A new playground for Buckland Hill

Designing playgrounds goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about creating environments that inspire and enrich children’s lives. By understanding the diverse types of play and their benefits, we can create playgrounds that cater to children’s varying needs and interests.

With the Buckland Hill Playground reaching the end of its useful life and due for replacement, local resident Hannah, 11, wanted to make sure the kids of Mossie Park had a say in what comes next.

On behalf of the kids of Buckland Hill and Mosman Park, Hannah created and ran her own survey to find out what children would like to see in a new playground. The survey received 41 responses from children aged under five through to 13+, with image-based questions helping younger children take part too.

Hannah’s survey became part of the brief for the new playground, giving the designers a direct look at what local kids want to see in the playground.

Those ideas helped shape the two playground concepts that we are now asking our community to consider.

Take a look at both and vote for your favourite!

Why is the playground being replaced?

The existing playground located at Somerset Crescent, Mosman Park, has reached the end of its useful life and has been decommissioned.

The renewal will provide a new, safe and enjoyable play space for children and families, while making the most of the existing site.

What are we asking the community to do?

What's the budget, and what does it mean for this playground project?

The Town has allocated approximately $110,000 for this playground project, covering both play equipment and any safety surfacing beneath it. It's a genuine investment, but it's worth being upfront about what it can and can't buy.

Industry practice typically splits a budget like this roughly 50-60% toward equipment, with the remainder going to surfacing and installation and park furniture. In practical terms, that leaves somewhere in the order of $55,000 or the actual play equipment itself. That's an important number to understand, because it often sits in a range where suppliers default to standard, off-the-shelf catalogue kits rather than a custom, site-specific design built around what makes a particular space unique.

This is a common reality for local governments. The larger, more elaborate playgrounds you might see elsewhere - the ones with bespoke nature-play elements, custom-fabricated features, or large-scale shade and landscaping integration - are, in the overwhelming majority of cases, only possible because of state or federal grant funding layered on top of council budgets. Without that additional funding, councils are working within a much tighter envelope.

We wanted to share this context now, before design options are presented, so that community expectations are grounded in what's realistically achievable. Our aim within this budget is to make the smartest possible choices - prioritising durability, inclusivity, and good design within a standard equipment range.

How will the community's feedback be used?

Your feedback will help the Town understand which of the two concepts is preferred by the community.