Looking to build a career in sport and recreation planning?
The PLAQLD Leisure Planners Course is your gateway to developing the skills, confidence, and practical knowledge needed to succeed in the Australian industry.
Delivered across four intensive days (two 2-day modules), this highly practical course is designed for early-career professionals or those transitioning into a planning role. You’ll gain real-world insights into how effective leisure and recreation planning supports thriving, active communities.
What you’ll learn:
- Leisure and recreation planning in a local government context.
- How to source and use data to inform projects.
- Planning and delivering successful projects.
- Effective community and stakeholder engagement.
Learn directly from leading industry professionals who bring extensive, hands-on experience to every session, so you can apply your knowledge with confidence right away.
Speaker update
We’re excited to announce our final two presenters.
Kerri Heilbronn is a senior public‑sector leader with more than 30 years’ experience, spanning parks and open space planning, policy development, land acquisition, natural resource management, asset stewardship, and major project delivery. She currently serves as Acting Manager, Parks & Natural Resources at Brisbane City Council, where she leads teams responsible for parks and natural areas, ecological restoration, urban forest enhancement, and strategic engagement and partnerships with State agencies and community organisations.
Kerri has held senior local government leadership roles across major projects, asset coordination, and environmental systems, overseeing large multidisciplinary teams and delivering city‑shaping park initiatives. Her work is underpinned by disciplined project and portfolio management, strong governance practice, and extensive experience navigating complex political and organisational environments.
She holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and is trained in project management practice and placemaking. Kerri brings a holistic understanding of how planning, acquisition, delivery, activation and long‑term management intersect to create resilient, high‑performing parks and public spaces.
David Mason has over 30 years consulting experience in the sport and leisure industry. He draws on the breadth of his consulting and ‘hands on’ senior management experience to ensure that study outcomes are realistic and achievable.
David’s knowledge of facility planning from major events to community sport and recreation is reflected in the breadth of his client base which includes State and Territory governments throughout Australia, Olympic Coordination Authority, Queensland Events, state sporting organisations, and scores of Australian local governments.
With a keen interest in planning environments for active & healthy living, David has been active in debate around planning for active communities and continues to advocate in this field.