Kingston Park is nestled at the foothills of kunanyi with view corridors to the mountain and a direct connection to Whitewater Creek. It is located on the former site of the Kingston High School. Designed to be ‘uniquely Kingborough’ the playground draws on the natural Tasmanian environment.
The play space provides play opportunities for all ages and abilities and consists of zones specifically designed for babies, toddlers, primary-aged children, and teenagers. The playground offers a range of genres of play inspired by animals and habitats native to Kingborough. The playground offers nine unique areas of play that are well signed throughout the play space.
View an artists impression of the playground space here.
Playground Area Equipment
1. Baby Play
Inspired by the Tasmanian Velvet Worm, a creature native to Tasmania and with populations in Kingborough. The decorative shade structure over this relaxing area is inspired by a Rock Daisy and casts intriguing shadows over the space.
Play Elements: The baby play area offers babies and their carers a safe and soft place to sit, feed, lie, roll, crawl and explore. It also offers carers the ability to supervise older children in the adjacent play areas.
2. Toddler Play
Inspired by the Chaostola Skipper Butterfly, the Toddler Play area connects to the Baby Play area by an arbour tunnel, representing a chrysalis. An Agency of Sculpture custom-designed water course allows exploratory water play, whilst a potion-making bench encourages imaginative play.
Play Element: Water course, sandpits, swings, potion-making bench, bouncing bee, timber caterpillar and skipper butterfly sculpture.
3. Rock Pool Water Play
Designed to evoke the nature of rock pools, the water play area draws on the ‘floatiness’ of the Weedy Sea Dragon and the changing nature of its habitat dependant on tide and weather. A sculptural sea urchin climbing structure by Agency of Sculpture, provides a beautiful focal element to the space offering a distinctly different play experience.
Play Elements: Water play, sea urchin climbing/cubby.
4. Sand Play Area
Inspired by the Thylacine, the tragedy of losing a species has been incorporated into the sand play area with fossilised bones to discover buried under the sand. These “bones” were created by local artist, Gerhard Mausz. The forms of the nearby rock pools will continue into this space with the added bonus of a beautiful timber sand play table made by local artist Roland Gabatel
Play Elements: Fossil dig, sand play table, sand play toys.
5. Slides & Seesaws
Nestled amongst a forest of she-oaks a little army of she-oak skinks scatter and run in the form of seesaws, slides, and log balancing beams. Inspired by the She-Oak Skink, the smooth bodies of these creatures translate into the smooth slide surfaces designed for universal enjoyment. There are also two skinks lounging in this area crafted by local artist, Roland Gabatel.
Play Elements: All abilities slide, tunnel slide, multi-person slide, timber seesaws.
6. Spinning & Sensory Garden
The spots of the spotted tail quoll give inspiration to the spinning play zone, circles of movement and giddiness designed to simulate the senses and provide universal play for all. This zone is located near the Sensory Garden and the musical instruments nestled in the garden.
Play Elements: Spinning wok, Dutch disc, rotofun, basket swing, mini-trampoline, wheelchair carousel, musical play elements.
7. Rope Forest
With a tail for balancing and gripping, the Tasmanian Bettong inspired the rope course area, a forest of poles set amidst a forest of trees, strung with ropes and obstacles to challenge and elevate above the ground.
Play Elements: Rope course and elevated cubby.
8. Wedge-tail Eagle Nest
The majestic Wedge Tailed Eagle comes home to rest in a giant nest made from logs and boulders that perches above the parkland. A giant bird’s nest swing occupies the nest and creates the feeling of flying over the parkland.
Play Elements: Tripod/Birds Nest Swing, logs, and boulder hop.
9. Youth Area
The Tasmanian Long Eared Bat was the perfect inspiration for the most requested play item for the parkland—the flying fox. A double flying fox designed by Agency of Sculpture spans outwards after launching from the back of a giant sculptural bat. Sculpted insects sit atop the poles at the opposite end. Nearby, the youth area utilises the old Kingston High School sports court as place for skating, handball and half-court basketball and netball.
Play Elements: Dual flying fox, basketball and netball half-court, handball wall and swings.
SEE SHARED OPEN SPACE
