The Northern Rivers has always done things differently. Building on a five-decade legacy of environmental experimentation—dating back to the countercultural Aquarius Festival that put Nimbin on the map—the region is now pioneering three approaches to materials recovery and reuse emerging from the reconstruction effort following the 2022 floods. 

Living Lab Northern Rivers, in partnership with Southern Cross University, will showcase three remarkable projects which are delivering benefits for housing and local manufacturing in the region. Learn about the Circular Timber project and its approach to timber reuse and recovery, about a local company 3D-printing entire small homes, and how emergency shelters can be made from bio-based cardboard.  

These aren't just local solutions—they represent scalable models for post-crisis reconstruction. 

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Chair

Professor Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning at University of Sydney, Director, Henry Halloran Urban & Regional Research Initiative, University of Sydney

panel

Dan Etheridge, Engagement Director, Living Lab Northern Rivers  

Ben Roche, PVC (Research Education and Impact), Southern Cross University 

Professor Andrew Rose, ReCirculator, Southern Cross University 

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