North West Cultural Values Reference Group

The Cultural Values Reference Group (Reference Group) provides cultural guidance, oversight, and endorsement throughout the development of the North West Connecting with Country Framework. The Reference Group brings together Traditional Custodians, Elders, and Aboriginal knowledge holders with connections to Dharug Country and the broader Sydney's North West region.

The Reference Group plays a central role in ensuring the Framework is grounded in Aboriginal knowledge and lived experience — not merely informed by it. Members contribute cultural authority to the engagement process, guide the identification of cultural protocols, values, stories, and aspirations relevant to the region, and support the translation of that knowledge into principles that can be practically applied across the program's infrastructure projects.

The Reference Group operates in accordance with Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) protocols. Members retain ownership of their cultural knowledge at all times. Participation is voluntary, and the Reference Group engages at a pace and in ways that are culturally appropriate and determined by community.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is delivering a significant portfolio of road infrastructure projects across Sydney's North West Growth Area, spanning corridors including Richmond Road, Garfield Road, Bandon Road, Townson and Burdekin Roads, the New Richmond Bridge, and surrounding upgrades. These projects sit on Dharug Country and will have lasting impacts on the cultural landscape of the region.

In recognition of this, TfNSW has commissioned Tika EQ to develop a single, region-wide Connecting with Country Framework — an Aboriginal-led process that gathers cultural knowledge, values, and stories about Sydney's North West and translates them into practical guidance for project teams at concept design stage and beyond.

The Framework is grounded in the NSW Government Architect's Connecting with Country Framework (2023) and consistent with TfNSW's own Aboriginal engagement and cultural heritage frameworks, including Ngiyani Winangaybuwan Bunmay. It is intended to move beyond project-by-project responses, establishing a shared cultural foundation that strengthens place identity, supports meaningful design outcomes, and builds enduring relationships between TfNSW and the Aboriginal communities of the region.

Project Overview


Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is delivering a significant portfolio of road infrastructure projects across Sydney's North West Growth Area, spanning corridors including Richmond Road, Garfield Road, Bandon Road, Townson and Burdekin Roads, the New Richmond Bridge, and surrounding upgrades. These projects sit on Dharug Country and will have lasting impacts on the cultural landscape of the region.

In recognition of this, TfNSW has commissioned Tika EQ to develop a single, region-wide Connecting with Country Framework, an Aboriginal-led process that gathers cultural knowledge, values, and stories about Sydney's North West and translates them into practical guidance for project teams at concept design stage and beyond.

The Framework is grounded in the NSW Government Architect's Connecting with Country Framework (2023) and consistent with TfNSW's own Aboriginal engagement and cultural heritage frameworks, including Ngiyani Winangaybuwan Bunmay. It is intended to move beyond project-by-project responses, establishing a shared cultural foundation that strengthens place identity, supports meaningful design outcomes, and builds enduring relationships between TfNSW and the Aboriginal communities of the region.

Tika EQ is a First Nations-led consultancy specialising in cultural advisory and stakeholder engagement across infrastructure and planning. Liam Harte, a Dunghutti man and Director at Tika EQ, is leading this engagement as Principal Cultural Advisor.

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