Looking towards the new year We are drawing to the end of another massive year for AILA Victoria with no let-up in sight; the Executive and committees are already planning a series of exciting events and development opportunities for next year. 2026 will also be a Victorian state election year; the Executive are working to ensure we have a clear and succinct advocacy agenda to present during the election campaign. We will be seeking your input soon to understand which issues should be front and foremost in our advocacy - watch this space. So far in my time on the Executive, I've interacted with a variety of government bodies and I am often pleased to find landscape architects working away, often quietly, pursuing the agenda of greener, more sustainable and liveable cities. However, I am also discovering areas of governance and influence where landscape architects are missing, and am reminded of the importance to be present in all areas of public life. With major infrastructure projects continuing to change the face of Melbourne, we must articulate the very real value of blue and green infrastructure and its role in shaping the future. Celebrations marking the end of 2025 On 26 November we congratulated our newly registered Landscape Architects at the Recognitions and End of Year Celebration. It was wonderful to see so many new RLAs join our ranks and to acknowledge their efforts in becoming registered. It's great to see the Victorian Chapter continue to grow. We also celebrated this year's Victorian fellowship recipient, Sky Haldane who was honoured for her distinguished service to AILA. A hearty congratulations to Skye for this well-deserved recognition! Next was a Thank-you celebration last week for the 57 Victorian members who regularly contributed to AILA in 2025 through local and national committees. We are so appreciative of those members' time and energy. Participating in a committee is one of the most meaningful ways our members can support us, and I encourage anyone considering joining a committee to make this their new year resolution. Season's Greetings A special thank you to our Chapter staff, Verity and Elizabeth, for a great year's work - you are so deserving of a relaxing summer break! I hope you and your families enjoy a happy, peaceful end to the year. I look forward to coming together again in 2026 with energy and purpose. As always, please reach out to any member of the executive and chapter staff if you have ideas for AILA Victoria, we would love to hear from you.
Joanna Bush, VIC Executive Member