In 2019, Balarinji worked closely with the office of the Government Architect NSW to help develop the Connecting with Country principles.
This framework encourages the understanding of the value of Aboriginal knowledge in the design and planning of places. It is a framework for developing connections with Country to inform the planning, design and delivery of built environment projects in NSW.
This involved undertaking a detailed community engagement process to understand what a diverse cross-section of the Aboriginal community would like to see implemented in public precinct projects.
The draft framework is a welcome development in the NSW Government’s commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of Country by valuing, respecting and being guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.