
Bega Circular Valley – Design Impact Award
- Published on: 4 February 2025
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THE AUSTRALIAN DESIGN COUNCIL DESIGN IMPACT AWARD RECOGNISES AN ORGANISATION THAT DEMONSTRATES THE ABILITY TO BE TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE, WITH DESIGN AT ITS CORE, THAT WILL DELIVER LONG-TERM GROWTH, NATIONAL PROSPERITY AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT FOR AUSTRALIA.
THE NATIONAL AWARD WITH A HISTORY DATING BACK TO THE 1950s HAS BEEN REVIVED AS PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN DESIGN COUNCIL’S PUSH TO EMBED DESIGN AT THE CENTRE OF NATIONAL BUSINESS DECISIONS, DELIVERING WIDE-RANGING BENEFITS TO BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY.
The 2024 Australian Design Council Design Impact Award Winner, Bega Circular Valley, is a powerful example of how design can shape a better tomorrow. Under the leadership of Bega Group Executive Chairman Barry Irvin AM, the Bega Circular Valley 2030 program is transforming the region into a thriving hub of circularity – where sustainability and resource efficiency are not just goals, but a way of life.
Through collaboration and forward-thinking design, this initiative isn’t just imagining a sustainable future – it’s building one.
Australian Design Council’s Peter Freedman AM said the award is one pillar of the Council’s strategy to enable the tangible benefits of embedding good design principles in our economy, society, environment, and culture.
“Design is an iterative process for creative problem solving, involving the conception and development of a plan for a new or significantly improved product, service or system,” Mr Freedman said.

With an ambitious goal to establish the Bega Valley as the most circular regional economy by 2030, this program is set to redefine the region’s economic landscape.
“Circularity as a concept is well-known in northern Europe; however, it’s a new concept for many Australians but one that we feel many more people should know about and be part of,” said Barry Irvin.
Circularity emphasises sustainability and resource efficiency, aiming to minimise waste and maximise resource use. Design is crucial in this approach, shaping products and processes that foster a circular economy.
“Our vision is a pristine valley, home to a regionally based economy. It is an innovation hub with diversified industry activities, a mixed farming program that supports biodiversity and deals with climate change through carbon reduction and zero waste in landfill.”
“We imagine a place that attracts tourists, students, entrepreneurs and investors to experience and participate in this uniquely circular valley.”

Bega Group integrates innovative design principles into its operations, promoting sustainability and collaboration.
“The company’s design-driven culture fosters economic growth and strengthens community engagement, positioning the Bega Valley project as a leader in the circular economy,” said Dr Brandon Gien, Chair of Good Design Australia, and Executive Director of the Australian Design Council.
“This project illustrates that through design leadership and thinking, real change can be made. Design goes beyond aesthetics; it can solve problems. Australia can be at the forefront of what design can achieve,” Brandon added.
This thoughtfully designed project is not only significant for Australia; it also serves as a valuable lesson for the world, highlighting the profound ripple effect of good design.
“We are a design-led culture. We’re a design-led economy. And I think the work that we are doing in the Bega Valley is leading and we want that to be a benchmark for the rest of the world to look at and say what’s going on down there and look at how they’re actually using design,” added Barry Irvin.
The project is poised to solve both short- and long-term problems, with good design starting with the end result in mind.
“We looked at the opportunities in the Bega Valley and what we thought we could do to truly make change. We began with systems design. So we actually looked at everything that was in the valley and then looked at how we could engage the entire region, and indeed people outside the region, to create a very ambitious change of making the Bega Valley one of the most circular valleys in the world,” Barry Irvin said.
“And we began by making sure we thought about it at the end, which is what circularity is really about. So we designed every system, so that we could really affect a big change.”

Collaboration is also key to this process.
“It’s important for us to make sure that the work we are doing engages all three levels of government, engages corporate Australia, engages small and large business, and engages in the Indigenous community,” said Barry Irvin.
“Doing something that is place-based, which is what we’re obviously doing in the Bega Valley, helps on many levels, including the fact that the relationships across the community are deep and long, and the discussions can therefore be very open and constructive.”
“One of the things we have found across all engagement with all parts of the community, including business communities, is the embracing of saying we are all here to try and use our knowledge to solve some fairly big challenges.”
This leads to impact – environmentally, socially, and economically.
“We’ll be able to say in a decade’s time, or indeed in five years’ time, these were the environmental outcomes, these are the social outcomes, and these are the economic outcomes,” he added.
Good design inspires and educates. This project integrates design not just at the outset, but across the entire organisational structure, including leadership and culture.
“By including design upfront, we could start to really shape a picture of what we thought could be achieved and give people a vision. The way we design the system will educate, build understanding, engage, and inspire,” said Barry Irvin.
Dr Brandon Gien added that the environmental impact is determined during the design phase.
“When you consider what you’re designing at the design stage – when you’re sitting around the table with the blueprint at 80% – the impact is largely determined then. To me, this really galvanises the importance of design,” added Brandon.

Barry Irvin said receiving the Design Impact Award was a great honour.
“While many people consider design an important element of buildings, cars, clothing, and other tangible items, very few realise that good design can also apply to processes or, indeed, the development of a circular economy,” he said.
“This award is an endorsement of our design-led approach and will only spur us to work harder to ensure the Bega Circular Valley delivers on its promise.
“While we are still in the early phases of bringing this project to fruition, we are incredibly proud of our work in enabling projects that will support the delivery of circularity and stimulate a regional circular marketplace and a vibrant economy.”
Good Design Australia and The Australian Design Council congratulate Bega Group and the Bega Circular Valley project for this incredible achievement. Discover more about the project here.