Context & Significance
From the outset, Connecting with Country was a central focus of the Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment. Led by Lachlan and grounded in Kamilaroi values, the work centred on building trust, embedding cultural meaning, and creating spaces where community feels safe, seen, and respected.
For many Aboriginal people, the old hospital wasn’t a place of comfort – shaped by past experiences of exclusion and the institutional nature of government services. Before any design work could begin, it was critical to listen first. Not to extract but to understand, acknowledge, and lay the groundwork for a stronger relationship.
Too often, projects rush into design with token engagement. This process moved differently. It created space for community voices to lead, and over time, participation grew – with more people stepping in to shape the project through design jams, workshops, and cultural events.
Our Involvement
Lachlan has led the Connecting with Country process from initiation through to design, creating space for deep cultural input and meaningful collaboration. We’ve had the opportunity of:
- Facilitating local engagement sessions and design jams grounded in cultural values
- Building long-term, trust-based relationships with Elders, artists, and language holders
- Collaborating with Aboriginal linguist Odee Welsh and community members to embed Gomeroi/Kamilaroi language in signage
- Embedding cultural design elements into project briefs, art commissions, and public spaces
- Hosting open Connecting with Country sessions, inviting all community voices to contribute
The approach was consistent and values-led – creating the conditions for shared ownership and culturally grounded design outcomes.
Our Approach
Lachlan’s approach combined cultural respect with strategic thinking. Drawing on his lived experience and leadership background, he focused on creating the kind of engagement process that builds not demands trust.
He made space for honest conversation and walked alongside community throughout the journey. The result wasn’t a checklist of cultural elements – it was a process of rebuilding relationships, where people felt safe to speak up and shape what health and healing could look like on Country.
Legacy & Impact
The Connecting with Country outcomes are now embedded into the physical and cultural heart of the hospital. Some of the most powerful legacies include:
- Entry canopy artwork by Ronnie Long and Warwick Keen: a steel-cut installation above the emergency drop-off, depicting the Namoi and Mooki Rivers and four regional animal totems.
- Birthing courtyard language piece, co-created with community and linguist Odee Welsh, expressing the role of motherhood and connection to local waterways in both Gomeroi/Kamilaroi and English:
Giirr ngiyani-yuu gunii, wi-la-yla-nha ngiyani nguwalay bagaydha. Ngamingamildanha ngiyani dhawundi, galidhi, birraliidhi, wayamaadhi. Marandiguwaay, birraliigal ngiyaningu dhawunda yanawaay.
We are all mothers, staying here near the creeks. We care for our Country, our waters, children and Elders. Like our ancestors, our babies will walk this Country.
- Annual NAIDOC Week events on site, which now draw over 50 attendees - a powerful shift from earlier years when only a handful of people would attend.
- Ongoing open sessions, ensuring community always has a voice and a seat at the table.
Together, these outcomes reflect what’s possible when projects slow down, listen deeply, and put relationships first.
Mara Ba Kumba’s thoughtful interactions enabled all Community as a whole to feel heard and valued as part of the project. Whether it was a concern raised, or a suggestion put forward they honoured their words with respect and genuine interest.
