Bobbie begins her MADE scholarship journey from the Sydney Opera house scholarship journey. It is a Multidisciplinary Australian Danish Exchange supporting the knowledge and understanding of Danish architect Jørn Utzon, Utzon Design Principles and encouraging young professionals early in their career to work and think multidisciplinary. A great quote from one of the long involved sponsors of the program which illustrates why they are making such an investment “If everything was good in the world, there would be not point for MADE” - Dan Mackenzie, CEO Steen Varming.

A Quick and Dirty glance back at the past 358 days…

With the highlights reel…

01/01 - Brought in the new year walking the magnificent Blue Gum Forest Walk in The Grose Valley , Two days of walking and Bobbie spilt boiling water on Owen’s back (oops!), had to walk out sooner than expected…

8/01 - We worked with Rick Leplastrier on behalf of University of Newcastle to pack up, transport and categorise the Architect, Swetik korzeniewski’s personal Library. 2 days of handling beautiful and rare books and hearing stories of phenomenal architects and architecture from Rick & Swetik

We have two pieces of news...

What better way to wrap up the year then to reflect on the home stretch of the Girthy with Slim Edges National Exhibition tour and to look forward to the year that’s to come… with an exciting announcement!

Update #02: The Grand Section's National Exhibition, 'Girthy; with Slim Edges'

The car has only a small oil leak and smells a bit but otherwise all is fabulous!

We have just finished at Theodore which was stop #3 on the Grand Section Journey. We thought now would be a great time to reflect on the past few months, 2 states and a territory! It certainly has been a whirlwind, far more intense than a bike but none the less fantastic to see the country through a new perspective and as always meet and re-meet some incredible people.

Update: The Grand Section's National Exhibition, 'Girthy; with Slim Edges'

That's right... we are 'On Tour'; our mighty steed, the beaten up Kelly family subaru with 360,000kms is riding low but getting us around the country.... groupie applications open. 

Presenting The Grand Section National Exhibition, Girthy; with Slim Edges.......

“Girthy; with Slim Edges” is an exhibition showcasing the work from The Grand Section, a year-long study of Australia’s architecture, east to west. Broadening the conversation about architecture and Australia, the exhibition delivers Australia’s innards to its outer fringes. Giving insight into the reality of the regional and remote areas of this country and the connection between environments, people and buildings.

The rumors are true, we've been getting around... serving some 6B sanga's (see the drawing) p.s that's a pencil joke served at lunch time. We have been talking and unpacking some of the ideas tied in with the trip. It's been humbling to see other people putting value into the work we have done. 

We're somewhat settling back in, but it is strange to be back.....in a room with a bed and the windows so far away. Hustle bustle, slowness seems to be about as forgotten as the inland. 

HOWEVER...

We've got lots of bits and bobs to share, and we promise it's more than just 'Blah'.

The most western point on the mainland on latitude 25 degrees south, restricted access to Bernier and Dorre islands, serious fishing country, “no-lore”, decades of wool, a fruit bowl, space exploration, a solar farm and a tourist haven.

The ferocious southerly October to February trade winds that wrecked countless ships off the Western Australian coast gave us an easy ride into our penultimate stop, Wooramel Roadhouse. Subject to the whim of the tourist seasons…both of them….on and off, the roadhouse is typical of many road side stops across the continent, dictated by the car. However, as the nature of transport evolves so too must the architecture of the road.

We've just finished our week at Stop #20: Wooramel Roadhouse and so NOW are on our final cycling leg into Carnarvon, the Western Australian fruit bowl. We only have 124 kms to go before we have officially crossed the continent and a great attempt at following Latitude 25. If you can't get to the finish line we understand, so instead you can virtually cheer us on as we have set up a live tracker for you to follow along!!

Click through to the blog post and press the big "LIVE TRACKER" button or go to https://www.thegrandsection.com/ and use the button on the Homepage to follow along online!

Surrounded by open cut mines, with the protective ring of ‘rehabilitated’ earth and small signs urging caution, Meekatharra still has significant deposits of gold, copper and ore to be dug. Meanwhile decade old gaping pits leave locals scratching their heads as to how to utilize these monumental sized constructions to leverage tourism, the scale of modern ruins. The administrative centre of the region, Meekatharra is certainly not for the meek.

Littered in history and holes, it almost feels as if no piece of ground has been left untouched. Rusty cans, glass and broken prospector dreams litter the landscape. Manmade mesas and hills rise high above the Mulgas. Behind a clump of Acacias is a century old brick cricket pitch, overgrown. To the unknowing eye, simply, a landscape of ‘nothing’.

One thing to consider: Gold exists in greater abundance in Australia than any other place in the world

Ride in, dusty and lunch hungry. Time turns back 1.5 hours so the pre-prepared lunches don’t come out for another hour, delayed further by a drop in internet and EFTPOS services. Camp dogs and dust clouds from ever cycling windowless cars. Lunch when it does come is a surprisingly tasty burger, the only hot and filling option. It’s the off week for fresh food, a couple of sad carrots for dinner. Nothing unusual. 

PERMIT REQUIRED, PERMIT REQUIRED says the map at the CLC (Central Land Council). In reality permits are not required and the ongoing battle between community and Policy is fought somewhere in the tangle of red tape. The small indigenous community is only 117km from Alice Springs, down a ‘dead-end’ road, at the edge of the sand hill country and nestled into the red face of the James range. A once strong town caught metaphorically and literally in-between a rock and a hard place.