CALL OF THE WILD

A jungle-themed playscape with an Australian flavour is the beating heart of this Swan Valley neighbourhood

PROJECT PARTICULARS Client Stockland Location Brabham, WA Landscape Architect EPCAD Principal Contractor Landscape Australia Structural Fabrication Urbaneering & Kaebel Leisure Play Equipment Kaebel Leisure

COMPANY Kaebel Leisure P 02 4964 4420 E enquiries@kaebelleisure.com.au W kaebelleisure.com.au

Athriving residential development in the picturesque Swan Valley region, Whiteman Edge is a family-friendly community that enjoys flourishing streetscapes, premium parks and a range of local amenities. A Stockland development in Brabham, Western Australia, Whiteman Edge is about more than just housing, it’s about community life.

To that end, when it came time to create a playscape that would serve the neighbourhood, landscape architects for the project, EPCAD, contacted Kaebel Leisure to help them realise their vision for a unique and challenging playscape with a jungle theme.

Specifi cally located to ensure the retention of existing established trees, the park has plenty of green to enhance its jungle-like motif. At the centre of the park a 7-metre-high “bird’s-nest-in-a-tree” adventure tower takes pride of place, off ering those brave enough to scale its heights great views over the nearby wetlands. Wanting to establish a treetop adventurebased experience for park users, extensive climbing opportunities were incorporated into the playspace — making one feel they are indeed swinging through a leafy canopy of trees.

To enhance the notion of climbing up into the trees, the trunk of the central tower is crafted of rope, emulating jungle vines. Incorporated rope courses, rope tunnels and rope swing elements all strengthen the wild vibe. Dissecting the playspace is a dry river bed, with log crossings, boulders and giant Cassowary footprints to follow encouraging small children to explore at ground level and engage in imaginative play. In the interests of safety, the central tower was fabricated by Kaebel Leisure to prevent access on the outside of the net and also to avoid anyone falling down through the middle. After a number of design iterations, the fi nal model included a series of polished stainless steel rings, implemented via extensive use of Kaebel’s trademark metal fabrication, with integrated rubber landing platforms strung across three levels. Two access ports enable entry to the structure, one at ground level and one mid-level, providing enormous play value for climbers of all ages and abilities.

A proven success in the community, Jungle Adventure Park was awarded Best Playspace by WA Park & Leisure Australia in 2018.