Caring for Country Together

2026-05-29T00:00:00Z

Since 2021, Sydney Airport has worked with Wildflower, a First Nations-owned social enterprise dedicated to restoring Country, creating Indigenous green spaces and providing meaningful, culturally safe employment for young people.

What began as a landscaping partnership has grown into a deep, long-term relationship grounded in shared values: respect for Country, care for the local environment, and a commitment to learning from First Nations knowledge and practices.

From the T1 International Arrivals forecourt to the surrounding airport wetlands, and now through hands-on education with local primary school students, Wildflower plays a vital role in shaping how millions of people experience Sydney Airport, Australia’s global gateway.

Roman Deguchi, Co-founder and Director of Wildflower, said: “We’re grateful to Sydney Airport as they have been an important part of Wildflower’s growth. By partnering with Wildflower, the airport is contributing to the empowerment of our community.”

Kristen Sweeney, Sydney Airport’s Group Executive, People & Corporate Affairs, said:" Our partnership with Wildflower is built on respect, trust and the shared belief that caring for Country can also create opportunity. Wildflower’s work supports First Nations youth through employment and training, while helping us bring native green spaces to life.”

A living welcome at the T1 International Arrivals forecourt

The T1 International Arrivals forecourt is often the very first place visitors encounter when arriving in Australia, and the last holiday memory for Aussies returning home. Planted and cared for by Wildflower, this space offers a distinctly Australian welcome, rooted in native plants, culture and connection to Country.

Originally planted during the major redevelopment of the forecourt, Wildflower oversaw the landscaping of 12,200+ native plants, with species selected for their cultural relevance and suitability to the local area.

Today, the Wildflower team continues to care for the gardens year-round, ensuring the space remains healthy, vibrant and welcoming for the millions of international travellers who pass through T1 each year.

Roman Deguchi, Co-founder and Director of Wildflower, said: “Wildflower’s ethos is to bring Country back to urban spaces by working with the land, not against it.

Our vision is to live in a world where Aboriginal knowledge and culture are valued.

Beyond its visual impact, the forecourt is also a powerful example of reconciliation in practice. First Nations perspectives were embedded from design through to ongoing maintenance, with Dharawal language and cultural interpretation woven throughout the space in collaboration with the Gujaga Foundation.

Kristen Sweeney said: “The T1 forecourt is now one of the airport’s most cherished areas for both employees and visitors. Wildflower has helped create a place that feels distinctly Sydney, and distinctly Australian.”

Learning on Country: inspiring the next generation

Wildflower’s impact at Sydney Airport extends beyond land care and into learning. Through Sydney Airport’s School Tours program, local Year 5&6 students are guided through the T1 forecourt by Wildflower team members, learning directly from First Nations land carers about caring for Country in an urban environment.

During these tours, students are introduced to On Country land management practices and the traditional uses of native plants, bringing classroom learning to life through storytelling and hands-on examples. Wildflower educators share how plants have long been used for food, tools and medicine, and how these same species continue to play an important role in sustaining healthy ecosystems today.

Restoring Country to the airport wetlands

Beyond the terminals, Wildflower leads long-term restoration work across the Sydney Airport wetlands, one of the last remaining green corridors in urban Sydney, bordering local communities and schools.

Using a First Nations approach to bush regeneration, the Wildflower team removes Weeds of National Significance, plants thousands of native species, and collects native seeds for future propagation. This work supports increased biodiversity while also creating meaningful training and employment pathways for Wildflower’s crew.

This work has received national recognition, including the Airports Council International Green Airports Recognition Award for Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions, acknowledging the strength of the partnership between Sydney Airport and Wildflower in bringing Country back to the wetlands.

Jake Atkins, Sydney Airport General Manager of Environment and Sustainability, said: “We are proud to be increasing the biodiversity of the wetlands while supporting our partner, Wildflower, in its mission to provide meaningful and culturally safe employment to young people in the First Nations community.”

Over the last three years, teams of Sydney Airport volunteers have joined the Wildflower team, to weed key sections and plant hundreds of native plants to help boost biodiversity.

Learning together through partnership

For Sydney Airport, the partnership with Wildflower is as much about learning as it is about caring for the land. Working alongside a First Nations organisation across highly visible spaces like the forecourt and environments like the wetlands has deepened understanding of how cultural knowledge and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.