something a little bit magical and mysterious.
Following the success of High Tea Under the Tree, the Milton Ulladulla Community Kindness Initiative (MUCK UP) is inviting the community back under the trees for a brand new event: Murder in Wonderland, a youth-led murder mystery supper inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
“It’s a murder mystery night under the tree at Mick Ryan Park,” explains Darren from MUCK UP. “It’s a follow-on from our highly successful High Tea Under the Tree, but this time we wanted to do an evening event, a supper under the tree, and give it a bit of a twist.”
That twist came directly from the young people involved. While the original idea leaned towards Shakespeare, it was a youth committee member who suggested turning the night into a murder mystery. “One of the youth had the idea of doing a murder mystery night, and we just ran with it,” Darren says.
From there, the concept grew into a fully immersive Wonderland experience. Tweedledee has been murdered, and guests are invited to work together to solve the mystery as characters come to life around them. “You’re going to see Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, all the characters you know,” Darren says. “All the youth committee are going to be taking part.”
The event is designed to bring people of all ages together. “The age range is really from 12 to 100,” Darren explains. “It’s a mixture of youth, adults and older people within the community, it’s about everyone coming together.”
A three-course supper will be served under the tree, alongside live music from 7pm. The space itself will once again be transformed with the help of local creatives, creating what Darren describes as “a Mad Hatter’s tea party under the tree.”
Behind the scenes, the event is a strong example of collaboration between young people, local businesses and community groups. MUCK UP works closely with local partners to bring these ideas to life while keeping ticket prices affordable. “We’ve built up some great partnerships within the community,” Darren says. “People are really excited to come on board and support what the youth are doing.”
Local businesses have contributed food, venues, styling and expertise, while young people lead the planning, decision-making and delivery. “The youth committee come together, they come up with these ideas, and when something works, we build on it,” Darren explains. “We love the idea of youth taking ownership of these events and really running with it.”
MUCK UP operates as a youth-run initiative under the auspice of the Milton Ulladulla Apex Club, with a strong focus on kindness, inclusion and anti-bullying. “At the end of the day, we’re about creating a kinder community,” Darren says. “These events are one way we can do that, by bringing people together and giving young people a real voice.”
Murder in Wonderland will take place on Friday 28 March from 7pm, the final weekend of daylight saving, in Mick Ryan Park. Tickets are limited – book now!