Executive Summary
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Reference Group was formed as a direct result of the Vice Chancellor clearly articulating that the University of Tasmania will be a truly place-based university and as such we need to ensure that our new campuses honour the value and history of our first people. Purpose The Group’s purpose was to develop a series of projects and initiatives that would meaningfully contribute to the Inveresk Precinct with the focus on embedding Tasmanian Aboriginal (and Torres Strait Islander) presence on the site, with particular reference to the ‘Urban Realm’. Outcomes A series of 3 workshops were held the first was primarily focused on developing a list of projects and initiatives that could be implemented on the Inveresk precinct, the second saw the development of a ‘Knowledges of Country’, a philosophy that explored the narrative behind the current Riawunna ‘centre’ and how this and other culturally significant initiatives (the transference of knowledges and their associated educational activities) could be embedded in the landscape at Inveresk. the third workshop used a series of design drivers derived from the ‘Knowledges of Country’ to plot out how the initiatives and projects could be embedded in the urban realm.
In addition, a number of bespoke projects were undertaken and are also recorded as part of this report:
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The mapping of the current Newnham Riawunna cultural garden, including the identification of the Nation Stones and the Guardian Stones.
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The cataloguing of the plants (including their uses and connection to culture) currently growing in the garden. This project is ongoing and will develop into a series of initiatives including; • Propagation of the plants in the current garden for use on the Inveresk site • Continued research into these and other medicinal cultural plants relevant to Aboriginal knowledges of country • Generating a botanical and cultural database that forms the basis for a future interpretation trail on the emerging Inveresk landscape This report is the culmination of conversations and investigations by the group and outlines the key initiatives and insights provided by the workshop participants, both in relation to the design process that will be undertaken for the Inveresk precinct as well as providing detailed investigation of the current Riawunna precinct at Newnham and the valuable knowledges contained within this site.
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