Playground Renewal Details
Waratah-Wynyard Council is upgrading the playground at the Sisters Beach Foreshore.
The current playground is beginning to show signs of age and no longer meets the Australian Standards for new playgrounds. The upgrades will enhance active living and community wellbeing.
The renewal will incorporate feedback received from the community including:
- Inclusion of exercise equipment
- The addition of a swing
- Multi-age play equipment
- Style of equipment to be considerate of the natural environment (not brightly coloured or featuring a lot of plastic)
Some consideration will be given to the location of the playground to avoid damage to existing tree roots, wherever possible.
Following feedback from the community, Council have worked with our contractor to develop the concept design.
The fully fenced playground will feature:
- Multi-age and accessible play equipment
- A natural colour palette and equipment constructed from Robinia wood
- Flying fox, swing set, balancing beam, slides and much more!
Next to the playground an exercise area will be built, featuring:
- Five individual workout stations
- A fitness hub with many bars and elements for training with the weight of your own body.
- Barcodes to scan for instructions and phone holders
- A natural colour palette, built from Robinia wood
FAQ
- The existing playgrounds do not meet current Australian Standards. Whilst there are no requirements to bring existing playgrounds to current standards, all new playgrounds or major maintenance undertaken by Council are expected to be delivered under the current standards. These standards ensure that playgrounds are built and remain safe for children.
- The playgrounds are old and beginning to show signs of age. Typically, playgrounds last around 15 years before they need to be replaced, depending on the location and materials used. These playgrounds are now showing signs of rust, fiberglass surface wear and general wearing of parts. As items age, typically more maintenance is required which increases the cost to manage them in order to keep them safe.
- The existing playground at Saunders Park doesn’t meet current community needs. Council have listened to feedback from the community regarding the style of equipment and have integrated these needs, such as full perimeter fencing, into the design for the Saunders Street Park.
In late 2021 Council worked with the community to reconsider the two playgrounds in close proximity at Sisters Beach.
The playground equipment located south of the Sisters Creek Estuary was in a low-lying area that was often inundated with water during high tides. The equipment was at the end of its useful life.
The community, Sisters Beach Wildcare Community Group, and Council determined to repurpose the old playground area and revegetate the site with plantings. The site continues to be enhanced with connecting paths, shelter, seating, and open areas for the community and visitors to enjoy.
As part of this consultation, Council invited the community to submit their feedback about what was important when thinking about the future renewal of the main Sisters Beach Playground.
Four distinct areas for consideration emerged and have been considered during the planning for the replacement:
- Including a swing
- Having some adult exercise equipment to make it a community space, not just for children
- Providing play opportunities for younger and older children
- Keeping the natural environment (not plastic)