Arcadia Indigenous Scholarship recipient

26 May 2021 | News Stories

Arcadia is delighted to announce that Laree Barney, a proud Kalkatungu woman with connections to Winnam, has been awarded the QUT Indigenous Landscape Architecture for 2021, after impressing the interview panel with her mature outlook and passion for design.

First established at the University of NSW in 2017, Arcadia offers scholarships for Indigenous students to study Landscape Architecture at eight universities nationally.

“Arcadia established the scholarship to increase the representation of Indigenous practitioners in the Landscape Architecture industry. Having Indigenous students like Laree, on their own personal journey to further develop their understanding of Country and heritage, share their knowledge and perspective with their peers, will increase our industry’s capacity to connect and care for Country,” said Alex Longley, Founding Principal of Arcadia Landscape Architecture.

Laree Barney has commenced her first year of Landscape Architecture at QUT and will be supported with studio experience and mentoring from the Arcadia Queensland team.

“I am honoured to have been awarded Arcadia’s scholarship while I’m studying Landscape Architecture at QUT. I was drawn to this degree because I am passionate about sustainability, design, and the ongoing Care of Country using First Nations knowledge,” said Laree Barney.

About the Scholarship

When Arcadia Principals, Alex Longley and Michael Barnett, realised the poor representation of First Peoples in Landscape Architecture, they launched the Arcadia Indigenous Landscape Architecture Scholarship to address this issue.

The intention of the scholarship is to encourage Indigenous students to enter landscape architecture, as proper representation of Indigenous people in this industry will increase the capacity to care for Country and connect with Country and place and to create better performing, more meaningful spaces which share stories and knowledge, allowing for true custodianship and care.

The scholarship is currently offered through the following universities:

  • Deakin University
  • Queensland University of Technology
  • Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology  
  • University of New South Wales
  • University of Western Australia
  • University of Canberra
  • University of Melbourne
  • University of Technology Sydney

All Indigenous students enrolled in an AILA-accredited Landscape Architecture program are invited to apply for an Arcadia scholarship. Each scholarship will provide support to each student for the duration of the course. This scholarship will be available to one student per university, per year.

Photography: Nikita Pere