National Finalists

Congratulations to Parks & Leisure Australia’s National Finalists!

Join us in celebrating the outstanding achievements and innovations of 'the people behind the places.' The winners will be announced on 15 October in Brisbane at our Awards of Excellence Gala, following our National Conference. Best of luck to all finalists! If you have any enquiries, please feel free to reach out to the National Office.

If you would like to register for the Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner, please visit our conference website: PLA2024

Displaying 26 - 43 of 43

Bradbury Park Playspace

Playspace Award (greater than $500k)

QLD

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Submitting Organisation:

Brisbane City Council

Overview:

The Bradbury Park Playspace redefines playtime and is unlike anything else in Brisbane, South East Queensland or even Australia. At the heart of the captivating playspace is the ‘biological city’ theme, which explores and celebrates the complexity and interconnectivity within nature. When its array of byways and cleverly integrated surrounds are explored by the community, and visitors from across the country, the playspace bursts with life! While providing significant development opportunities deliberately aimed at older children, the playspace includes inclusive features enjoyed by all.


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Future Trees Benchmarking Study

Research Award

SA/NT

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Submitting Organisation:

City of Marion on behalf of Resilient South

Overview:

Ensuring the trees we plant today are still healthy in the years to come is a major challenge. This project collated the tree databases developed by councils across Adelaide to map the diversity and demographics of Adelaide's public urban forest. This information helps us to identify which trees are vulnerable and which species and cultivars we should plant more of to ensure a healthy and resilient urban forest. We have also used the data collected in this phase to identify trees which are safe to plant around power infrastructure to improve planting choices for landowners.


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Submitting Organisation:

City of Moreton Bay

Overview:

At City of Moreton Bay, we’re serious about closing the gap for women’s participation in sport. The football precinct at South Pine Sports Complex delivers on our commitment to provide facilities that are fit for purpose, adaptive, cohesive, strengthen our community and create opportunities for all. The facility provides equitable access for people from all backgrounds to participate in the nation's fastest growing sport while supporting pathways so that no girl is left behind.


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Submitting Organisation:

City of Gosnells

Overview:

The Southern and Canning Rivers provide vital ecosystem services. With much riparian vegetation along the rivers being degraded, restoration is key. This project is the first stage in restoring 10.3ha of riparian vegetation along the Southern River where it meets the Canning. When the project started, 80% of the site was in a degraded state, full of invasive weeds, and low cover and diversity of native species. Through significant weed control and revegetation works, weed cover has been greatly reduced across the site, and 2ha transformed from 100% Arum Lily to native sedgeland.


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Magical Park

Best Use of Technology Award

SA/NT

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Submitting Organisation:

Geo AR

Overview:

Geo AR Games' software, Magical Park, is an innovative new concept that combines the great outdoors with mobile gaming. By integrating geospatial augmented reality (GeoAR) with natural surroundings, Magical Park transforms underutilised open spaces into vibrant hubs of entertainment and education. Accessible via smartphones, this immersive gameplay is designed to meet the evolving needs of modern communities. Getting these communities off the couch and back into the outdoors, Magical Park delivers on its mission by offering enriching park experiences and promoting active lifestyles for all!


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Chahana Paudel

David Aldous Emerging Leader Award

VIC/TAS

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Overview:

Chahana is a PhD student at Deakin University, and a Recreation and Open Space Project Manager at Whitehorse City Council. With both research and practice experience, Chahana consistently demonstrates a commitment to bridging the gap between academia and practice. Her proactive approach in translating research findings into practical solutions showcases her dedication to advancing the parks and leisure sector. She excels at fostering a team-based environment, navigating diverse stakeholder interests, and prioritising inclusive community engagement to ensure projects align with community needs.


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Submitting Organisation:

Otium Planning Group

Overview:

Otium Planning Group undertook a Review of Supply and Demand for Sport Facilities across the North Sydney Region of Councils Region. The research study provides an evidence based approach to the analysis of demand for sporting infrastructure across eight Local Government Areas. It quantifies the current and forecast deficit of space for sport provision and providing a range of opportunities to address this shortfall.


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Submitting Organisation:

SpacetoCo

Joint Organisation:

City of Cockburn

Overview:

The City of Cockburn & SpacetoCo are delighted to share this joint entry for the PLA Awards of Excellence 2024. The results of our partnership have seen City bookings grow by 25% whilst also achieving a 62% reduction in customer calls to the City’s recreation team. All this has been accomplished in the first 12 months. Our collaboration has seen a tangible return on the vision for provisioning community facilities in the first place. Achieving more bookings whilst reducing admin time makes this a worthy entry of innovation for the industry in delivering community benefit through facility use.


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City of Stirling - Community Infrastructure Plan 2023-2033

Strategic and Master Planning Award

WA

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Submitting Organisation:

City of Stirling

Overview:

The City of Stirling is leading the way by taking a strategic and holistic approach to the provision of community infrastructure. The Community Infrastructure Plan adds a new layer of intelligence to our approach to our best-practice Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework. While our 10-year Strategic Community Plan – ‘Sustainable Stirling 2022-2032’ – sets out our broad vision and key result areas, our Community Infrastructure Plan forms an integral component, establishing future infrastructure needs and delivering upon our new vision.


