PLA National Awards Finalists 2025

Botanic Garden and State Herbarium (of South Australia)

Already a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, Adelaide’s lush botanic garden was elevated to a world-class art hub with the installation of magnificent glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly, one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists. From September 2024 – April 2025, Chihuly in the Botanic Garden transformed the green oasis into a free-to-experience outdoor art gallery with vibrant, towering glass artworks strategically placed throughout the Garden. Over one million people from across Australia and the globe visited the exhibition with friends and family to see the art

Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

AECOM

George Kendall Riverside Park’s transformation showcases local and State Government alignment through the NSW Government’s Parks for People program. A former landfill site, reopened in October 2024 with 18 hectares of new parklands, improved connections, facilities, offering enhanced public open space for all to enjoy.

Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

Place Laboratory

The Beaumont Hills adventurous space, is an early transit-oriented public open space, that has transformed state-owned land under the Northwest Metro viaduct, intentionally featuring youth focussed skate plaza, pump track, courts, and brightly painted public art to foster social equity, inclusivity, and intergenerational interaction through innovative design and community engagement. This innovative project was collaboratively delivered by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and Place Lab.

Australian Football League

City of Logan

Department of Sport, Racing, and Olympic and Paralympic Games

The Everleigh Sports Park was developed in response to increasing demand for AFL infrastructure in the area. The meticulously designed and constructed precinct supports local & elite AFL content, regional events, school activity & community festivals, ensuring versatility & broad community engagement. The collaborative funding approach and cooperation throughout construction realised significant benefits while maintaining a streamlined and efficient process. Its success demonstrates the power of collaboration, serving as a model for future sports infrastructure projects.

Port Macquarie Hastings Council

The Bain Park revitalisation project in Wauchope has transformed the community's premier CBD park with modern, inclusive facilities. Funded by the NSW Government and Port Macquarie Hastings Council, the project features a shaded playground, BMX pump track, and accessible BBQs. Extensive community engagement ensured the park meets diverse needs, fostering interaction and enjoyment. Innovative practices and local collaborations have created a vibrant, sustainable space, now a cherished asset for locals and tourists alike.

Wollondilly Shire Council

Council worked with Civille and G3 Architecture to develop the designs for the conversion of the locally heritage listed Old Menangle School into a new community hub and park and for the restoration of the former school building. The project involved Sue Rosen Associates to ensure the design conserved the heritage significance of the site. The project was constructed by Growth Civil Landscapes.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council

Chirnside Urban Park is a multi-functional space featuring innovative design elements inspired by the theme of flight. Central to the park are hot air balloon structures, honoring the Yarra Valley’s ballooning heritage, and symbolizing a sense of wonder and exploration. The park’s design integrates Indigenous cultural symbolism, such as the Wangim (boomerang) pathways, and artistic depictions of animals like Belliyung the bat and Gawa the echidna, representing flight. These elements, alongside native plantings and accessible play spaces, promote inclusivity and connection.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council

The Belgrave South Recreation Reserve project enhances safety, accessibility, and inclusivity, with a focus on women, girls, youth, families, and individuals with disabilities. Using local student engagement and crime data, the design prioritizes safety through providing a recreation space for all. Gender and inclusivity consultations, including a Gender Equity Walk and Youth involvement, ensured the space caters to diverse needs. Accessible paths and Indigenous artwork complete the welcoming, multi-use space for all community members.

Campbelltown City Council

Playford Road Reserve in Newton provides a wide range of play-based opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities. In 2024 the site was transformed from being a site with six unused tennis courts and a vacant clubroom building, to becoming an activated park with a large playground, tennis court, multi-sport court, grass kick-about area, picnic and BBQ facilities and accessible toilet and pathways, ensuring it is welcoming to everybody and serves the recreational, physical activity and social needs of the local community while promoting sustainable, inclusive design.

Tract

OneMap

The Climate Resilience Index is an innovative publicly available interactive mapping tool that evaluates the capacity of Melbourne’s neighbourhoods to effectively address climate change. Complex multi-layered data is synthesised to reveal the performance of urban environments against key determinants of sustainable living. The innovative custom-built UI in the form of an interactive map adopts a unique and ingenious approach to information communication supported by a clear graphic language. The tool is optimised for desktop, mobile and colourblind users. climateresilienceindex.onemap.com.au

Darebin City Council

Get Active in Darebin is one of Victoria's largest free exercise programs that offer a variety of recreational and sport activities to support local residents of Darebin to improve their health and well-being. The program includes diverse range to suit all ages and abilities to create a welcoming and inclusive program for all.

Campbelltown City Council

Playford Road Reserve in Newton provides a wide range of recreational opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities. In 2024 the site was redeveloped from being a site with six unused tennis courts to become a park with a large playground, one tennis court, one multi-sport court, a grass kick-about area, picnic and BBQ facilities and accessible toilet and pathways, ensuring it is welcoming to everybody and serves the physical activity, recreation and social needs of the local community while promoting sustainable, inclusive design.

