Understanding Country
Understanding Country
Understanding Country is a Monash University initiative that supports the respectful integration of Indigenous knowledge, Cultures, and presence across our campuses. Understanding Country serves as a foundational resource to guide consultants in the planning, design, and delivery of infrastructure, building and campus development projects across Monash.
What is Country?
Country (capital C) encompasses all. It is the land, water and sky. The tangible and intangible.
Indigenous communities have deep physical and spiritual connections to Country. Through generations,Indigenous communities have centered their spiritual Identity around caring for and maintaining Country. Despite ongoing effects on communities as a result of colonisation, forced removals and suppression of culture, Indigenous people have maintained an ongoing connection to Country.
Why Understanding Country matters
Understanding Country encourages all members of the Monash community to recognise and respect the Indigenous Countries on which our campuses are located. It provides a framework to embed Indigenous perspectives into the design and development of our built environment.
Aligned with Impact 2030 and the Monash Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Framework 2019–2030, this initiative helps ensure our campuses visibly reflect Indigenous culture and knowledge through architecture, landscaping, and planning.
Developed through Monash community engagement
The creation of Understanding Country was shaped by extensive consultation with Monash’s Indigenous community. Contributors include:
- Indigenous staff from across Monash
- Boon Wurrung senior Elder and Monash Professor, N’arweet Carolyn-Briggs
- Students from the William Cooper Institute
- Representatives from faculties and departments across the University.
The front cover of the Understanding Country features the Matheson Tree - a massive old River Red Gum which grows in front of the Victorian Heart Hospital and predates the arrival of European Settlers to Australia. It is an honour to have this tree on campus - the only remaining pre‑colonial vegetation in the area.
Who it's for
Understanding Country is designed for:
- Monash staff involved in planning, design, construction, and landscaping.
- External consultants working on campus projects.
- Anyone interested in contributing to a culturally responsive and inclusive campus.
What the resource offers
- Campus-specific maps and cultural narratives.
- Guidance for respectful engagement with Indigenous communities.
- Design principles that centre Indigenous knowledge and connection to Country.
- A strong focus on landscape, recognising it as a vital part of the campus experience and a key medium for cultural expression.
If you'd like to find out more about how these resources can inform your work and projects, please contact Matt Muir, a Wiradjuri man and Planning and Design Officer at Buildings and Property, who led the development of Understanding Country.
View Understanding Country and learn how you can contribute to a more inclusive, culturally aware Monash.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact Monash’s Buildings and Property by emailing buildings.property@monash.edu or calling (03) 9902 2222.