Nyungar Birdiyia

In 2019 METRONET (Public Transport Authority, Western Australia) invited Material Thinking to prepare Nyungar Cultural Context Documents for four railway sites marked for development or redevelopment: the Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Karnup Station, Lakelands Station and the Byford Extension.

Working with Aboriginal colleagues, Material Thinking developed a widely-admired engagement methodology. This was reflected in the preparation of four framework documents providing advice about appropriate listening, appropriate access to Country protocols and appropriate consultation and healing practices.

As a result of this success, in 2020 Whadjuk Elder Uncle Neville Collard and Paul Carter formed the Aboriginal-owned company Nyungar Birdiyia to manage Aboriginal engagement on Nyungar Country.

In 2020 Nyungar Birdiyia expanded the METRONET engagement strategy established by Material Thinking and to date has delivered NCCDs for a further five rail infrastructure redevelopment sites: Mandurah Car Park, Armadale Line level crossing removals, Public Transport Operations Control Centre (East Perth), High Wycombe & Redcliffe Stations.

Nyungar Birdiyia has also used creative template methodology to research and deliver ‘Location: Story Nets, a sense of place vision for the METRONET East Area.’ ‘Location: Story Nets’ provides a cultural programming strategy to guide public art, interface design (between station infrastructure and adjacent urban precinct development) and creative community engagement throughout the area.