Australia’s biggest cities steal the show. Recognizable projects in the capitals and from the awards grace many a design practice’s boardroom. But what about the regions and our so-called “second-tier” cities – places like Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat, Mandurah, the Gold Coast, Cairns and Toowoomba?1 These areas are growing rapidly, but is the built environment and landscape architecture keeping up? And beyond the designer-ly gaze and institutions of our capitals, what kind of contributions are being made to make a difference and help define the identities of these cities?
Australian cities are a puzzle – and the more challenging a puzzle, the more satisfying the end result. But in cities, the pieces are rarely all in focus: edges may be worn, pieces missing and thus the city remains incomplete, a project seemingly without an end. In fact, every day the city is made anew, either by design or
