The production of high aspect ratio cellulose nanofibres without resorting to very harsh mechanical and/or chemical processing steps remains a challenge that hinders progress in the fast-moving nanocellulose field. In response to this challenge, herein we report the preparation of high aspect ratio (>500) and small diameter (<8 nm) cellulose nanofibrils through the deconstruction of Australian native ‘spinifex’ grass (Triodia pungens) by applying very mild pulping conditions combined with only one pass of high pressure homogenization. Spinifex grass has an unusually high hemicellulose content, which facilitates this easy fibrillation process. Tensile measurements of the nanopaper produced by vacuum filtration indicated a high toughness of about 12 MJ m⁻³, a tensile strength of 82 MPa and a high elongation at break of 18%. The transverse elastic modulus of single nanofibrils analysed by AM-FM is in the range of 19–24 GPa. Under these mild processing conditions, Triodia pungens nanofibrils retained their crystallinity.

A theory of ‘cultural sustainability’ in architecture must be underpinned by a conceptualization of architecture that is sensitive to cross-cultural contexts and values and not overly dominated by Western concepts of what architecture is. A number of key areas are thus outlined for design consideration if cultural sustainability is to become more intimately aligned with architectural outcomes. These include the cross-cultural variation in where authority lies in building and design decisions, culturally specific forms of spatial behaviour and the meanings encoded into buildings and environments. The cultural properties of buildings need to be positioned as a subset of the cultural properties of places, and the dynamics of architectural traditions and their time properties need to be understood within varying scales of cultural change processes. Finally consideration is provided to cultural constructs of well-being and social design in the environment.

This paper applies a cross-cultural theory of 'place' to Australian Indigenous groups, both in terms of their classical and post-colonial places and cultural landscapes. It then explores how the ability of Indigenous people to access, protect, maintain and manage their places and landscapes, has been compromised by Cultural Heritage, Native Title and Planning legislations.