The Redfern Waterloo community has endured many waves of government intervention – from ‘slum clearance’ projects in the 1950s to ‘neighbourhood improvement’ schemes of the 1990s and is now the subject of major redevelopment proposals. Accommodating a significant proportion of Sydney’s public housing stock, and having particular significance for its traditional Gadigal owners as well as the wider urban Aboriginal community, the future of Redfern Waterloo is deeply contested. Festival of Urbanism participants have an opportunity to visit the Redfern Waterloo community and learn about its past and contested futures with members of the community based ‘REDWatch’ advocacy group.

Numbers are strictly limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. Please meet at the Redfern Community Centre on the corner of Caroline St and Louis St near Redfern Station.

Tour leader:

Geoff Turnbull, REDWatch spokesperson

Geoff Turnbull has been a spokesperson for REDWatch since it was set up in 2004 to monitor government plans to reform human services and leverage the redevelopment of the Redfern, Eveleigh, Darlington and Waterloo (REDW) area. During the RWA times Geoff was a community member on the Redfern Waterloo Built Environment Ministerial Advisory Committee and its Heritage Taskforce. He currently is a Co-Chair of the Waterloo Human services Collaborative’s Service Integration and Systems Coordination Group tasked with progressing a part of the Waterloo Action Plan to provide better supports for public housing tenants. He is also a member of the NGO umbrella organisation Redfern Waterloo Groundswell, the Waterloo Redevelopment Group and sits as a community member on the Executive Steering Group of the SLHD / UNSW Health Equity Research and Development Unit (HERDU).

This walking tour is part of the annual Festival of Urbanism, hosted by the University of Sydney's Henry Halloran Research Trust.

How will new housing, environmental, or infrastructure reform agendas advanced by governments and others confront these challenges, and whose voices will, or should, be heard? Can contests of ideas and values lead to more innovative or inclusive models of urban governance or design? The 10th Festival of Urbanism will confront these questions through a series of robust panel discussions, podcasts and film events involving researchers, policy makers, industry experts and community leaders across Australia. Join this free program of events by attending a Festival session in Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth or Lismore; or by catching an on-demand recording or podcast online.