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Waroona Community Precinct

Best Regional / Rural Industry Contribution Award

WA

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Submitting Organisation:

EPCAD Pty Ltd

Overview:

The Waroona Community Precinct is a prime example of a regional rejuvination initiative that has at its centre, community involvement. It is a succesfull hub in the centre of this small town that reflects the regions unique history and reflects its confident future. The project has rapidly been adopted by the community and has a range of activities being planned and activated in its early development. It may not be high design but it is truly an product of community engagement at all levels and throughout its creation.


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Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities Playground

Playspace Award (greater than $500k)

NSW/ACT

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Submitting Organisation:

Wollongong City Council

Overview:

Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities Playground is inspired by and built for adults with disability. Informed by The Playground Project, a collaboration between the University of Wollongong, the Disability Trust and Council, we worked with adults with intellectual disability, to understand their play preferences. The playground caters for larger adult bodies with intellectual disability and offers multiple challenges whereby all users can learn new skills, make friends and build long-term resilience and confidence to tackle the world.


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Submitting Organisation:

Katie McDonald - Victoria University

Overview:

A critical analysis of aquatic and recreation centre planning and decision-making: A tale of two Cases in metropolitan Melbourne, is derived from a PhD research project completed by Dr. Katie McDonald at Victoria University. This research provides a comprehensive analysis, examining the multifaceted interactions between public sector management theories and local contextual factors. By uniquely applying local government theories the study uncovers insights into the influences shaping ARC planning and decision-making by providing actionable recommendations for optimising ARC planni


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Free Youth Pool Entry Pilot

Community Based Initiative of the Year Award

VIC/TAS

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Submitting Organisation:

Aligned Leisure

Overview:

Taking a bold approach to accessibility and inclusion, the Free Youth Pool Entry Pilot breaks new ground within the industry through the removal of all youth entry fees – prioritising community benefit over financial gains and demonstrating a unique approach to reducing barriers for participation, promoting positive youth behaviour and improving community safety, whilst simultaneously creating opportunities for young people to be empowered in the co-design of a community project to create a safe, welcoming and affordable community space for all residents.


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Monina Gilbey

Environmental Stewardship Award

SA/NT

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Submitting Organisation:

Golf Australia

Overview:

Monina's impact at Glenelg Golf Club goes beyond golf and beyond Australia. At local to global stages, including the 2023 World Parks Congress, she strategically communicates sustainability efforts and fosters biodiversity awareness. Member updates, Golf Australia channels, and collaborations expand initiatives. Engagement with #WildlifeWednesday and the GEO Foundation, featuring on their website, creates international recognition. Monina's speaking engagements and awards highlight her leadership, positioning her as an environmental sustainability leader in golf and internationally.


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Stacey Bentley

David Aldous Emerging Leader Award

QLD

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Overview:

Stacey has continually strived for excellence in her career and has motivated not only herself but also her peers. Stacey has always aspired to step into a leadership role and has now taken on responsibility of managing the administration team Parks and Gardens. In Stacey’s working career, she now delivers presentations and reports to the Executive Leadership Team at SCC. A very important and significance piece of work Stacey facilitated was the development and delivery of our Service Level Framework. This outstanding piece of work has set the benchmark for local government frameworks.


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Concord Oval Community and Sports Precinct

Community Facility of the Year Award

NSW/ACT

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Submitting Organisation:

City of Canada Bay Council

Overview:

The Concord Oval Community and Sports Precinct, a remarkable once-in-a-generation project. This transformative world class facility, funded by the NSW Government, the City of Canada Bay, and other partners, now stands as a vibrant recreational hub for the community. With an indoor recreation centre, open green spaces, community rooms, and upgraded sporting facilities, it exemplifies Council’s commitment to quality community infrastructure, offering mixed recreational opportunities for everyone.


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Cloverton Regional Community and Recreation Needs Assessment

Strategic and Master Planning Award

VIC/TAS

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Submitting Organisation:

City of Whittlesea

Joint Organisation:

Mitchell Shire Council

Second Joint Organisation:

Hume City Council

Overview:

The Cloverton Regional Community and Recreation Needs Assessment outlines the infrastructure required to service a new community the size of Canberra in Melbourne’s north. It will result in over $300M of economic benefit and the construction of 12 vertical indoor courts, an aquatics centre, four sports fields, six outdoor courts and broader recreation facilities such as playspaces and a performing arts centre. This project resulted in the first ever joint Council meeting and will ensure that Whittlesea, Mitchell and Hume residents have access to quality regional infrastructure in the future.


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Albany Youth Challenge Park

Playspace Award (greater than $500k)

WA

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Submitting Organisation:

Common Ground Trails

Joint Organisation:

City of Albany

Second Joint Organisation:

Skate Sculpture

Overview:

The Albany Youth Challenge Park boasts one of the largest dedicated combined pump, jump and skate facilities in Australia. Designed and built to attract and engage a variety of user ages and abilities, which fell between the gaps in the structured and indoor sports domain, this play space has delivered on the City of Albany’s mission to create an inclusive and safe space for all youth in Albany.


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