Country as Client: Decolonising Design

Presented by Regional Arts Victoria, this conversation uses two regional First Nations co-design projects as points of reflection to explore the systemic and structural changes required when Country is not simply a context for design, but a living system with its own agency that design must respond and be accountable to. The discussion will reflect on the Murruk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk (Bellarine Basin) project and the Deakin Hycel Architecture Co-design Project in Warrnambool, examining how First Nations knowledge, cultural practice and relationships to Country can shape design processes and outcomes. Featuring Jefa Greenaway, Wailwan and Kamilaroi architect, Director of Greenaway Architects and a nationally recognised advocate for Indigenous-led design thinking, alongside project collaborators, the conversation will consider how design can move beyond consultation towards genuine collaboration, reciprocity and accountability. Greenaway is widely recognised for championing Indigenous perspectives in architecture and as a co-author of the International Indigenous Design Charter. The session will also reflect on Regional Arts Victoria's experience working with First Nations creatives and communities across regional Victoria, and the ongoing process of unlearning colonised structures and practices, maintaining cultural protocols, and strengthening accountability to First Nations communities. This thought-provoking discussion invites audiences to consider what becomes possible when Country is placed at the centre of design thinking and decision-making.