Namabunda Farm
Nestled within macadamia farmlands and rolling hills, Namabunda Farm is a celebration and preservation of Bundjalung heritage. The project is a community partnership, led by Hunter Boorn and Nguluway DesignInc, which actualises a vision for improved health and wellbeing of the local Indigenous community through cultural events, on-site services, and environmental initiatives, with a strong focus on Elders and community engagement.
Designed in collaboration with Bundjalung People, the masterplan proposes a series of activities that contribute to an empowered community. Key objectives are to create a safe community space, promote cultural awareness, create meaningful economic and social opportunities, and generate employment and training opportunities.
Namabunda Farm received ‘Project of the Year’ at the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC) Awards in 2024.
Aboriginal Cultural & Ecotourism Centre
The centre is a sanctuary for cultural and educational activities—a place for community gathering which showcases the Bundjalung People’s deep connection to the natural world to which they find their belonging. Inspired by the Goanna totem, the design philosophy embraces Designing with Country, incorporating abstract elements and sustainability values that reflect its natural surrounds.
The design includes large gathering spaces for community events, medium-sized areas for collective activities like those in the café and verandas, and intimate meeting places for smaller group discussions or individual meetings, including gender-specific programs.
Central to the design is a mass rammed earth wall—symbolic to the community's strength, resilience, and profound cultural bonds with the land. The rammed earth walls also champion the site’s story of environmental stewardship, providing thermal mass to regulate temperature and protection against bushfires, while lightweight framing walls are clad in durable black corrugated steel for contrast.
The centre provides immersive experiences and tourism opportunities, also creating employment for local Indigenous communities and generating income for the site.
The landscape strategy ensures built form, wayfinding connections and central meeting places are embedded within Country.
Form is inspired by the Bundjalung tribe’s spiritual connection to the Goanna—their totem—taking the essence of the winding tail to drive site layout and wayfinding approaches. The concept was developed through a cohesive Designing from Country methodology led by Nguluway DesignInc.
Namabunda Cultural Connections Parklands
An extension of the cultural centre, this immersive parkland is designed to amplify the Bundjalung people’s enduring connection to Country.
The development of shared spaces such as the Sharing Circle, amphitheatre, and multi-purpose community building will foster collaboration, storytelling, and cultural practices. These areas will act as focal points for First Nations and non-First Nations members to engage in meaningful exchange, strengthening community bonds.
The integration of traditional knowledge with contemporary design, such as bush regeneration efforts and native produce gardens, will bring together elements of natural beauty with functional public amenities, promoting the well-being of community members.
Sustainable design reinforces the site’s values of environmental stewardship—aligned with the cultural significance of the land. Bush regeneration efforts will restore native flora, while the native produce garden will provide a source of education on traditional food cultivation. The result is an embodiment of the Caring for Country concept underpinning the operations of the site, ensuring preservation for future generations to enjoy it.
The inclusive design of public amenities, walking tracks, and BBQ areas will promote active community participation, ensuring that the parkland becomes a vital, accessible community asset.
The landscape strategy ensures built form, wayfinding connections and central meeting places are embedded within Country.
Elders Village
“To us, Elders are revered as highly respected individuals within our social structure. They serve as pivotal knowledge holders, and we seek their guidance on many things. This is why we strive to maintain a close and integrated relationship with them within our social framework.”
—Craig Kerslake
Elders are a core and valued asset to the farm’s operations. The older men and women participate in the sharing of cultural knowledge—speaking to the Bundjalung way, teaching about plants and animals and what it means to belong to Country. This keeps them engaged, active and alert as Traditional Knowledge Holders, placing a higher sense of value and importance.
Homes prioritise connection over and above private open space. They offer a layering of public and private spaces with primacy given to connecting spaces, which are active and vibrant spaces within natural settings. Connecting Elders and the wider Bundjalung community with each other, and with nature.
The spatial design of the village represents the Bundjalung Tribal Society’s commitment to providing safe, stable and dignified living spaces that reflect traditional Indigenous values of the home. Strategically designed gathering spaced create moments of incidental connection, ensuring that Elders are always afforded the opportunity to participate in social interactions at their individual dwelling.
Neighbourhoods, comprising several shared spaces, community amenities and a strategic wayfinding network, foster community cohesion and support local populations. The Village helps to address housing needs for both Bundjalung Elders and their families, enhancing community wellbeing.