Groundswell of approval for Tweed’s exciting new inclusive play space

Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories has been described as the ‘best playground ever’ due to its inclusive design and celebration of local Indigenous culture.

Located on the northern side of Jack Evans Boat Harbour in Tweed Heads, the playground was offcially opened in late December 2022, with Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry, NSW Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts, Tweed MP Geoff Provest, and Justine Perkins OAM, founder of the Touched by Olivia Foundation and Olivia’s mum, cutting the ribbon.

The $980,000 precinct upgrade, which included the playground, was completed just in time for the busy summer holiday season.

The playground was designed in collaboration with the Touched by Olivia Foundation, local landscape architect Dan Plummer, Council’s Aboriginal Advisory and Equal Access and Advisory Committees, and the community. Its design places inclusion at the heart of the play space, allowing children of all abilities, ages, and cultures to enjoy it.

In addition, the playground celebrates the cultural heritage of the local Bundjalung people, with Indigenous artwork and storytelling central to the theme of the play space. The Aboriginal calendar, which celebrates six seasons, is integrated into the play space design through art and story to provide cultural and historical understanding.

Mayor Chris Cherry expressed her excitement at how the community had embraced Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories since its completion.

Families have been focking to the park from across the Tweed and even north of the border.

The Tweed Chamber of Commerce presented the Parks and Active Communities team with a business award this month, indicating that the playground has breathed new life into Jack Evans Boat Harbour and is a signifcant step in the transformation of Tweed into a vibrant regional centre that champions good design, the environment, and cultural heritage to create attractive and diverse public spaces.

Minister Roberts was impressed with the development and was pleased that the community had a wonderful facility to enjoy. He stated that it is wonderful to see the $20 million Everyone Can Play program continuing to deliver more accessible and inclusive places to play across NSW.

Mr Provest added that Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories would provide easy access to play for children of all ages, cultures, and abilities. The new project has been designed to cater for people of all abilities, including those with mobility, sensory, sight, and hearing challenges.

Justine Perkins OAM was proud to add the new Tweed play space to its national network of Livvi’s Places. She said that as Olivia’s handprint continues to touch the lives of families, the Touched by Olivia Foundation strives to spread inclusion and bring joy to communities through the gift of play. The organization has loved working in partnership with Tweed Shire Council, which places the utmost value on a child’s right to play, and is proud of this fagship inclusive play space.

She also stated that true success is seeing inclusion embedded into everyday practices, and they look forward to the gains that Tweed Shire Council is committed to delivering in all future public spaces, so that inclusion isn’t something special – it just is.

The new inclusive play space is an outcome of community consultation as part of the Jack Evans Boat Harbour Plan of Management developed in 2018, and the Open Space Strategy 2019–2029. The innovative play space design was funded by Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT, and the construction of Stage 1 was proudly funded by NSW Government in collaboration with Tweed Shire Council.

Work on Stage 2 of the park is now underway, and will include a youth recreation area, additional seating, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities outside of the fenced play area.