Munarra Centre Unites Design, Culture and Community

The Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence in Shepparton, Victoria, stands as a landmark in culturally informed design, education, and community engagement.

Located on Yorta Yorta Country, the new precinct embodies a shared vision for a world-class education, sporting, and gathering space that honours the world’s oldest living culture.

GALLERY  

Guided by ARM Architecture with landscape architects Emergent Studios, the project reflects a genuine co-design process that prioritised cultural authenticity and deep community involvement. Overseen by Munarra Limited, an all-First Peoples board, the development was delivered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, First Peoples State Relations, and the Victorian School Building Authority, with support from the University of Melbourne.

The site is composed of two key areas: the upgraded Rumbalara Football and Netball Club to the north, and a new community and academic building to the south. The latter, designed to resemble the Aboriginal flag from above, features a central circular courtyard, a veranda for indoor and outdoor learning, and a firepit that provides a focal point for cultural exchange. These elements were created in close consultation with Yorta Yorta Elders and community members, ensuring the building remains grounded in Country and collective identity.

A key design feature is the Nanyak Wall, a photographic artwork that captures the community’s history and extends into the surrounding landscape, linking the southern and northern sites. The Rumbalara Football and Netball Club now boasts new netball facilities, renovated clubrooms, and a unifying canopy inspired by the club’s logo, reinforcing local pride and belonging.

Landscape design by Emergent Studios integrates Indigenous plantings and cultural narratives throughout the site, while Spacecraft Studios and Kaiea Arts worked closely with Elders to embed community artwork across the built form. Construction was carried out by TVN On-Country, a majority Indigenous-owned contractor, ensuring the process remained true to the project’s guiding principles of collaboration and respect.

The Munarra Centre stands as a powerful model for future developments, where cultural heritage, education, and design come together to shape spaces of learning, celebration, and enduring connection.

Images by Peter Bennetts via ArchDaily

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