Description:

Elizabeth Farm is an historic estate located within Sydney, New South Wales. With no barriers, locked doors or delicate furnishings, Australia’s oldest homestead has been transformed into the country’s most immersive ‘living’ museum. Yet colonial histories often feel outdated, unapproachable and boring for younger generations. The brief was to thus re-contextualise the rich culinary heritage of Elizabeth Farm through visual communication and wayfinding design to attract new audiences.

Through colourful illustrations and a gamified approach to histories, Dishing Up Diversity sparks curiosity and immersive exploration. Individuals will receive a pack of cards upon entry, prompting a journey of discovery. On one side of the card is an illustration of a food or culinary practice, and the other side tells the international stories behind its origin. Each topic is first written in the native language which it originates from, and then the English translation is featured underneath. The cards are colour coded to specific signage that signal which card the user should read when they are in that position. The back of the cards include where each food or practice originates from and the local/international connections it has.

From the Indian origins of the popular colonial drink ‘Rum Punch’, to the jellies made using the local Indigenous Daguba (Lilly pilly), each card condenses complex histories in an engaging manner to reveal how diverse Elizabeth Farm really was. Thus by utilising both wayfinding signage and printed materials, users are provided with the tools to navigate complex histories in a digestible, delightful experience. Users get to keep the cards when they leave and can read about each topic at home again, hence they continue to be of value off-site too.