Two AILA Queensland Awards for Urban Biodiversity and Cemetery Design
McGregor Coxall has been recognised at the 2025 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Queensland Awards, receiving two Landscape Architecture Awards for the South Bank Biodiversity Strategy and the Tallowwood Cemetery Masterplan. The award-winning projects demonstrate our continued leadership in creating sustainable, biodiverse urban environments that balance ecological health with community needs.
The AILA Queensland Awards 2025 recognised outstanding designs across civic, infrastructure, health and education landscapes, with 52 entries competing across multiple categories. The jury praised the diverse range of projects that showcased landscape architecture’s critical role in shaping Queensland’s sustainable future.
“Landscape architecture is playing a critical role in connecting policy, infrastructure and biodiversity with how people connect with and experience their everyday environments,” said AILA Queensland Jury Chair David Hatherly. “The profession’s leadership is helping guide our cities, towns and regions towards more inclusive, sustainable futures.”
The South Bank Biodiversity Strategy represents McGregor Coxall’s commitment to integrating ecological principles into urban planning. Working alongside BAAM and South Bank Corporation, the project contributes to the broader transformation of South Bank into a connected and resilient civic parkland precinct.
McGregor Coxall’s second award recognised the Tallowwood Cemetery Masterplan, which received a Landscape Architecture Award for Parks and Open Space. This transformative 100-year framework for Moreton Bay’s largest cemetery reimagines how contemporary burial grounds can serve communities while respecting their sacred purpose. Positioned adjacent to Freshwater National Park, the project addresses complex environmental, economic, cultural, and social challenges through innovative design and community engagement.
Guided by the principle of “one structure and many futures,” the masterplan establishes fixed structural elements while introducing flexible zones for diverse interment typologies. This approach ensures the cemetery can adapt as burial practices evolve, providing the resilience necessary to serve the region for more than a century. The design’s integrated approach is exemplified by its central waterbody, which serves as both a contemplative focal point and critical infrastructure element, increasing stormwater detention capacity while supporting biodiversity and contributing passive cooling benefits.
Cultural recognition and healing Country principles are woven throughout the design, with extensive consultation with Kabi Kabi Traditional Owners informing implementation strategies. The project creates a resilient foundation that honours the past while building toward a sustainable future, serving as a national model for innovative cemetery design.
This recognition aligns with other significant wins for the South Bank precinct, including Urbis and South Bank Corporation’s Future South Bank Master Plan, which received the state’s Award of Excellence for Urban Design and a Landscape Architecture Award for parks and open space.
As recipients of Landscape Architecture Awards, both the South Bank Biodiversity Strategy and the Tallowwood Cemetery Masterplan will now progress to the National Landscape Architecture Awards, to be announced in October in Hobart. This provides an opportunity for both projects to gain national recognition for their innovative approaches to urban biodiversity and cemetery design.
