Learning Country in Landscape Architecture

This book strategically focuses upon the feasibility of positioning Indigenous Knowledge Systems into tertiary built environment education and research in Australia. Australian tertiary education has little engaged with Indigenous peoples and their Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and the respectful translation of their Indigenous Knowledge Systems into tertiary education learning. In contrast, while there has been a dearth of discussion and research on this topic pertaining to the tertiary sector, the secondary school sector has passionately pursued this topic. There is an uneasiness by the tertiary sector to engage in this realm, overwhelmed already by the imperatives of the Commonwealth’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative to advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary education successes and appointments of Indigenous academics. As a consequence, the teaching of Indigenous Knowledge Systems relevant to professional disciplines, particularly landscape architecture where it is most apt, is overlooked and similarly little addressed in the relevant professional institute education accreditation standards.

“This book is based on cutting edge research and has applied relevance to Australian built environment and landscape architecture tertiary education. At a time when many academics and policy-makers are asking how we can build the requisite Indigenous cultural competency, the text offers key applied exemplars in positioning, respecting and appreciating Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Australia. The work articulates the deep knowledge of Indigenous people involved in the research and project and the voices of students and graduates who have experienced the approach.” (Marcia Devlin, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Learning Enhancement, Victoria University, Australia)


“A must read for anyone working in Australian academia, and overseas, who is trying to navigate teaching students First Nation’s and Indigenous Knowledge Systems content respectfully! This book offers a detailed exemplar of how to proceed, but more importantly, has the first hand voices of students who have clearly had a value changing experience from learning within this exemplar.” (Norm Sheehan, Honorary Professor of Indigenous Knowledge, University of Queensland, Australia)


“Following on from the multi-peer-awarded Re-casting Terra Nullius Blindness (2017), this book reviews in detail one of the teaching exemplars that was identified in this project. The dearth of benchmark learning exemplars in enabling respect and learning in Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Australia has historically been lacking, in deference to much discourse about cultural competency training that is short memory lived, lacks the immersive depth of inquiry and appreciation offered in this exemplar, but also fail to recognise that Australia’s tertiary education sector is heavily laden full of non-Australians possessing little comprehension of their own nation’s deep histories and meanings, landscapes and cultures. This book is high priority reading for anyone teaching in tertiary education navigating First Nations themes.” (Darryl Low Choy AO, MBE, RFD, Professor Emeritus, Griffith University, Australia)

David S. Jones oversights Strategic Planning and Urban Design with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and is Adjunct Professor at Griffith University and Professor (Research) with Monash University. With academic and professional qualifications in urban planning, landscape architecture and cultural heritage, he has taught, researched and published extensively across these areas over the last 30 years, including in Indigenous Knowledge Systems. He has been involved with the Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga Regeneration Project (2017), the Adelaide Park Lands and Squares Cultural Landscape Assessment Study (2007), the Museum Victoria’s Forest Gallery (1995-1996), the North Gardens Indigenous Sculpture Landscape Master Plan (2019), Geelong’s Changing Landscape (2019), Re-casting Terra Nullius Blindness (2017), and has co-contributed chapters to The Handbook of Contemporary Indigenous Architecture (2018), and Heal the Scar – Regenerative Futures of Damaged Landscapes (2020).



Kate Alder, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a strategic planner at the Maribyrnong City Council in Melbourne.


Shivani Bhatnagar, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a landscape architect at the practice of Moir Landscape Architecture in Newcastle.


Christine Cooke, a MPlan(Prof) graduate of Deakin University, and a doctoral candidate there researching ‘Indigenous Knowledge awareness guidance provision and fluency in Australian planning education’.


Jennifer Dearnaley, a MLArch and PhD graduate of Deakin University, her PhD thesis is entitled Wadawurrung Ethnobotany as synthesised from the research of Louis Lane, co-author of the refereed article Aboriginal uses of seaweeds in temperate Australia, and she is Director of practice of Balyang Consulting in Geelong.


Marcelo Diaz, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a landscape architect at the practice of MINT Pool and Landscape Design in Melbourne.


Hitomi Iida, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a landscape architect at the practice of Kihara Landscapes in Melbourne.


Anjali Madhavan Nair, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a landscape architect at the practices of Ground Ink in Sydney.


Shay-lish McMahon, an Awakabal woman, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as the Indigenous Services Advisor for the practice of GHD Woodhead in Melbourne, and is co-author of a refereed conference paper entitled Aboriginal voices and inclusivity in Australian land use Country planning.


Mandy Nicholson, a Wurundjeri women, a PhD candidate at Monash University researching ‘Being on Country off Country’, is co-author of several refereed publications including Wurundjeri-al Biik-u (Wurundjeri Country), Mag-golee (Place), Murrup (Spirit) and Ker-up-non (People): Aboriginal living heritage in Australia’s urban landscapes, and works at Tharangalk Art-Bunjil's Country.


Gavin Pocock, is a sessional teacher at Deakin University, and is author of a refereed conference paper entitled Redeeming Fire: The use of fire as a design tool in the Australian landscape.

Uncle Bryon Powell, a Wadawurrung Elder, formerly Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation Board, a sessional teacher at Deakin University, and co-authored the refereed chapter entitled Welcome to Wadawurrung Country.


Gareth Powell, a Wadawurrung man, an ACT-based barrister, is a Board member of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and co-author of the refereed article Kim-barne Wadawurrung Tabayl: You are in Wadawurrung Country.


Sayali G Rahurkar is a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, and is working as a landscape architect at the practice of Inspiring Place in Hobart.


Susan Ryan, a MPlan(Prof) graduate of Deakin University, and a doctoral candidate there researching ‘Deconstructing the colonial view of Wadawurrung Country; knowledge drawn from John Wedge’s Field Books of 1835-1836’, and author of a refereed conference paper entitled Wadawurrung Landscapes in the Victoria Planning Processes.


Nitika Sharma, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, and is working as a landscape architect at the practice of Mexted Rimmer in Geelong.


Yang Su, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, and is working as a landscape architect at Melbourne practice.


Saurabh V Wagh, a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, is working as a landscape architect at the practice of Moir Landscape Architecture in Newcastle.

Oshadi L Yapa Appuhamillage is a MLArch graduate of Deakin University, and is working as a landscape architect at Thomson Hay Landscape Architects in Ballarat.