By Deanne Jeffers
THE Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence (MCRE) has added another chapter to its historic journey, claiming four wins at the Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Awards in Melbourne over the weekend.
Designed by ARM Architecture and built by First Nations-led company, TVN On Country, the $36M project was developed with collaboration by more than 1,000 people to ensure its design, function and purpose align with the community’s needs and vision for the future.
Opened in August 2024 as Australia’s first Indigenous-led, pathways-based university, every aspect of the building, from its shape to its artistic details and landscaping, reflects a deep commitment to cultural expression, preservation, celebration and community connection.
That vision has now been recognised with major industry accolades, including the recent Australian Institute of Architecture (AiA) Victorian Award’s top Regional Prize, recognising projects that have made a significant contribution to regional Victoria.
“The Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence in Shepparton holds together big, abstract ideas with local community aspirations for change,” read the judges’ comments. “The Australian Aboriginal flag forms part of its roof elevation and a Nanyak Wall tells stories of local history. Munarra’s architecture resonates with the canon of Australian architectural monuments and with the everyday pathway connecting the Rumbalara footy club to the classroom.”
“This piece of architecture, both in its inception and its execution, takes a compelling position forward toward the future of Country in Victorian regional projects.”
The centre was a finalist in four categories and walked away with four awards. These were the Award for Educational Architecture, Commendation Award for Steel Architecture, Commendation Award for Urban Design, and the major award, the Regional Prize.
Munarra Limited Chair, Paul Briggs AO, said it was a great recognition of a “great labour of love.”
“I wasn’t really expecting it, but I was confident it was such a fantastic project. The amount of work that went into putting it all together and getting it built was amazing. It’s just really great feedback on all the energy that was put into it – not expecting, but very pleased to receive it,” he said.
“The community is getting used to having infrastructure like that. Infrastructure centred around education, training, and cultural expression. It really invigorates a sense of future, and that’s been important to Yorta Yorta people: having our future front and centre in our thinking about aspirations for young people and being inclusive in the region. Munarra is a real symbol of optimism about what the future might hold.
“Everybody who experiences it can’t help but feel inspired by it. The building just wraps around you. I think it has a special meaning not just for Yorta Yorta people, but for anybody who wants to engage with it,” Uncle Paul said.
These latest accolades are not the only recognition the MCRE and the team behind it have been acknowledged with. In June, the centre and landscape company Emergent Studios (Bush Projects) was awarded a ‘Regional Achievement Award’ at the 2025 Victorian Landscape Architecture Awards.
Hosted by Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the awards recognise excellence in landscape design across Victoria.
Uncle Paul said the future looks bright with the Munarra Centre approaching its first anniversary.
“It’s one of the enabling tools of the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan, about how we focus on educational infrastructure, regional priorities, and that shared regional identity. Munarra’s function is to almost triage educational offerings in the region, and to encourage bodies like Melbourne University, La Trobe and potentially other universities to invest in our region in education and workforce development – in things like health, early childhood, and industry like agriculture, engineering – so students can study here at home in Shepparton, and not have to move away,” he said.
“It’s also going to support cultural affirmation, the reclamation of language, ceremonial practices, delivering wellbeing and cultural indicators for our people.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, you can read The Shepparton Adviser’s grand opening commemorative feature by scanning the QR code or pick up a free copy from The Adviser’s office at 38-40 Welsford Street, Shepparton.
