To obtain our design solution we first had to discover the background of Cape York and its inhabitants. The inhabitants that live there are mainly Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Living in the Cape York region has posed many unique challenges for the Aboriginal people which mainly stemming from how  isolated their community is and the unique climate of the area.

Access to the local communities in Cape York would require traversing hundreds of kilometres on gravel roads. This meant that access to the region is difficult and creates more issues including access to doctors and medication, quality education and drinking water. There is one major road into the Cape York peninsula and only a portion of it is sealed.

The climate of Cape York is unique in that there is a wet and dry season. During November to April the region would be in constant rain. This further increases the difficulty to access the region as the gravel roads can be flooded or eroded away. The rivers that both the local community and ecosystem relies on are also subjected to gully erosion causing the river water to be unsuitable for drinking.

The people of Cape York composes mainly of Aboriginal people which meant that special attention is required to understand how our design solution would impact the local community. The Aboriginal people have a unique cultural and social dynamic which is influenced by their understanding of ‘country’. For Indigenous Australians “country” is more than just a physical resource, it is a spiritual resource as well (Australian Government National Oceans Office, 2004, p. 3).