Feel Australia on Campus – Yoshihide Funaki - DES304

Thank you for taking the time to visit my immersive experience. This walk was prepared for the Des304 task 1 Sensing Environments course. The sounds used in this experience were collected from the natural environment of Mooloolah River National Park. A relaxing soundscape of nature is set within a number of buildings at the University of the Sunshine Coast so students can get away from the urban environment and experience nature's sounds. It will be possible for you to hear various species of birds, bugs, and even sounds from an underwater environment.

This rainforest sound walk

Hello and welcome to my immersive experience. This experience has been created to expose the diversity of sounds, that are naturally present within a wildlife corridor in suburbia. This is in comparison to a residential estate, which has been cleared of native vegetation and has had a designed park area included in the development. This experience will take you to the depths of the wildlife corridor where you will hear an array of bird calls and critters. Having natural corridors, within suburbia, is a valuable asset to both the environment and people’s wellbeing. To appreciate the experience please start at the initial echo (blue circle on your phone map) which is located at the end of Block E. Turn your volume up to a comfortable level. Take your time to wander through the echoes and as you enter each one, tap the blue circle to display an image and short description. Enjoy! I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the USC campus sits. I recognise and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

Start this walk at the library-end of D block. It is a linear walk, following one Echo to the next according to the map. When you get to the stairs at the E-block-end please walk up into the canopy. For those who are unable to use the stairs, please use the lift, and make your way past the trees, heading towards E block.

The land that hosts the UniSC Sippy Downs campus is alive with sound. Connection to Campus is an opportunity to appreciate the natural environment that makes this area unique. Tips for enjoying this walk: Begin on the path between H & I Block, heading toward D & E Block.The walk is designed for a slow pace and there are benches along the way should you like to sit or need more time to finish the audio. The sounds will repeat on a loop until you leave the circle.

When we think of exploring nature, we don’t often consider the human element as part of that environment. This immersive sound walk takes you on an exploratory journey of the similarities between human and environmental sounds, with audio recorded along the stretch between Noosa Spit, along the Coastal Track in the National Park right to the point of Hell’s Gates. Take your time to listen to these sounds and explore your own connections within the environments that you inhabit. For the best experience, start your walk at the intersection past the P8 carpark approaching the Brasserie, follow the sounds along past J Block and the Library, heading towards D and E Block to finish your walk looking out towards the lake nearing H Block. Take your time with these sounds, they vary in length between 30 seconds to 1 minute. There are benches and seats along this path so you can pause and enjoy your walk! Acknowledgment of Country: I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which this immersive experience was created and located. I acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi people and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Highly recommend using headphones to get the full experience. 'The World of Animals' shows the different worlds that are close to you, but you might not realise. This provides the sounds that animals might hear. This consists of six themes: Tadpoles, Kangaroos, Swamphens, Microbats, Ants and Possums. Recordings were mostly carried out at the spots on campus where I encountered each animal, and the GPS locations were placed at almost the same spots as the recording spots. Enjoy the world of animals by comparing the sounds you usually hear!

Experience a walk that allows you to tune in, hear and take a moment to just breathe. A walk that helps you discover sounds you may have overlooked, sounds you never really bat an eye to or gave much attention to before. Sounds that have always been there, it just takes a helping hand to 'see'.