Photo of Sharon Harwood

Sharon Harwood

Cluster Leader

Degrees:Ph.D, MTURP, B.Bus
Email:sharon.harwood1@jcu.edu.au

Dr. Sharon Harwood is a Registered Planner (Planning Institute of Australia) with more than 25 years’ experience working with rural and remote communities on planning and development projects such as: infrastructure (irrigation, transport); natural resource management (catchment management); land tenure (freehold conversions and leasing); Community plans, Social Impact Assessment (mining), and housing (social and private). In addition, Sharon also teaches Indigenous Planning into the Planning degree at James Cook University, is an Adjunct with Charles Darwin University and continues to participate in research activities to enhance the wellbeing and livelihoods of northern Australians. Sharon has gained extensive knowledge and experience about the development processes that Aboriginal Land Trusts/Prescribed Body Corporates must take in remote and very remote locations to meet a range of legislative requirements (eg Native Title and Planning). Sharon co-authored the Queensland division of the Planning Institute of Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Peoples Planning Policy and has practical experience in designing and implementing rights based planning processes. In addition, Sharon continues to practice community engaged scholarship where she co-teaches with Indigenous leaders to ensure students practicing in northern Australia are exposed to and appreciate Indigenous perspectives on planning and development.