This presentation provides details of developing a music education PhD project, conducted in partnership with members of the Gumbaynggirr community on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. A priority for community is that the project incorporate music and song as means for acquisition and revitalisation of Gumbaynggirr language.The presentation highlights lessons learned while navigating the opportunities and challenges of working in a transcultural research space, culminating in a unique, place-based research methodology. Principles and protocols of collaborative research with Indigenous communities are illustrated in practice, including co-design of method, a relational literature review, and planning research output that aligns with the goals of the Gumbaynggirr community members who are collaborating with the researcher. In considering relevant principles and protocols, the presentation compares and contrasts the concepts of ‘culturally responsive’ and ‘culturally relevant’ as they apply to this music education research project in a school context. This paper sketches a rough map as a sample that might inspire other music teachers to pause, reflect, connect with their local community, and co-design their approach to curriculum-based research in ways that prioritise Indigenous voices and priorities.