Index
Motion works
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Meander Valley
For The People, 2024
CONTRIBUTION
As Senior Designer
Community Engagement
Brand Identity
Motion
D&AD Awards
Shortlist – Brand Voice
Strategy
Claudia Henderson, Arielle Bodenstein
Storytelling
Arielle Bodenstein
Design
Patrick Carroll, Atsaya Gabiryalpillai,
Leon Shore
Account
Alice Keeble
Illustration
Dash O’Brien-Georgeson
Helping an abundant region find its common ground
In a small town hall, in the north of lutruwita/Tasmania, a group of residents are discussing a problem the Meander Valley has been facing: the community has grown far too many zucchinis. It’s not the first time we’ve heard about it. Another women suggested we keep our car locked, or else locals might sneak in their surplus squash.
But it’s not just zucchinis. The entire region is practically overflowing with abundance. Located on the lands of the Pallittorre and Panninher peoples, the Meander Valley’s lush environment stretches from the outskirts of Launceston to the Great Western Tiers and along its many meandering rivers. For generations, the valley has supported a thriving agricultural industry and today, its historic towns continue to flourish.
But as a relatively new municipality, Meander Valley wasn’t on the map (in some cases, quite literally). Partnering with the local Council, we set out to create a place brand that would establish Meander Valley as a recognised region, unifying the community’s identity and helping them share their abundance with the world.
There was a reason Meander Valley had too many zucchinis. The region was situated on the 41st parallel, where the soil is known for its richness and the conditions are perfect for growing. It’s why families have been farming there for generations and why everything in Meander Valley just seemed to flourish — fruit stands stocked by the highway, dahlias overtaking the kerb, wild trout in the rivers and community groups springing up on every corner. What brought the region together had been right beneath our feet the entire time. From the local produce, to local businesses and a thriving local community — Meander Valley had grown from Fertile Ground.
The new identity brings together the region’s abundance, with a patchwork grid inspired by the community’s crafty spirit and the diversity that’s growing on every patch of ground. A suite of patterns weave it all together, with each thread following the natural topography of the land—from the winding roads, to the straight crop rows.This is carried into the logo, which follows the region’s meandering rivers and pulls on the threads of the past. Its distinctive ‘M’ shape represents the Great Western Tiers, while a hidden ‘V’ symbolises the fertile valley beneath.
The Fabric of the Valley
A suite of custom illustrations celebrate the diversity of life in Meander Valley and everything the community is growing on this fertile ground — from crops, to cows and local clubs. Like all things made in Meander Valley, they’re organic, handcrafted and full of local flavour.The landscape and produce became our palette, featuring plump raspberries, flowering dahlias, native honeybees and soft, green grass. And of course, the fertile soil from which it all grows.
In Meander Valley, the locals always have time for a yarn.
They chat on the street, lean over neighbours’ fences, huddle around tables and stop to catch up on a ‘quick trip’ to the shops. The voice of the Valley is shaped by the stories we heard and defined by the community’s grounded nature, generous spirit and appreciation for the abundance around them. Simple poems replicate the feeling of meandering, connecting different places and experiences with a gentle, flowing rhythm. While our custom typeface, inspired by farm-gate stalls and historic signage, adds some extra
local charm.