A new nature-based playground has opened in Corio, just in time for the upcoming school holidays.
Located at Goldsworthy Reserve, adjacent to the athletics track, the new sub-regional playground features 4700 square metres of space for families in the northern suburbs to play.
Nature-based play is a key component of the facility, with natural elements designed to inspire young children to play and connect with the outdoors.
The natural play elements include gardens, trees, constructed hills, water, a sand pit and tree houses.
Cr Anthony Aitken, Windermere Ward, said this playground is a unique addition to the northern suburbs.
Having visited the space myself, I can tell you it's an exciting secret adventure playground that will delight children and their families once they discover it behind the athletics track.Council was extremely proud to invest $350,000 in this special playspace because it links natural elements with our Traditional Wadawurrung heritage, which is an amazing thing to do.
If you live in Corio or the northern suburbs, make sure you bring the kids and try out this new facility.
The playground design has been developed in consultation with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, to encourage further understanding and storytelling of Wadawurrung Country.
The layout and positioning of the natural elements have been designed to reflect the Wadawurrung landscape of mountains, rivers, waters, and a connection of play and movement reflecting eels, birds and animals significant to the area.
Community feedback submitted via an online survey in 2019 also helped inform the final design of the playground.
Natural elements including trees, logs, water and rocks, as well as opportunities for climbing and swinging, were among the highest rated features identified by survey responders.
In addition to nature-based play elements, key features of the new playground at Goldsworthy Reserve include:
- Flying fox;
- Climbing wall;
- Swings;
- Slides;
- Small fenced play space; and
- Many other things to play on and discover.
Cr Aitken thanked the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and community for helping shape the vision of the new playground.
We're excited to see this facility open for the community and the combined vision come to life.Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles has had a significant impact on the space with her concept ideas for an eel catching tunnel, a walkway that represents the Moorabool River and a slide that represents the Barwon River, which were all made a reality by the City team.
The Council will install story boards around the space so that visitors can understand these important connections to Wadawurrung land, culture and heritage.
With a You Yangs climbing wall, flying fox and the playground's structure constructed from trees from the site, there are so many opportunities to see, touch, smell, listen and move.
This fantastic new playground is sure to create a sense of wonder and love for the natural environment for generations to come.
The project is fully funded by the City, with the project cost at $350,000.
The playground at this site follows on from a $1.3m upgrade of the athletics track at the reserve, with the state-of-the-art facility opening in October 2019.
