“In this final lab of the inaugural trilogy, we asked: ‘how does place shape language and through this entanglement our collective social imaginary, our reality?’ Regenerative futures demand new ecological literacies and planetary civics that transcend traditional boundaries,” said Associate Professor Troy Innocent.
The Upper Yarra Reservoir provided a site for engagement with industrial ecologies and river rights through listening, walking, and witnessing methods on Wurundjeri Country, with Dr Emily Jones, a Senior Research Fellow from Newcastle University Law School and Chris Hume, a Wurundjeri Knowledge Holder.
At Point Nepean Monmar, N’arweet Carolyn Brigg guided participants across Boonwurrung Country, exploring Sea Country’s tidal, material and oral knowledges with Alison Souter and Gio Fitzpatrick from Yalukit Willam Nature Association.
From the Dandenong Ranges to Coranderrk, participants witnessed climate-damaged forests and multispecies relations through grief, debris ecology and care practices on Wurundjeri Country with Dr Goda Klumbyte from Kassel University and artist Gretel Taylor.
Together, these site-specific methods explored how posthuman approaches resonate with ancient Indigenous practices, including regenerative and restorative methodologies grounded in place, sovereignty, and resilience.
“Particularly in cities, our challenge is to reconsider our role in the intricate web of life. Posthumanism is a way into a future where all entities collaborate for planetary resilience and flourishing,” said Dr Fiona Hillary.
One notable outcome of the Lab trilogy was ‘Hot & Heavy’, a performance by The Ironing Maidens (Melania Jack and Patty Preece) at Midsumma 2026. They drew inspiration from their participation in the Lab in 2025, saying: “We wrote the initial incarnation of our show, Hot & Heavy, coming out of Cairns Summer in 2023. The climate crisis felt particularly acute in our personal lives, having experienced both rainforest fires and floods. We rerouted our practice, stepping outside the domestic sphere to tackle more global concerns."
