Mr Bruce Gorring

BA (Hons), MS0cSci (Environment and Planning)

Principal Consultant, Generativity Co-Consultant and Advisory Services

Email: bruce.gorring@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Bruce Gorring is a kartiya (non-Indigenous person in Kimberley kriol) of European and Chinese heritage.

    He is profoundly interested in Country-centred urban planning and design, bio-cultural management, community development, and intercultural innovation - examined through a critical social justice lens.

    Throughout his career, Bruce has collaborated with Australian First Peoples, all tiers of government, entrepreneurs and business leaders, peak industry groups, the responsible investment and finance sector, and world-renowned academics to deliver strength-based design, policy and project outcomes. Bruce specialises in building trusted relationships to create places and spaces that make meaning of, and embed, a multiplicity of worldviews in remote, regional and metropolitan settings.

    Bruce enjoys a deep understanding and appreciation of the cultural and historical contexts that influence collaborations with First Nations. His approach is grounded in solidarity, cultural intelligence and aptitude to support meaningful engagement for the purpose of realising self-determined aspirations and expectations held by Traditional Owners and Custodians.

    He is passionate about creating two-way learning opportunities to build deeper awareness of the relationship between Country and people, the health and wellbeing of bio-cultural landscapes and the built environment, and the contribution of deliberative concepts of governance to foster transformative change in Australia.

  • Teaching areas

    • Cultural geography
    • Bio-cultural resource management
    • Urban planning and design

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Cultural geography
    • Bio-cultural resource management
    • Urban planning and design

  • Books

    • Johnson-Riordan, L. and Gorring, B.T. (Eds) 1998, Travelling Tracks: A Collection of Writing by Indigenous Students of Goolangullia, University of Western Sydney Macarthur, University of Western Sydney Macarthur, Campbelltown.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Gorring, B.T. (Ed) 1994, New Directions: Proceedings of the Second Institute of Australian Geographer’s Graduate Student Conference, 14-16 February 1994, University of Newcastle, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Newcastle, Newcastle.

  • Conference papers

    • 2014 - "...When it's gone, it's gone": The Contribution of Modernity and Colonisation to the Anthropocene – A Kimberley Perspective. Presented at the Living in the Anthropocene: The Role of Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences Conference, 26-28 February 2014, Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney.
    • 2010 - Right People for Right Country. A commentary on cultural and natural resource management in the Kimberley region of North Western Australia. Presented at the Eleventh Annual Native Title Conference, 01-03 June 2010, National Convention Centre, Canberra.
    • 2007 - Sustaining Remote Communities – "Growing Up" the Tjurabalan Native Title Land Aboriginal Corporation. Co-presented with Jenkins Tjapaljarri, D. at the Eighth Annual Native Title Conference, 06-07 June 2007, Cairns Conference Centre, Cairns.
    • 2004 - The logistics of native title: strategies, tools, and approaches. Presented at the Fifth Annual Native Title Conference, 03-04 June 2004, Stamford Grand Hotel, Adelaide.
    • 1997 - Race, space, and the politics of Indigenous Australian cultural revival in the South Coast region of NSW. Presented at the Second Joint Conference of the Institute of Australian Geographers and the Aotearoa/New Zealand Geographical Society, 28-31 January 1997, University of Tasmania, Hobart.
    • 1996 - Re-visioning Aboriginal studies in the '90's: new Aboriginalities, new pedagogies. Co-presented with Johnson-Riordan, L., McIntosh, L., McNaboe, D. and Nean, R. at the Sixth Annual Conference of the Aboriginal Studies Association, 02-04 October 1996, University of NSW, Sydney.

  • Curated exhibitions or events

    • 2023 - Murru waaruu (On Track) Economic Development Seminar Series, Australian National University, Canberra, https://anufirstnations.com.au/events/
    • 2022 - Marramarra murru (Creating Pathways) Economic Development Symposium and Wealth Forum, Australian National University and National Press Club, 21-23 June 2022, Canberra, https://anufirstnations.com.au/events/
    • 2014 - 2015 - Convener, Nulungu Talking Heads Seminar Series, Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame Australia, Broome campus.

