Filmmaker · Cultural Storyteller · Event Creator
Karla Hart is an award-winning filmmaker, actress and radio personality, widely recognised for her contributions to the arts and Aboriginal culture in Australia. Founder of Karla Hart Productions, she has produced over 140 episodes of television and built a body of work that puts Noongar stories at the centre of Australian screens, stages and festivals.
She studied Aboriginal Theatre at WAAPA and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Arts from Edith Cowan University. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to Noongar culture, language and self-determination.
Portrait by Sabine Albers
A proud Noongar woman, Karla was raised on Goreng country in WA’s Great Southern, surrounded by her large extended family and with deep cultural knowledge. Her connection to country and culture has inspired every aspect of her work.
She has established herself as a leader across many disciplines — filmmaking, performance, broadcasting, lecturing, writing — and is committed to self-determination in the telling and sharing of First Nations stories.
Beyond awards and credits, she brings the Noongar community together: through Kwarbah Djookian (the women’s dance group she has managed since 2007), as Artistic Director of the Wardarnji Festival (now in its 14th year), and through the more than 100 local Aboriginal people her company employs every year.
Family Rules S1–3 (NITV/SBS, screened in 8 countries). On Country Kitchen S1–2. Nyoongar Footy Magic. Virtual Whadjuk (VR). Yokayi Footy S1–3 (Executive Producer). Our Medicine S1–2 (NITV). Drama: Tooly, Wirnitj (Flickerfest). Feature in development: Moodja.
Award-winning ensemble work in The Bleeding Tree (State Theatre WA). Yirra Yaakin's King Hit. Co-creator of Black as Michael Jackson and Fifty Shades of Black. Performances at Perth International Arts Festival, China and the United States.
Founding presenter at Noongar Radio — introduced the first Noongar language program. National Deadly Award for Community Broadcaster of the Year. Public speaker, festival curator (Bunuru, Maali, Hidden Treasures), and published author (Roots, Hardie Grant).
Karla employs more than 100 local Aboriginal people every year as dancers, actors, singers, performers, film crew, workshop facilitators and production assistants — alongside elders and cultural leaders to deliver Welcome to Country and conduct smoking ceremonies.
Through Wardarnji Festival, she brings together one of the largest Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences in WA each year. Through Kwarbah Djookian, she has taught thousands of Noongar dance and song across schools, community groups and corporate spaces.
On her major productions — Family Rules, Yokayi Footy, Our Medicine — she insists Indigenous designers and crew are credited and contracted, building career pathways for the next generation of First Nations creatives.
Available for film, television, event curation, public speaking, performance and cultural consultation.
