Co - founder | Creative Producer | Relational Engagement Lead

Working alongside Ngunnawal Mob, Nicola helps shape Country-led ecological frameworks that weave cultural knowledge with design, science, and story—centering the living voices of waterways on Ngunnawal Country. The work centres waterway stories and Ngunnawal knowledges—bringing together planners, scientists, artists, and Mob to co-create ways of caring for urban creeks that are culturally led, ecologically sound, and relationally held.

Creative Producer & Bridge Facilitator

Country-centred collaboration to bring Ngunnawal water stories, land management knowledge, and living design practices to life. The project is nominated for the ACT PIA Awards.

​

Nicola Lambert’s role in Watermarks was as the Creative Producer and Co-Producer, responsible for:

​

• Establishing the partnerships that made the Ngunnawal-led activation possible.
   

• Facilitating collaborative, Country-centred processes that brought together Ngunnawal Elders, artists, ecologists, and government partners.
   

• Weaving together art, ecology, and leadership to centre Ngunnawal water stories, land management knowledge, and living Country design practices.
   

• Producing the site-specific activation along Sullivans Creek, including the song “Dirana” and the Ngunnawal Voices - Watermarks film, Watermarks Public Artwork. 
   

• Holding the creative and relational vision to ensure the project remained guided by Ngunnawal cultural authority and ecological storytelling.

Producer & Cultural Engagement Lead

Through art, movement, and story, Nicola helps communities listen to and care for waterways—turning public art and activation into living relationships with Country.

Relational Engagement Consultant & Cultural Translator

Bridging cultural and technical worlds, Nicola ensured Ngunnawal voices guided the design of creek-restoration options, translating ecological data into story-based, Country-led recommendations.

Designer, Bridge Facilitator, Consultant

​

Healing Country, Healing Community is a Ngunnawal-led project co-designed with ACT Government and community partners to restore relationships between People, Country, and Government through culturally grounded, relational, and Country-centred practices.

Nicola Lambert’s role within the Healing Country, Healing Community project is that of a Relational Engagement Consultant. She is the designer of the Healing Country, Healing Community engagement frameworks and has played a leading role in co-designing the project’s Ngunnawal-led relational and cultural governance structures.

​

Across the project documents, her responsibilities include:

​

• Facilitating relational engagement between Ngunnawal Cultural Advisors, ACT Government (Office of Nature Conservation, ACT Parks), and community partners.
   

• Co-developing frameworks such as the Re-Storying Country Restoration Framework and the Code of Care for Ngunnawal Engagement.
   

• Supporting project coordination, reflection, and documentation, including online and on-Country yarning sessions, workshops, and storytelling processes.
   

• Providing logistical and engagement support alongside Ngunnawal leaders such as Braithan Bell, particularly in event planning and facilitation.

​

Nicola Lambert acts as a consultant, facilitator, and designer of relational, culturally grounded engagement frameworks, ensuring the project honours Ngunnawal leadership, cultural authority, and Country-centred practice.

Waterways Country Workshop Series and Symposium program was delivered as part of the Design Canberra Festival at the National Museum of Australia. The program came off the back of Follow Sullivans: Learning Country (Sullivan Creek 2022) curated walks where project participants were recruited from diverse backgrounds, including conservation, the sciences, health, education, arts, writing, and government.