Helen is Emeritus Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Queensland University of Technology and an Associate of the Institute for Culture and Society, University of Western Sydney. She is also an academic board member of the Centre for Sub-tropical Design, Queensland University of Technology.

Helen established the Cultural Landscape Research Unit whose aim was to define and document the cultural environments of Australia. During 1997-1999 Helen led a major research program with the Environmental Protection Agency, Contested Terrains: Investigating Queensland's Cultural Landscapes, incorporating a case study of the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim as one ofAustralia’s significant iconic landscapes.

Helen has since maintained a keen interest in the cultural landscape of the Gold Coast, running numerous design studios on urban sites and the wider environs.