A NSW Government website

Connecting with Country – webinars

Practical examples of how projects have connected with Country

Talking Country webinar series

Join us for a deep dive into the Government Architect NSW Connecting with Country Framework, through a webinar series. Gain the knowledge and insights to implement the framework in your own projects.

You’ll hear from those who shaped the framework, including the design and project teams behind the accompanying case study projects. We will look at practical applications of the framework and explore the opportunities and challenges of implementation.

One hour of formal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is available to registered architects attending these webinars.

Talking Country: Designing with Country and cultural knowledge

Webinar focus

Understand the importance of First Nations cultural knowledge and how this knowledge can inform and influence design and planning decisions, using best practice.

You will hear about projects that are reawakening cultural landscapes in contemporary contexts and we’ll explore the ‘Government Architect NSW (GANSW) Connecting with Country framework’ including section 4 Designing with Country. 

Guest speakers

Alison Page

Professor Alison Page is a descendant of the Dharawal and Yuin people of the Yuin nation. Alison is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Technology’s Design School, founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency, and an award-winning artist. A key contributor to the ‘GANSW Connecting with Country framework’, Alison co-creates with Indigenous communities and organisations to awaken the memory of Country through the built environment. Her work explores the convergence of the arts and design to create place-based storytelling experiences that speak to traditional knowledge, ceremony and ritual. 

Paul Memmott

Professor Paul Memmott is an anthropologist and architect. Paul is the Director of the Aboriginal Environments Research Centre (AERC) at the University of Queensland (School of Architecture and Institute for Social Science Research).

Paul’s research interests include Aboriginal sustainable housing and settlement design, Aboriginal access to institutional architecture, Indigenous constructs of place and cultural heritage, cultural change and social planning.  

His award-winning book, ‘Gunyah Goondie + Wurley: The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia’, is the only continental survey of this country’s First Nations’ innovative architecture. 

Dillon Kombumerri

Dillon Kombumerri is a Principal Design Advisor at the Government Architect NSW. He is a Yugambeh man who grew up in Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) on Quandamooka Country. Dillon has worked for the NSW Government as an Architect for over 30 years and has led the development of the ‘GANSW Connecting with Country framework’. During this time, he has pioneered Indigenous architect-led approaches to community engagement and design through his involvement in many award-winning buildings for First Nations people. He is a founding member of the International Network of Indigenous Architects.

Continuing Professional Development Questions
  1. What are some typical landscape and urban features which have evolved since colonisation?
  2. What did you learn about kinship, the Dreaming and Songlines?
  3. What are some ways to rematriate Country?
  4. In the Bays West redevelopment, what were some of the design processes and strategies used to reawaken cultural landscapes?
  5. What are some new ways of working with systems of cultural governance?

Talking Country: Designing with Country and cultural knowledge

2 October 2024 - Learn how to work with First Nations communities and their cultural knowledge when designing with Country. 

Talking Country: Koorie Heritage Trust and Gosford Waterfront Park Case studies

Case study focus

Koorie Heritage Trust

Designed for interaction and exchange, the Koorie Heritage Trust visitor centre invites people to see, touch, and discuss collection items, offering an interactive and educational experience. With its galleries and exhibition space, the centre displays a rich collection of Koorie art and artefacts. Designed by Kulin Nation descendants in collaboration with Lyons Architecture, the space celebrates Aboriginal culture, heritage and connections to Birrarung (the Yarra River).

Read the Koorie Heritage Trust case study (PDF, 898 KB).

Gosford Waterfront Park

The creation of Gosford Waterfront Park has transformed sports fields into a nature inspired, playful public space reflecting local culture and history and referencing features and narratives from the Darkinjung landscape.

This creative co-design process between Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) working with Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council has ensured the park reflects local Indigenous landscape, culture and history.

Read the Gosford Waterfront Park case study (PDF, 1.6 MB).

Guest speakers

Jefa Greenaway

Koorie Heritage Trust

As a proud Wailwan/Kamilaroi man (shared with German heritage) and a registered architect in private practice in both NSW and Victoria, Jefa seeks to reveal layers of history and memory through connections to place, demonstrating the value of people centred design which interrogates one’s own philosophical or ethical underpinning and design responsibilities.

This approach is evident in the Koorie Heritage Trust project. Over two decades he’s also championed Indigenous led design thinking, particularly through the International Indigenous Design Charter, as Regional Ambassador (Oceania) of INDIGO (International Indigenous Design Alliance) and sits on numerous boards that intersect with art, architecture and cultural heritage.

Uncle Kevin (Gavi) Duncan

Gosford Waterfront Park

An elder from the Darkinjung community, Uncle Gavi was a key collaborator on the Gosford Waterfront Park with Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council. He received the Good Design Awards Indigenous 2021 Designers of the Year, in conjunction with Turf Design Studio.

Over the years Uncle Gavi has been involved in a broad array of cultural roles including cultural education at Bara Barang and youth work at Youth Connections. He brings a focus on cultural heritage, cultural values, and working partnerships to achieve good outcomes for Country.

Mike Horne

Gosford Waterfront Park

Mike is the founder and director of Turf Design Studio and has 30 years local and international experience; working across masterplan, civic, residential, education, infrastructure and open space projects – for both private and government sectors.

He was project lead for the NSW Government’s new waterfront city park at Gosford; working in collaboration with Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation, the Central Coast Council and Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council.

Continuing Professional Development questions
  1. Which part of the framework did you learn most about?
  2. What were some lessons learnt from the presenters about ways to overcome challenges to implementing the framework?
  3. What did you learn that changed your understanding of Country?
  4. How did the design of the Koorie Heritage Trust protect Aboriginal cultural heritage?
  5. How did the Koorie Heritage Trust build cultural competency for those involved?
  6. How did the Gosford Waterfront Park contribute to Healthy Country?
  7. How has Gosford Waterfront Park project responded to and respected the original land and water form?

Talking Country: Koorie Heritage Trust and Gosford Waterfront Park Case studies

13 June 2024 – Learn more about practical applications of the framework through two case study projects.

Continuing Professional Development

Each webinar qualifies for one hour of formal CPD for registered architects. The webinar series includes content relevant to the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects across the capabilities, competencies and performance criteria relating to Understanding Country (including Performance Criteria 3, 8, 12, 15, 17, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 34, 36, 41, 45 and 50).

Please keep a record of your responses as evidence of attendance and completion. You do not need to send the Government Architect NSW copies of your responses. CPD certificates will not be issued.

Introducing the Connecting to Country Framework

View this webinar to understand more about the final framework.