Hays Paddock Playground

We are renewing Hays Paddock playground in Kew East due to its age and condition. Most of the timber posts and structural elements in the playground have started to rot underground. We need to replace these timber structures and other play elements in the playground.

Our work so far

We asked our community for feedback to help guide the renewal of the playground. We received over 260 responses from community members (including children) over two stages of consultation. We also received feedback from leaders and experts in the disability sector. Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

From December 2021 to mid-February 2022, our community, the original playground founders and disability sector experts told us how they would like us to approach the renewal of this much-loved play space. We used this feedback to develop a draft concept design.

In July 2022, we shared the draft concept design and asked for feedback on its key features. Based on this feedback, the final concept design includes some changes from what was presented in the draft concept design.

Find out about what our community told us and how the designs changed

Our final concept design

We have developed a final concept design which keeps the billabong theme, and the rustic look and feel our community told us was important to them.

The new playground will continue to provide side-by-side play opportunities for all children. It will provide new play equipment for children of all ages and abilities, as well as incorporating some old favourites.

Key features of the new playground

The final concept design includes a number of new features:

a new accessible timber structure with bridges and ramps, activity panels, big and small slides, play opportunities underneath, and a leaf-shaped shade structure
a new, more challenging rope climb zone
a new, safer sand play area with accessible tables, animal sculpture and a digger
a new sensory water zone with sculptural elements and accessible stone table
renewed swings with a variety of swing seats
a new playground mascot (an eel sculpture)
a new horizontal rope sway
a new bee rocker
musical chimes
several gathering and seating areas
billabong-themed sculptural items and artistic elements
more shade over the swings, sandpit and parts of the timber structure
a focus on the healthy existing and healthy mature trees in the playground
new and refreshed garden beds with native plants.

The final concept design also includes some features which have been retained from the current playground. The following items are still safe for use:

retained spider rope net
retained circular carousel

When they reach the end of their useful life they will be removed and the area returned to open space. This will be done to comply with current authority regulations for the easement which runs close to the western boundary.

We are also retaining and refreshing the current hammock swings based on community feedback.

View the final concept design

You can view all of the features of the final concept design by using the hotspots on the map below.

Some images in these hotspots are examples only and subject to change. All equipment and surface treatments shown are subject to final budget review.

Timber play structure

The timber play structure provides accessible play at an elevated level as well as under the structure. Different play elements meet the needs of users with all abilities.

You can view renders of the timber play structure below. You can also view features of the timber play structure by using the hotspots on the map below.