This Christmas we’re giving the gift of play to people of all ages and all abilities with the exciting – and early – opening of the first stage of the Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities playground.

The playground has been finished nearly four months ahead of schedule and was given the seal of approval from the adults and children who gave it a test run at the official opening today, Monday 18 December 2023.

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said he was pleased to see the playground open in time for the summer school holidays.

“It is a great moment when we open another playground to add to the many other recreation and play opportunities throughout our city. This adds an inclusive well designed play space that we can all be proud of as part of our desire to make our city’s facilities more accessible for everyone,” Cr Bradbery.

“The Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities Playground is an exciting project that has been some time in the making. I am delighted we’ve been able to deliver on our promise and unveil Stage 1 of the new playground for our community to enjoy over the summer.

“I think our community, as well as visitors to Stuart Park, will love this new playground that sits alongside the existing space and creates a level playing field, so to speak, for everyone.”

Stage 1 of the completed playground includes:

• Large sized trampoline big enough for a wheelchair, adults and small groups of children
• Multiple swings to cater to different ages and needs covered by a large shade sail
• Wollongong’s very first human-sized mouse wheel. This will feature a large artwork created by young adults with disability and elders Aunty Lorraine Brown and Aunty Narelle Thomas
• Paperbark Forest Maze that offers a sensory experience through natural elements
• Rocky Gorge made up of large sandstone slabs
• Balance beams to master balance and coordination
• Carousel with an accessible platform to accommodate wheelchairs
• Sensory garden for people to touch and smell a variety of textural plants
• Large sensory sculpture donated by Dr Dreyfus
• New accessible parking for mini buses and vehicles
• Updated picnic facilities and new water refill station.

The All Ages All Abilities Playground was informed by The Playground Project which is a collaboration between the University of Wollongong, the Disability Trust and Council. The Playground Project worked with young people and adults with disability, including those with intellectual disability, to understand their play preferences. Council also talked with young people with disability to find out what they would like included in this space.

Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said that the All Ages All Abilities playground was joining the ranks of over 150 Council unique play spaces across the city.

“This project has been a real work of love, both by Council staff, as well as the many people, organisations, businesses who have supported its development every step of the way,” Mr Doyle said.

“While this playground is for everyone, it was inspired by and built for adults with disability. This new play space will offer a fantastic play experience for people of all ages and abilities. We’ve really thought about the design so the playground will offer something for everyone.”

This project is jointly funded by the Australian Government, the NSW Government, Wollongong City Council and community and business supporters.

Member for Cunningham, Ms Alison Byrnes MP said: “Every child of every ability should have a place to play.

“It is incredibly important that we have inclusive play spaces in our region.  Now that it’s complete, local families in Wollongong can experience the exciting spaces now on offer.

“This is another example of the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to working with State and local government to get high-priority community projects off the ground.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said the NSW Government provided $450,000 for the Stuart Park playground upgrades through the Everyone Can Play Program.

“I have supported this project since the idea was first put to me in 2021, I’m delighted the new inclusive play space will be open before the Christmas holidays for locals and visitors to create happy memories near the city centre and North Beach,” Mr Scully said.

“The Everyone Can Play program is delivering universally designed places for everyone in our community to enjoy. The design guideline has been updated so that inclusive play spaces better connect with the community, to Country, and nature and water.”

Disability Trust - Disability Trust CEO Carol Berry said: “The Disability Trust is so proud to have been part of this project. This is a visionary idea, and it’s wonderful to see it come to life.”

“We hope that the park brings joy to people with disability and their families. It’s absolutely fantastic that our Council, MPs and other stakeholders have been so supportive of this initiative – it says a great deal about the community.”

Dr Shoshana Dreyfus said: “This playground is inspired by my son Bodhi, an adult with a severe intellectual disability who frequently gets taken to and loves playing on playgrounds. But playgrounds are built for 0-12-year-olds, and I thought that he and his mates should have a playground that’s the right size for them and which is designed with their needs in mind. That is exactly what this playground is and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported this playground.”

Cr Bradbery said Stuart Park continues to be a popular space for family gatherings – particularly during the festive season. While some additional accessible parking has been added near the playground, people should plan ahead and consider what parking opportunities best suit their needs.

Council will also work with Transport for NSW to lower the speed limit on a section of Cliff Road, north of George Hanley Drive. This will help improve safety for people travelling to and from Stuart Park.

“Stuart Park is our premier park and is a popular destination for our community as well as visitors to the region,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“We’re encouraging those who can do so, to drop and kiss friends and family at Stuart Park before parking a little further away, say at the Innovation Campus, and walking the short distance over. Stuart Park is also on the e-scooter map and can be accessed by scooter or the Free Gong Shuttle Bus.”

See here for more information about the Wollongong e-scooter shared scheme and here for information on the Free Gong Shuttle Bus.

Australian Government funding of $500,000 was provided through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program. This Program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across the nation, supporting jobs and delivering benefits to local communities.

Together with the NSW Government, Wollongong City Council is delivering infrastructure that is essential for communities, increasing access to open space. The NSW Government is contributing $450,000 to the Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities project as part of a wider $20 million commitment to inclusive playspaces. For more information, visit Everyone Can Play.

This project has also been funded and supported by a number of individuals, community groups and organisations through the Disability Trust.