PROJECT PROFILE
PLAYSCAPE WITH A VIEW
Built to handle the conditions, this hardy coastal playground offers plenty of fun AND million dollar views
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roving the old adage that location is everything, the newly developed Christsen Park is a public greenspace situated on the foreshore of picturesque Bargara Beach, 15 kilometres east of Bundaberg. Serving a growing coastal community, the park was part of a significant Bundaberg Regional Council masterplan aimed at improving public assets in the region. The park received a $1.2 million overhaul that saw the undeveloped site transformed to include picnic settings and shelters, barbecues, park furniture inclusions and foreshore loungers, together with new public amenities, landscaped gardens, and a new all-ages, all-abilities playspace by WillPlay.
48 | ODS Exemplary Showcase
Located next to a popular tidal lagoon and patrolled surf beach, the play area was an important element in the foreshore upgrade project. Under the direction of Bundaberg Council, who desired a destination park, play equipment specialist WillPlay was contracted to supply and install play structures and softfall surfacing. Working with the contours of the planned paths and infrastructure that would eventually be installed in the park, WillPlay also designed the play zone layout, ensuring it would allow natural flow of movement around existing trees, integrate into the surrounding landscape as it developed across the project, and offer unobstructed views towards the ocean.
Manufactured in Australia, WillPlay’s structures are made of powdercoated stainless steel, marinegrade aluminium and recycled plastic to ensure they can handle the impact of Australia’s harsh climate. Built to last, the equipment chosen for Christsen Park is coastal-spec rated. Given the positioning of the equipment in a seaside environment, with prevailing onshore winds, using coastal-spec rated units was a key factor in meeting Council’s expectation of longevity and durability. With no additional cleaning or extensive preventative maintenance required to keep it looking good, this playground will continue to provide oodles of fun for little adventurers for years to come.
