Join PLA Vic/Tas and event partners Lark Industries as we embark on a bus tour exploring and celebrating a selection of some of our 2024 Playspace Award of Excellence category nominees.Â
Let local council staff guide you through each site and get a behind the scenes understanding of the playspaces from concept to project delivery and community benefits. Find out how and what it takes to deliver an award-winning playspace!
With an exclusive tour of Karingal Hub Happy Camp from leading play and exercise equipment suppliers Lark Industries. You’ll gain an understanding of contained play for reduced fall zone and area constraints, use of timber in large scale bespoke design and approaches to adopting playful yet modern architectural design.
Check out all the playspace sites in the full schedule below.Â
About the Parks and Leisure Australia Playspace Award These Awards are given to playspaces (<$500K and >$500K) that involve a range of stakeholders and contribute to the creation of a sense of ‘place’ for the local community and exhibit landscape and/or structural design innovation that delights and aids childhood development. |
Schedule
8:00am arrival for an 8:30am departure on board the bus. Princes Park |
Glen Eira City Council
The Playspace Redevelopment at Princes Park has revitalised one of Glen Eira’s most beloved community spaces. The redevelopment is guided by universal design principles, ensuring that the play space caters to individuals of all ages and abilities. This project is a testament to the council’s commitment to fostering inclusivity, flexibility, and sustainability within the community.
9:45am – 10:15am
Cardinia Shire Council
The Creekwood Park Playspace Upgrade underscores community connection in project success. Transforming a deteriorated, seasonally submerged playground into a unique, fun and fresh space, reflects collaborative efforts. The upgraded playspace features accessible, safe, and modern elements in a thoughtful design, providing opportunities for social connection and physical activity. Involving children instils ownership, celebrating the value of young voices in project success.
10:45am – 11:15am
ASPECT Studios
Banjo Park is the first of seven parks ASPECT Studios is delivering for Mirvac’s Smiths Lane Development in Clyde North; a series of diverse, safe, innovative, and inclusive open spaces, connected by a unified vision. This Park provides an engaging open space and play destination at the heart of a growing community with a culturally sensitive approach developed through early engagement with the site’s Traditional Owners and a focus on educating children and families about the unique landscape in which they live. Banjo Park has been enthusiastically embraced by residents.
11:45am – 12:15pm
City of Casey
Nestled in Banjo Paterson Reserve, this playground showcases innovative design and resilient execution. Despite challenges like drainage complexities and pandemic-related cost escalations, it stands as a testament to effective project management. Its seamless integration with nature includes a central boardwalk offering stunning lake views and accessible pathways. Sensory play elements promote inclusivity, fostering community connections and cherished memories. The playground embodies the transformative power of well-designed public spaces, enhancing community well-being and belonging.
12:45pm – 1:30pm
Enjoy lunch on site
Karingal Hub Happy Camp is the result of a collaborative design approach between Lark Industries and their partner Lappset Group. The custom structures take inspiration from some of Lappset’s core modular and proprietary ranges, including Finno and Cubic which have been developed and configured to create a new and exciting play solution, previously not attempted.
The design comprises three towers from the Cubic range, with varied accessibility and play engagement. Each cube tower provides accessibility to the main three storey centrepiece, with large slides providing an exciting descent. The second element has been coined the Vertical Maze and provides an immersive puzzle of ups, downs and sideways movements, offering a multitude of pathways, challenges and adventures. It takes inspiration from the favourite game Snakes and Ladders and ensures varied experiences for all ages.
  
2:00pm – 2:30pm
Kingston City Council & Leaf Design Studios
The Peter Scullin Reserve Playspace Renewal project demonstrates a comprehensive approach to community engagement, inclusivity, and planning, aiming to create a significant and enduring recreational asset for the City of Kingston and the South East Region.
2:45pm – 3:15pm
Kingston City Council
Jean Street Reserve & Garfield Lane Upgrade project aims to address community needs as well as mitigate safety concerns and anti-social behavioural issues raised by Victoria Police, Southland Shopping Centre, local community and through Monash University’s 2021 XYX Lab YourGround research data. It is the first significant YourGround pilot project aiming to addresses safety concerns, especially concerns by women and gender diverse people within the City of Kingston. The upgrade includes a new playground, lighting, planting, upgraded footpath, drainage, and murals.
Arrive 3:30pm back at Princes Park and depart for the day
Proudly brought to you in partnership with
Lark Industries is a family owned and operated Australian business and one of the leading suppliers of multi-generational play and exercise equipment nationally. We boast a wide range of interactive, senior-specific and destination-level play, sport and exercise solutions and offer the freedom to either tailor an existing product to your specific requirements or to develop an entirely new and unique solution for your project.