When engagement starts early, it can change what a project becomes. Boorloo Bridge demonstrates how Traditional Owner knowledge shaped design, place and legacy.
Infrastructure projects can leave a legacy that extends far beyond their physical footprint. Boorloo Bridge in Perth, Western Australia, demonstrates what can be achieved when engagement with Traditional Owners begins early enough to genuinely influence project outcomes.
Engagement with Whadjuk Noongar Traditional Owners began at the earliest stages of project development and continued over five years. Elders shared site-specific stories passed down through generations, helping shape the project’s cultural narrative and directly influence the bridge’s design and placemaking outcomes. Rather than embedding culture after key decisions had been made, engagement created opportunities for Aboriginal knowledge, values and aspirations to inform the project as it evolved.
The result is more than transport infrastructure. Boorloo Bridge has created an enduring cultural legacy that showcases Whadjuk Noongar culture while contributing to healing, reconciliation and stronger connections between the Aboriginal community and people who live in and visit Perth. The project was recognised as the 2025 IAP2 Core Values Awards Australasian Project of the Year.
This presentation will look back at the Boorloo Bridge engagement journey to explore what made early engagement meaningful, how cultural knowledge translated into tangible project outcomes, and the lessons practitioners can take forward. It demonstrates that engaging early is not simply good engagement practice; it can fundamentally shape the places we create and the legacy we leave behind.
Fiona Bettesworth is a Senior Associate in the Communities and Social Performance at WSP Australia. She specialises in stakeholder and community engagement on major projects.