Town of Port Hedland

Transforming a cherished community space, the Yikara Park Playground Renewal reimagines play with innovative, train and transport-themed equipment inspired by Port Hedland’s industrial heritage. The featured multi-play train and bulldozer installations spark active engagement of the father child bond and combine with the all-ages and sensory zones to create a vibrant hub of family and community connectivity.

Central Coast Council

The Torbuk Park Sensory Garden is Tasmania’s first public healing space, designed for mental well-being, accessibility, and sustainability, transforming a former pond into a thriving, inclusive sanctuary for all.

Darebin City Council

Clublinks Management Pty Ltd

The Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre, which reopened in November 2023, offers state-of-the-art aquatic facilities, including a 50-metrer pool, leisure and therapy pools, plus a fully equipped gym and group fitness spaces. Designed with sustainability and accessibility in mind, the centre also provides programs for all ages and abilities, making it a vibrant community hub. Over time, the project will enhance local health, fitness, and social connection, contributing to Darebin’s long-term wellbeing and development.

KINGSTON CITY COUNCIL

The Mordi Aquatic Centre is Kingston City Council’s largest community infrastructure project, delivering a $80 million state-of-the-art aquatic and fitness facility designed for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.The integrative space is environmentally sustainable, supports health, wellbeing, and social inclusion while aligning with national, state, and local priorities. Shaped by extensive community consultation, the project received overwhelming public support, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of Kingston’s residents for generations to come.

Jeavons Landscape Architects

City of Port Phillip

The Gasworks Arts Park Playspace features unique, custom-designed play structures inspired by important industrial heritage, seamlessly blending into the site's arts fabric and bushland. The collaborative design process addressed the needs of invested stakeholder groups and physical constraints with innovative solutions, transforming challenges into positive outcomes without severely altering site conditions. The design sets an exemplary standard for future local playspaces, providing value for money, custom, and inclusive play. It accommodates users of all ages, genders and abilities.

Playscape Creations

The “Grand Linear Park” consolidates four one-hectare local parks into a cohesive four-hectare linear park, stretching a total of 450 meters long and adding the equivalent of six and a half international football fields worth of parks, playgrounds and greenspace for the community to enjoy. Established as the natural “green heart” for residents of the southern neighbourhood, the extensive trees and plantings establish a “connected canopy” across the open space network and easy connection to 60km of pedestrian path and cycle ways, a true active community link.

Jeavons Landscape Architects

City of Boroondara

Formium

The new Hays Paddock Playspace replaces a beloved community space, integrating the original character with new inclusive design features, additional amenities and new challenges. Maintaining its rustic timber character, and collaborating with traditional landowners, the revitalized playground offers improved inclusive play and experiences. The design retains existing trees, reuses site materials, and incorporates diverse sensory play and communication panels. This project sets a new standard for inclusive nature-based play areas while preserving the spirit of its much-loved predecessor.

Brisbane Sustainability Agency

An initiative of Brisbane Sustainability Agency’s Oxley Creek Transformation project, the four-hectare Archerfield Wetlands District Park sets a benchmark for transforming a former industrial site into a vibrant, multi-functional greenspace. Offering a diverse range of facilities, including a large adventure play space, a youth hub area with basketball court, bush foods garden, event and activity lawn and a purpose-built community hub building, the District Park inspires people of all ages to connect with each other and nature, care for the environment and live a healthy, outdoor lifestyle.

Golf Australia

Whitehorse City Council

The Morack Public Golf redevelopment is a transformative project that delivers a modern, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable golf facility for the Whitehorse community. Led by Whitehorse City Council, and working closely with Swing Factory the redevelopment enhances the golfing experience, broadens community access, and ensures long-term social, environmental, and economic benefits.

Golf Australia

Rippit Golf reimagines golf for the modern era, transforming small urban spaces into technology-driven entertainment hubs. Located in Newcastle, NSW, Rippit combines short-flight driving ranges, golf simulators, and mini golf into a vibrant, accessible venue that attracts almost 50% female participation. Built on repurposed tennis courts, it demonstrates land-efficient, socially inclusive, and economically sustainable innovation, setting a new standard for golf in the parks and leisure industry.

Merri-bek City Council

Delivery of the Fawkner Leisure Centre Redevelopment was both within budget and on time. Has truly meet the expectations and objectives of the project and the community, resulting in a more accessible, and environmentally friendly centre. Which provides for increased options for all ages and abilities to participate in a healthy, active and more connected lifestyle.

Swinburne University of Technology

RMIT University

The Activating Social Connection project aims to fill gaps in evidence, resources and guidance for local social connection activation. Based on research evidence, our project is committed to developing practical resources and guidance that are useable by community workers, planners and community members. The focus is to understand the complex mechanics of fostering positive social connections and to translate this into resources that help to activate change.

Brisbane Sustainability Agency

An initiative of Brisbane Sustainability Agency’s Oxley Creek Transformation project, the Archerfield Wetlands District Park playspaces exemplify innovative adaptive reuse and design, transforming a former industrial site into vibrant, multifunctional areas for play. Key features include an industrial-themed playground hosting a 13-metre-long super slide, interactive water play elements and a youth hub area. Offering a diverse array of both active and reflective play options, these playspaces provide a unique, engaging and inclusive environment for all visitors.