The stars of Tourism Western Australia’s Walking On A Dream campaign, Angelica Blazeska and Nelson Baker, take a moment to reflect on the profound experience of taking the stage in some of the most ancient, culturally significant and biodiverse landscapes on Earth.
Feature by: Jo Baker
“There's a certain peace going out into Country. You can really feel like you're a part of the land and a part of nature,” says Angelica, a New Zealand-born resident of Perth (Boorloo) for 15 years.
Her leading man and fellow graduate of Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Nelson, has a name for that deep feeling of connection. His people, the Nyikina of the mighty Fitzroy River (Martuwarra), call it ‘liyan’.
“Country has a spirit. And the longer you spend on Country, your senses get stronger. You can hear Country. That’s liyan. It’s like a sixth sense that you have. A voice that speaks clearer than your head and your heart.”
Behind the scenes with Nelson
For the filming of Walking On A Dream, both performers spent time on Country they’d never set foot on before, and that sense of awe and wonder was intensely powerful, on and off set.
“It’s the colours. Wherever you go, there's this deep sense to this vibrant, colourful Country that’s alive,” says Nelson, who was born and raised in Broome (Rubibi). But for him, there’s still no place like home in the Kimberley.
“It's amazing. I don't think there's any other place like it in the world. Anywhere you go from Broome is a very special place. There’s only one road in and out, and anyone who's coming up that road to travel is coming for adventure.”
Behind the scenes with Angelica
Hiking the cathedral-like tall-timber forests of Manjimup in the South West always called to Angelica. But while filming, she felt Country speak so clearly to her in the soothing ripples of Zebedee Springs thermal pools and the smoking ceremony with Injid Marlabu Calls Us.
“Hearing the Elder’s words. Something about the way she spoke really unlocked something in me. That connection to land and respect for land transcends our modern-day lives. Our problems, work, and money. What remains after all that is this intensely rich, vibrant land that we have, that has been here for so long.”
For Nelson, this is what he’s all about: connection. Moving with the perspective that you’re here to learn and listen Country and Elders.
Walking On A Dream, Margaret River
“It's an honour to be able to represent my family and do this. Because what we all need to be doing more often is connecting.
“It might not be like the world you've come from, but it's a great opportunity to learn from those who have been here for so long. They hold the key to so much. Another language. Another way of life. Another way of being.”
While both young actors are accustomed to travelling widely for work, filming on location for Walking On A Dream felt entirely different. Good different. The potent draw of this vast dreamscape has compelled them both to return and share the connection to Country with their families.
On set with Angie and Nelson
“You've got such vastly different scenery, from the top to the bottom. It’s really made me want to go to all these places with my mom. Especially Kununurra (Goonoonoorrang). There is so much to be seen.”
And for anyone feeling that same intense pull, the pair has some very sage advice for finding connection in your wondrous, otherworldly adventures across Western Australia.
“Be prepared for the unexpected. Definitely bring bathers, get in the water and go with the flow,” says Angelica. While Nelson urges you to spend as much time as you can putting your bare feet in the sand and on the ground.
“It'll heal you. It’ll listen. Speak to you. Connect you.”
Published in February 2026.