  • In the media

    • 2016 - Rob Dougherty, "Future brighter for artists thanks to funding announcement", The West Australian and Broome Advertiser, 30 May 2016.
    • 2012 - Flip Prior, "Shire pulls out of land talks", The West Australian and Broome Advertiser, 24 February 2012, https://thewest.com.au/news/kimberley/shire-pulls-out-of-land-talks-ng-ya-329495
    • 2012 - Flip Prior, "Broome stoush over hostel land continues", The West Australian, 20 February 2012, https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/broome-stoush-over-hostel-land-continues-ng-ya-330014
    • 2010 - Ben Collins, "2010 Barrgana Lecture Series", ABC Kimberley, 22 July 2010, https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/07/22/2961032.htm

  • Professional affiliations

    • Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, since 2023.
    • Member, Planning Institute of Australia, since 2013.
    • Member, Golden Key International Honour Society, since 2012.
    • Member, Institute of Australian Geographers, since 1993.
    • Member, Geographical Society of NSW, since 1992.

  • Community engagement

    • Industry Mentoring Program, RMIT University, 2019-2023.
    • Cultural Advisory Sub-Committee, Marrugeku Inc., 2017-2023.
    • Board of Directors, Community Representative, Broome Senior High School, 2017-2019.
    • Board of Directors, Community Representative, Broome Cluster of Independent Public Schools, 2017-2019.
    • Young Planners Mentoring Program, Planning Institute of Australia, 2017-2018.
    • Board of Directors, Environs Kimberley Inc., 2009-2016.

  • Awards

    1992 - 'Highly Commended' Planning Submission Award, Honeysuckle Development Corporation, Newcastle, NSW.

  • Other

    COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS

    • Sir Roland Wilson/Pat Turner Scholarship Advisory Group, Australian National University, 2022-2023.
    • Cultural Fire Grants Evaluation Panel, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Vic), 2022
    • University Research Committee, Australian National University, 2021-2023.
    • University Collections Advisory Group, Australian National University, 2021-2023.
    • First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance, Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations Representative, 2020-2021.
    • Academic Council and University Research Committee, University of Notre Dame Australia, 2014.
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Consultative Group, University of Notre Dame Australia, 2011-2014.
    • Editorial Board, COOLABAH - Journal of Observatori: Centre d’Estudis Australians, Universitat de Barcelona, 2010-2023.

    PRESENTATIONS

    2023 – An Indigenous Voice: The Experience of Chile

    Co-moderated and participated in a webinar on 04 May 2023 to examine Chile’s experience of constitutional reform and the recognition of Indigenous rights, focusing on Chile's recent (unsuccessful) attempt to redraft its Constitution which included articles expressly recognizing Indigenous peoples and enumerating certain fundamental rights that affect them.

    2023 – An Indigenous Voice: The Experience of Ecuador

    Co-moderated and participated in a webinar on 11 April 2023 to examine Ecuador’s experience of constitutional reform and the recognition of Indigenous rights and understand the processes, outcomes and lessons arising from the establishment of a representative Voice to inform government and parliamentary decisions.

    2022 - Agricultural Capacity of the Indigenous Estate

    Participated in a webinar on 14 October 2022 to raise awareness of research undertaken by ANU on the emerging First Nations agricultural sector, the agricultural capacity of the Indigenous estate, and opportunities to enable First Nations participation in primary production enterprises.

    2021 - Protection and Promotion of Indigenous Languages in Australia and Latin America

    Co-moderated and participated in a webinar on 22 October 2021 to consider the status of Indigenous languages in Australia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico and the challenges associated with protecting and promoting them.

    2021 - Indigenous Governance in Australia and Latin America

    Participated in a webinar on 23 July 2021 examining governance structures and practices in Australia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala and the lessons learned on negotiating self-determination, the impacts on Indigenous knowledge, and progressing certainty on land and water tenure.