garingilang gatjin wii wins two major landscape architecture awards
Published on 23 September 2026
garingilang gatjin wii (Water and Fire Garden) – located next to Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Maryborough - has been honoured with two major awards at the 2026 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) VIC Awards - the Award of Excellence for Cultural Heritage and the Regional Achievement Award.
Opened in August 2024, the Garden was created in close partnership with Dja Dja Wurrung Elders, artists and Dja Dja Wurrung enterprise DJANDAK – with support from Three Acres Landscape Architecture. Meaning Water and Fire Garden in Dja Dja Wurrung language, the space invites the community to learn, reflect and connect with Djaara Country.
The design features culturally significant elements and messages of wellbeing that were developed through a Wartaka process. Wartaka means ‘come together with purpose’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language and refers to a group of Djaara knowledge holders coming together to guide the project.
Some key cultural features are the rock wells and grinding grooves traditionally used for ochre, axe and spear grinding. These were made under the close cultural guidance of Elders Aunty Marilyne Nicholls and Uncle Rick Nelson.
The Garden features meeting and yarning area, escarpment, carved rock basins, water‑ and fire‑themed artworks, and plantings drawn from the box‑ironbark landscape.
The Garden is for the public’s wellbeing: a space that supports the health of people, and Country. It was created to be a bright, happy place to attract butterflies, bees and birds.
Central Goldfields Shire Acting Mayor Cr Anna de Villiers said it was exciting to see garingilang gatjin wii acknowledged at the State awards.
“It really is a special place, and it’s always wonderful to see people enjoying the space when I walk or drive past.
“The vision was always that it would be a welcoming space for our community and visitors to reflect, learn and share culture as part of an active and engaged approach to reconciliation — and it’s certainly achieved this.”
Dja Dja Wurrung Group Acting CEO Harley Douglas acknowledged the partnership and collaboration involved in the creation of garingilang gatjin wii.
“I’m very proud that this beautiful and collaborative expression of Djaara culture has been recognised in these awards,” Mr Douglas said.
“Congratulations to Aunty Marilyne Nicholls, who conceptualised the project and saw it to completion, to the Wartaka, Djaara artists, Djaara Women’s planting group, designer Paul Waddell of Three Acres Design, the DJANDAK Design team, the DJANDAK Crew, and to our partners at Central Goldfields Shire,” he said.
Paul Acres from Three Acres Landscape Architecture said it was a pleasure to work with the Wartaka and Djaara Artists on this important project, bringing Djandak (Country) into the heart of Maryborough.
“It has been wonderful to see visitors connect with culture, nature and art, to see the blue wrens making the garden their home, and to see the landscape so thoughtfully cared for and embraced by the community.”
The project was jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Council.