Queensland All Abilities Playground Project

• About the project
• Playground site locations
  • Ayr
  • Blackwater
  • Broadbeach
  • Capalaba
  • Edmonton
  • Gympie
  • Landsborough
  • Logan Central
  • Mackay
  • Mossman
  • Mount Isa
  • New Mapoon
  • Normanton
  • Pialba
  • Texas
  • Thuringowa Central
  • Yeppoon
• Design Framework
• Pioneer Park
  • Physical development
  • Sensory
  • Learning
  • Facilities
  • Accessibility
• Resources
• Contacts

Normanton All Abilities Playground

Council:

Carpentaria Shire Council

Playground location:

Normanton Sports Reserve, Philip Street, Normanton

Size:

545m² (total works approximately 3035m²)

Council contact:

Carpentaria Shire Council Manager of Community Services Anne Pleash on (07) 4745 2228 or email mcs@carpentaria.qld.gov.au

Site background

Playground site: Normanton Sports Reserve

The Gulf of Carpentaria community of Normanton has a population of approximately 1500. The town's all abilities playground, now under development, will be the area's first community playground.

The play space will be co-located within the well-utilised Normanton Recreational Reserve, which also features sporting ovals and a swimming pool. Among the many sports played at the reserve are cricket, rugby league, swimming, hockey, basketball, tennis and softball. Grounds also regularly play host to fitness programs and community events.

The inclusion of an all abilities play space will not only fill a gap in recreational facilities available in the area, but will also work to maximise children's play experiences, which is of fundamental importance to their health, wellbeing and development.

Planning and design

Normanton students workshop ideas

A comprehensive engagement strategy was developed to ascertain the community's ideas and visions for the town's first public play space.

Council and Disability Services staff were joined by landscape and play consultants to facilitate several of the engagement activities, which included:

• design workshops at the community's two schools, childcare centre and kindergarten
• focus groups with individuals and groups that utilise the sports reserve
• surveys especially for children and families
• public consultation sessions
• playground design feedback forms.

In total, more than 350 local residents participated in the planning and design of the play space during the nine-month period from April to December 2008.

For more information, contact Carpentaria Shire Council.

Last reviewed: 11 November 2009