Last month, we were thrilled to attend the Place Leaders 2025 Summit and Awards Night in one of Australia’s most distinctive, resilient and eclectic capital cities - Darwin - renowned for its vibrant street art, laksa and thriving nighttime economy. We met fellow placemakers, urban planners, policymakers, cultural practitioners and industry leaders and explored critical industry themes like voice and inclusion, climate adaptation and resilience and the seeds for crafting vibrant public spaces.
The summit featured an awesome lineup of sessions, including a keynote from former NSW Minister for Cities, Rob Stokes, who reflected on the role of place in shaping sustainable, people-centred cities. We also heard from local Larrakia elders, whose deep connection to Country offered powerful lessons in custodianship and place-based knowledge. Initiatives like the Darwin International Laksa Festival showcase the power of cultural programming to foster inclusion and celebrate community diversity through food, tradition, and shared space.
A guided tour of the CBD, led by Jo Smallacombe and the City of Darwin team, offered valuable insight into the city’s smart-city initiatives, its climate resilience and heat mitigation efforts, and the implementation of the Darwin City Deal. The tour also highlighted the strategic activation of Darwin’s laneways, the Mall, and the city’s broader vision for a more connected, adaptive urban environment.
We also got to check out Darwin’s street art program, led by the Darwin Street Art Festival, whereby nearly 130 murals now animate both public and private walls across the city — creating one of the most concentrated and vibrant collections of street art in Australia.
Alastair Shields, CEO of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, presented the revitalisation of the waterfront precinct - a successful precedent for public-private partnership (PPP), that integrates public spaces, cultural programming, and commercial activity to redefine the city’s waterfront identity.
The event concluded with the annual Place Leaders Awards and a memorable live call-in from urbanist Jan Gehl, based in Copenhagen. Congratulations to all the winners and to Bruce Mills and the Place Leaders board for curating such an insightful and inspiring summit.