Our first featured service of the new year is Dreamy, a website full of sleep stories from Frist Nations storytellers to help with sleep difficulties.
Dreamy exists to help people feel calmer, more grounded and connected to Country. The project is also a celebration of First Nations storytelling, creativity and innovation – bringing an age-old practice of oral storytelling into the digital space.
– Common Ground
About Dreamy

Dreamy is a collection of mindful wellness stories, Dreamy brings an age-old tradition of First Nations oral storytelling to life through immersive digital audio. First Nations cultures are the oldest, continuing cultures in the world. This makes First Nations people the original storytellers – telling stories since time immemorial.
These stories are for everyone, and they have been designed to help all people connect to Country, offering a unique pathway to mindfulness and relaxation.
The Dreamy stories are sorted into two series with beautiful artwork by Southern Arrernte, Kaytetye and Anmatyerre artist Carmen Glynn-Braun.:
Series 1
- Bilabang by Jazz Money – Wiradjuri
- Journey to the Centre by Aurora Liddle-Christie – Arrernte
- Living Echoes by Dakota Feirer – Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr
- Moon Holds Water by Dr Romaine Moreton – Goenpul Yagerabul Minjungbul Bundjalung South Sea Islander
- Star Dust and Tagai by Ghenoa Gela – Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait Islands)
Series 2
- Zagu by Yessie Mosby – Kulkalgal from Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait Islands)
- Margaret by Scott Wilson – Gooniyandi and Gajerrong
- Buungbaa ma ndhu by Kirli Saunders – Gunai
- Land, the sky, the fire and I by Nayuka Gorrie – Gunai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta
Dreamy created by Common Ground, a collection of First Nations people working to change systems through storytelling in collaboration with Snapchat and Ogilvy, this collection of audio stories was recorded with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Storytellers, with accompanying learning kits to help listeners connect with them more deeply.
The learning kits have been developed in collaboration with First Nations educators Harmony Domaille – Taribelang Bunda and Clea North – Mithaka and Gunggari, to support families, students, teachers and practitioners use of Dreamy. The kits include;
- A map of Australia highlighting each storytellers’ Country and/or language groups
- One-page story resources with engaging activities
- Cultural connection card to enrich understanding and ensure cultural safety.
Who is Dreamy for?
Dreamy is for everyone and aims to support health and wellbeing.
Dreamy provided a space for relaxation for people, especially First Nations people, struggling with stress, worry, troubled sleep, or difficulty with falling asleep. Dreamy also helps people connect with Country, your mind, body and spirit.
Benefits of Dreamy
Dreamy bring the benefits of traditional storytelling, an 80,000-year-old oral tradition, to the digital space. The stories aren’t bound to western notions of time and place. They carry you in every direction – desert Country, saltwater Country, river Country, and beyond. At the same time, they invite you to bask in the present moment and listen deeply to your surroundings.
How can Health Practitioners and Health Workers use Dreamy?
Health practitioners and health workers can use Dreamy as a tool for relaxation or sleep meditation with First Nations people. This can be done together face to face or as a recommendation to do at home.
Is there a cost to use Dreamy?
Dreamy stories are freely available for streaming. The learning kits are also free to access through the Dreamy website.
How to access Dreamy
Access Dreamy stories and their learning kits online at https://www.commonground.org.au/dreamy. You can also listen to the stories on Spotify and YouTube.