Location of the Gudgenby-in-a-Box Interpretive Shelter (denoted by red circle) at the Namadgi National Park Visitor Information Centre, Tharwa, Australian Capital Territory.
Gudgenby Interpretive Shelter contains the remnants of the original 1845 slab hut built on the Gudgenby property in what is now the Namadgi National Park.
Above: My role with the GIAB project involved the research, writing, design and layout of the signage presented at the interpretive shelter. I oversaw the production of the signs and engaged local craftsman Myles Gostelow (pictured above bottom centre) for production of the ironbark frames. The day prior to launch I coordinated the final production and installation of signs involving both Screenmakers of Queanbeyan and Myles Gostelow.
The GUDGENBY IN A BOX Interpretive Shelter was launched in April 2013. I was engaged in January to complete the sign design, coordinate production of signage, fitting, launch event coordination and event merchandise.
As the sign design (incorporating five signs) was essentially 'unrealised' so close to final deadline I made the decision to start from scratch in terms of design and layout. I produced the 'hero' map of the area's homesteads and huts for the main sign, coordinating their inclusion onto Google Maps and featuring QR codes into the layout so visitors could plan trips from the site.
Photography was a major deficiency of the project so I travelled to many sites shooting what was needed. For appropriate hisotrical imagery I liaised heavily with the National Library of Australia (NLA) and with local historians to acquire what was needed.
Above: The four complementary signs to the main sign featured at the site and fitting perfectly into the structure's pise walls. These signs cover the backstory of the GIAB shelter, history of the Gudgenby Homestead, Living in the High Country and Working in the High Country stories.
I wrote much of the final copy from scratch, shot the images used on the vertical panels (produced as a separate panel of 4mm aluminium), sourced historical imagery and did the design and layout of the signs over a four week period between February and March of 2013. Artwork was delivered to the sign maker at the beginning of April and delivery taken the day before the launch.
Above: Images showing the official launch of the GUDGENBY IN A BOX Interpretive Shelter at the Namadgi National Park Visitor Information Centre, Tharwa ACT.
Below: A series of six postcards were produced for the launch event and presented to guests - many of whom were VIPs with a tangible connection to Gudgenby and the Australian High Country.
