MEZZANINE #6 is available now on newsstands and through Zinio.

As a devastating bushfire ripped through the Lake Condah region of southwestern Victoria in January 2006, an amazing piece of Australian architectural heritage was uncovered – one that challenges perceptions but also reinforces the thinking that architecture is a response to place, environment and people. Beneath the overgrowth of the Tyrendarra property, part of the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape, lay the remnants of homes contemporary in their ideas and yet, astoundingly, pre-dating the Pyramids of Egypt.

Before this discovery, the site was known to be home to a complex agricultural system, an eel farming and smoking operation, and permanent dwellings for the Gunditj Mara people, all of which date back some 8000 years.

However, the fire revealed much more, including larger dwellings that suggest a multi-generational approach to housing. Who was responsible for these dwellings is still unclear, but whether it was Indigenous Australians or pre-settlement visitors, the discovery is unquestionably remarkable. That the new-found dwellings were much larger, built to accommodate three or four families, and probably a number of generations is extraordinary. Especially when you consider that 8000-year-old housing in Australia might have been ahead of the game when it comes to what we now call ‘multi-generational living’ – something we are just picking up on as we turn the corner into 2017.

With that, and as I lead you into an issue devoted to this great land, I cannot begin without acknowledging those traditional owners of our continent as they play an incredibly important role in building a cohesive nation of respect and appropriate response. In August 2016, I was privileged to sit on the jury for the Australian Institute of Architects NSW Country Division awards.

As a result of that process, the work, and meeting some of the members of the Country Division, it was clear that MEZZANINE needed to take a summer road trip to uncover the challenges and success stories from a more regional perspective.

I was forewarned that it is not always as glamorous as the larger awards programs, and sometimes the work is a little … shall we say … ‘country’. Being a country kid living an adult life in regional Australia, I got that – and was thrilled to also have those preconceptions dispelled, not just by the quality and resolve of the entrants and their work, but also by the willingness of their clients to be progressive in their briefs and approvals.

As a result of that process, the work, and meeting some of the members of the Country Division, it was clear that MEZZANINE needed to take a summer road trip to uncover the challenges and success stories from a more regional perspective. The prospect of such a trip conjured images of wind in the hair and the distinct quality of light we get ‘out here’. In actual fact, it resulted in something far more inspiring, though sadly it did see me spending a few too many hours waiting for the NRMA somewhere between the Capertee Valley and Mudgee – stunning places you will discover in this issue.

Stuck on the side of the road, having to wander aimlessly for mobile reception, you step into problem-solving mode. Moments like that remind you that we in Australia live on the frontier. Australia is a country of extremes in climate and population density. But the generosity of strangers, such as the bloke from the NRMA who spent the weekend checking in to make sure I could get home OK, is core to the people-focused problem-solving we find in our extreme environment. And that is what this issue of MEZZANINE is about. Like those who build multi-generational housing from the local basalt, and the guy who reckons he can fix your car in the middle of nowhere, it is about ingenuity, about response to place, and about contemporary ideas that reflect those ways of thinking.

In this issue, we discover projects of serious significance. Beyond the iconic, they are real and represent a different side to architecture and design. They respond to our desires, our future and our heritage. We discover people who face the challenges of living in high-risk fire zones or in climates that make the decisions for them. We discover the value of the great Australian ‘woolshed’ and meet the folk who have stepped out of those sheds to take on the world.

So as we break the city limits and leave the motorways behind – this issue of MEZZANINE shows that architecture and design has a true relevance in everyday life – no matter where you live. We hope you enjoy the ride.

It is bloody incredible ‘out here’.

MEZZANINE #6 is available now on newsstands and through Zinio.