Lurujarri Dreaming Trail

BLAD Elective

Elective Leader: Jock Gilbert

Semester One, 2023

Students from our Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program recently travelled to Western Australia to walk the Lurujarri Dreaming Trail led by Daniel Roe, his family and the broader Goolarabooloo community.

The 80km trail fosters a deep connection to Country through knowledge exchange and shared experience.

The Program Manager of the Bachelor of Landscape Architectural Design, Jock Gilbert, said the walk presents an opportunity for students to experience the landscape of the region in a way that is unmediated by conventional educational frameworks.

“Through stories, listening and a gradual reading of place, one becomes aware of the very subtle nuances around all of the interconnectedness which constitutes this – one moves beyond landscape and into a relationship with Country,” he said.

RMIT Emeritus Professor and Landscape Architect Jim Sinatra was instrumental in establishing the Lurujarri Dreaming Trail with Paddy Roe and his Goolarabooloo community 35 years ago.

Students and staff from the Bachelor of Landscape Architectural Design, and others across the University have participated in walking the trail each year since.

“We felt the spirit presence of all those who'd come before throughout the walk, animating the landscape through story and song – a privileged opportunity,” Jock said.