Designing for Reconciliation in Action

As National Reconciliation Week 2025 calls on us to Bridge Now to Next, we’re reflecting on the powerful role of community, culture, and connection in the journey toward reconciliation.

This week, we’re honoured to share a story from our Design for Good programme — one that centres the work of Marissa Verma, a proud Noongar woman and founder of Bindi Bindi Dreaming, whose ongoing cultural education efforts continue to inspire and inform.

Earlier this year, we partnered with her to reimagine her outdoor area – transforming what was once uneven ground into a fully accessible native bush tucker garden. Through her work with Bindi Bindi Dreaming, Marissa shares Aboriginal culture with the broader community through tours, workshops, and educational programmes that celebrate traditional knowledge, bush tucker, and medicines of the South West.

This design enhances mobility and independence within her home, creating a healing space that supports her recovery journey and enables her to continue her cultural work — an invaluable contribution to deepening community understanding and respect for First Nations culture.

As we finalise our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, we recognise that reconciliation is ongoing work, built through strong relationships, mutual respect, and tangible actions that support and amplify First Nations voices.