Mars Data Centre

Goodman Property Services engaged Tika EQ as the Connecting with Country consultants for the Mars Data Centre development at Lane Cove West - Cammeraygal Country. This site has a unique proximity to the Lane Cove River, known traditionally as Turrumburra, and is part of a storied cultural landscape shaped by thousands of years of ecological knowledge, seasonal rhythms, and custodianship.

Our role was to ensure that the project honoured these enduring connections, embedding First Nations values into planning, design, and delivery in alignment with the Government Architect NSW Connecting with Country Framework.

Listening to Country

The process began with on-Country consultation with Indigenous Knowledge Holders. Through walking the landscape and listening deeply, we learned about:

• Stone fish traps along the Lane Cove River, sophisticated aquaculture systems that mirrored the ebb and flow of the tides.
• Mullet season, signalled by the flowering of the Golden Wattle, as a time of abundance, gathering, and ceremony.
• Middens - shell and charcoal archives of shared meals and cultural exchange, that still mark the riverbanks.

These stories guided our design approach, drawing parallels between the data centre’s role in gathering, storing, and directing information and the fish traps’ role in managing the flow of life-sustaining resources.

Design Principles

From these conversations emerged a set of First Nations design principles, including:

• Ecological reciprocity – landscaping with culturally significant native species such as Golden Wattle, Gymea Lily, and Waratah.
• Flow and connection – design forms echoing the ripples and tidal patterns of Turrumburra.
• Cultural storytelling – incorporating interpretive elements, subtle motifs, and dual-language signage, even in a secure facility context.
• Materiality – using natural, tactile materials like sandstone and uncoated timber to connect built form with local geology.

Embedding Culture in a Secure Site

Although the Mars Data Centre is not open to the public, we worked closely with Goodman’s architects and landscape designers to ensure cultural integrity could be felt by those who interact with the site. This included:

• Quiet reflection spaces for staff and maintenance personnel.
• Seasonal plantings marking thresholds and pathways.
• Digital storytelling and cultural induction materials for personnel.

A Lasting Legacy

Our Connecting with Country process was about more than design; it was about building relationships. By walking together on Cammeraygal Country, the project team developed a deeper awareness of the living systems, stories, and responsibilities of this place.

The Mars Data Centre will stand not only as a piece of critical digital infrastructure but as a place-based, culturally respectful response to Country, honouring the past, grounded in the present, and looking to the future.