A special outdoor area has opened at Inveresk which acknowledges the site’s past, present and future.
The pulingina milaythina Indigenous Welcoming space is the first of a series of spaces known collectively as the ‘Urban Realm’ to be brought to life.
Made possible through the Northern Transformation Program which is enabling the creation of a new University of Tasmania campus at Inveresk, the space has been symbolically positioned in the heart of the precinct outside the central Library building.
Long before Launceston was even established, Inveresk was a place where Aboriginal people gathered to yarn, tell stories, hunt and to hold ceremonies.
In paying tribute to that history, the resulting Aboriginal space is a representation of what has come to pass while looking ahead to the site’s exciting future.
Key features of the design include guardian stones representing Tasmania’s nine Aboriginal Nations and deep-time connections to Country, as well as a fire pit, sand circle, seating and native plant species.
Associate Lecturer Dean Greeno from the University’s Riawunna Centre was among several Aboriginal community members involved in the co-design of the place of gathering.
“This is somewhere Aboriginal people can connect to while also being a place that everyone from across the community can experience and enjoy,” Associate Lecturer Greeno said.
“We incorporated guardian stones that meant things for the community to reinforce the continuous cultural connection from deep time, our current day and the future, especially as this is a campus for the future and future generations.
“We’re giving voice and agency to the ancestral stones to come here and guide all the different students as they go on their various academic journeys – the beginning of a story that will only grow.
“New students will come through, see the Aboriginal culture embedded here, spend time in this space and hopefully be inspired in the years to come, helping drive a whole series of positive outcomes.
“We are the custodians and stewards of the longest living culture in the world and our stories will now flourish as we engage with the University’s new campuses and new directions which are helping supercharge great ideas for the future.”
The Aboriginal space connects to other cultural features of the Inveresk campus.
These include the Riawunna cultural collections inside the new Library building and the integration of Aboriginal artwork that will soon adorn its floors.
Guardian stones have also been positioned at key entrances into the precinct to help define Inveresk as an Aboriginal cultural place, while edible Aboriginal plants will form part of a new community garden.
Caroline Spotswood, Head of Service at the University’s Riawunna Centre, said the new space would host gatherings including smoking ceremonies and cultural performances.
“The welcome space has Aboriginal knowledges embedded here. It is a meaningful place of enjoyment, relaxation, sharing of culture and a place to reflect in,” Caroline said.
“This is not the only Aboriginal link at the precinct – all throughout the campus there are links and a sense of belonging for Aboriginal people, and people who are coming here know they are coming on to Aboriginal land.”
“The new Aboriginal Welcome space also links culturally to our other campuses at West Park in pataway and further south down to nipaluna. It’s a connection of campuses, connection of people and a connection of community.”
Realm Studios facilitated the Urban Realm landscape design, with Principal, Alaric Hellawell, saying the vision had always placed a strong emphasis on all things place-based.
“It’s a place for the community to come together, enjoy those moments by themselves or together as a collective, and celebrating what this place is about, what Launceston is about, and what’s special about the stories that are created here.”
The remaining spaces which form part of the Urban Realm – the Green Spine, Esk Activity Space and Food and Community Garden – are due for completion this month.
Discover the pulingina milaythina Indigenous Welcoming space during this short video.
