The Living City: Applying the Nature Design Guide

Thursday 23 April 2026 | 12:00 PM

Surfers Paradise

Learn how the Nature Design Guide can be applied in practice, and the benefits of embedding nature-positive outcomes into design.

Developed in 2025 as an industry-led collaboration, the Nature Design Guide recognises the vital role the built environment plays in both restoring and respecting Country and supporting nature.

In this seminar, contributor David Francis will share why the Guide was created, outline its key concepts and design elements, and demonstrate its use through a series of case examples.

With a professional background in terrestrial ecology, David will delve deeper into biodiversity and habitat creation, offering practical insights for anyone engaged in shaping or using our urban environments.

David Francis is Director of Francisii Ecology and has over 30 years’ experience in environmental planning and ecological assessments across eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Through this work David has been involved with a wide range of projects that grapple ecological and environmental conundrums. In 2025 he prepared the Landscape Planting For Habitat Creation and Habitat Restoration chapters of the collaborative industry-led “Nature Design Guide”. He is passionate about native plants, their use in urban landscapes and engineered solutions in cities aimed at enhancing biodiversity outcomes.

Getting there

Consider using public transport or active travel. Plan your trip with Translink's journey planner.

Parking may be limited. For metered parking, use the EasyPark app to start, end, and extend your parking direct from your phone to avoid fines. For more information visit City of Gold Coast's Parking page.

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