The Bendigo & District Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC) mixed use health facility, named Bunjil Wellbeing Place, is a project located on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Bendigo. The works consisted of construction of a new two-storey mixed-use health facility, within a fully operational site that was already the primary home of BDAC corporate, community and medical services.
This was the second time we worked with BDAC following the completion of a unique stage 1 project, the BDAC Community and Cultural Centre.
The ground floor comprises ten medical consulting rooms, a treatment bay, allied health rooms, yarning and interview rooms, spaces for Elders and Community and two dental suites. Staff workspaces are located on the first floor and comprise meeting rooms, open space kitchen and staff communal areas, as well as four balconies which look over the site and the surrounding bushland.
A standout feature of the project is the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structural system, which included the first floor, stair cores and lift shaft, with XLAM as the preferred supplier, this delivered significant sustainability outcomes.
Works also included construction of a landscaped forecourt to bring together the new building and the existing. It features a retaining wall, that incorporates integrated seating and steps, and the consolidation and upgrade of existing fire, water and power services across the site.
The centre is named after Bunjil, the ancestral creator and knowledge keeper for the Dja Dja Wurrung People and Kulin nations, who takes the form of a wedge tailed eagle. Its design reflects Bunjil’s outstretched wings – symbolising strength, wisdom, and protection, along with BDAC’s commitment to Culture, wellbeing, respect, and Community.
