On Friday 13 March, Parks and Leisure Australia and the City of Greater Bendigo held the first Landscape Subdivision Seminar at Omari, Bendigo.
This first of its kind event brought together a diverse and highly specialised collective of professionals from both local councils and private organisations.
By bridging the gap between design, ecology and local government leadership, this event fostered a unique dialogue between those who envision our spaces and those who build and maintain them.
A big thankyou to all the attendees and event staff, to make the first (of hopefully many) seminars a huge success!
The 80+ attendees were from a variety of backgrounds:
Landscape architects and urban designers at all levels of seniority, focusing on the aesthetic and functional design of our cities.
Open space and parks management specialists, who oversee the planning and health of our public recreational lands.
Environmental experts and arborists, including leaders in urban forestry, tree establishment, and sustainability.
Strategic planners and project managers responsible for the high-level coordination and delivery of major infrastructure and subdivision projects.
Engineers and technical consultants who provide the structural foundation for sustainable development.
What did the day involve?
We heard from passionate speakers with years of experience in the industry, opening up thoughtful, solutions-focussed conversations through their presentations. Every discussion centred on how we can design, deliver and maintain places that allow people and nature to coexist in meaningful, enduring ways. We heard from:
Jane Marriott, CoGB: Evolution of a Landscape Development Officer.
Mark Fahy, CoGB: Greening Greater Bendigo and Urban Forest.
Chris Szota, University of Melbourne: Blue-Green infrastructure.
Adam Barber, CoGB: A Short History of Water in Bendigo.
Mark Toohey, CoGB: Increasing Biodiversity Values in Water Quality Projects.
Plus an introduction and opportunity to sign up to the Open Space Planners Network, and the Landscape Development Network.
The day start and concluded with wonderfully detailed and insightful Bendigo Botanical Gardens guided tours: Larni Garingilang Home of Growth and Garden for the Future.
Key Takeaways
Sustainable development outcomes aren’t achieved in isolation. They happen when planners, designers, arborists, engineers, and environmental stewards work side-by side with a common vision.
Greening Greater Bendigo 2020–2070 is the City’s first urban forest strategy, setting out a 50-year vision to increase tree canopy and improve tree health across urban areas and townships. The strategy responds to environmental, health, and liveability challenges by integrating urban tree management with landscape design guidelines for new developments.
Supported by a 10-year action plan, it outlines immediate priorities to grow and protect valued green spaces while reversing long-term tree loss. The approach highlights how collaboration across Victorian councils – and shared learning through professional networks – can strengthen urban greening outcomes for communities now and into the future.
What’s next?
We are collating feedback from the day to see our successes and where we can improve on for future seminars. This is not the first and last Landscape Seminar – stay tuned for next year’s event!
