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our rural and remote experience
Through our involvement in the Building Rural and Remote Health Program (BRRHP), Peddle Thorp has gained recent and direct experience applying Health Infrastructure Queensland’s First Nations design framework. Our team has worked closely with Project Directors and First Nations Engagement Leads within Health Infrastructure Queensland, as well as staff across multiple Hospital and Health Services.
Rebecca Johnston, our Health Sector Lead, and Nicola Blakey have been collaborating with the BRRHP team for more than two years across briefing, functional planning, and concept design for seven sites within the Torres and Cape region.
A central focus of this work has been meaningful consultation with the clinics and their communities. To establish a shared understanding—or ‘common language’—between our team and local stakeholders, we adopted a tailored consultation approach. This included a series of hands-on functional planning workshops featuring what became known as the ‘jigsaw exercise’. In these sessions, the facility layout was explored room by room at a large, interactive scale, allowing participants to work through adjacencies, connections, and flows collaboratively
Community consultation was equally critical in shaping the concept design in alignment with the First Nations Design Framework. Engagement was delivered in two parts: a formal introduction to the project, followed by presentations and a Q&A session.
This was complemented by an informal social gathering over dinner (Kai Kai), which created a relaxed environment for deeper community engagement. These conversations often occurred one‑on‑one, allowing participants to share insights openly and ensuring the project team could listen, learn, and support genuine community ownership of what will become an important piece of social infrastructure.
To broaden the reach of engagement, additional informal drop‑in sessions were held at the Primary Health Care Centre or local store. During these sessions, the project team was available with visual material of the proposed facility to answer questions and gather feedback.
The Rural and Remote Health Program continues to strengthen Peddle Thorp’s experience working in rural and remote communities, not only across Queensland but throughout the Pacific.