Meet Debbie

Debbie Laporte is the founding Director of Orterra, a leading landscape architecture practice based in Springwood, Logan City, serving Southeast Queensland and beyond. As a registered landscape architect with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Debbie brings over 20 years of experience working extensively across Australia and Europe. Consequently, she delivers a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project.

Debbie specializes in education landscape design, nature play environments, and commercial and residential projects. Furthermore, she is Chair of the Working Group for Nature Play Queensland and serves as an awards judge for the Landscape Australia Construction Excellence Awards. Her commitment to creating inclusive, nature-based outdoor spaces has earned Orterra recognition as a Best of Houzz winner for Design and Service in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Debbie is a passionate advocate for landscape and its ability to connect people to place. She believes that well-designed outdoor spaces foster community, support well-being, and inspire lasting memories. Her love of nature and biodiversity, paired with an inherent understanding of outdoor space design, ensures each project captures the essence of its community. Additionally, Debbie integrates Indigenous perspectives and sustainability principles into her work, reflected in Orterra’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) at Innovate status.

As a former lecturer at Queensland University of Technology and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Debbie is dedicated to education and growth. She leads child-led design workshops in schools and speaks publicly about nature play, sustainability, and community-focused design.

Whether designing transformative school play spaces, commercial landscapes, or residential gardens, Debbie is committed to creating places people love—outdoor environments that inspire connection, celebrate nature, and endure for generations.