What if the most important plant for surviving in space hasn't been invented yet, and YOU are the one to design it? And what if the clues to building it have been living on Country for thousands of years?

Welcome to Design Your Plant — where Indigenous plant wisdom and space science build something completely new!

This is no ordinary design challenge. This two-hour workshop at the stunning Gwoonwardu Mia Cultural Centre weaves together two powerful ways of knowing, the deep ecological knowledge of First Nations peoples and the cutting-edge research of space scientists, and puts them both in YOUR hands. 

It starts with a question that has been asked on Country for thousands of generations: what does a plant truly give to the people who depend on it? Food. Medicine. Shelter. Water. Story. Culture. Connection. Now ask that same question 384,000 kilometres away on the Moon, and everything gets a whole lot more interesting.

Guided by Indigenous plant values and real Plants for Space research, your team will explore:

• Which plant traits help humans survive in extreme conditions?
• Why do flavour, smell and colour matter to people far from home?
• Which plants grow fastest with the least resources?
• What makes a plant culturally and spiritually significant?
• How do you design a plant that feeds the body AND the soul?

First, your team debates and defends which traits matter most. Then comes the really fun part: you design and build your very own space plant using craft materials, bringing your creation to life.

Every group then pitches their plant to the room. Whose creation honours both Country and cosmos? Whose plant would actually make it to Mars? 

This is biology, Indigenous knowledge, creativity and teamwork, all rolled into one brilliant, hands-on experience