Designing the play space
We created three exciting playground concepts inspired by the Gurangaty story! All three designs have the same layout, but the play equipment is different in each option. After asking for your feedback, we found that 44% of respondents preferred option 3. Everything we did and the rest of your feedback was included in the What We Heard from Let’s Play at Boonerah. You can view the page to see how we asked for your feedback and how the preferred option was selected.
Take a look at what your preferred design includes and some examples of what will be included
Design 3:
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About the project
The story so far
We’re planning a new playground at Boonerah Point Reserve in Lake Illawarra and it’s more than just swings and slides. This upgrade will be a fun, imaginative and inclusive space for kids, families and the whole community to enjoy.
But this isn’t just about play. It’s about storytelling. The new playground will be inspired by Gurangaty, a powerful Illawarra Dreaming story. By weaving culture into the design, Gurangaty, part-eel and part-fish, is said to have carved out the rivers and waterholes of the Illawarra.
📚 Want to dive deeper into the story? You can borrow it from Shellharbour City Library.
In June 2025 we visited Warilla North Public School to chat with students, the real play experts!
Here’s what we did together:
- Talked about what kinds of play they love and what they don’t
- Listened to the story of Gurangaty then imagined how it could be told through play
- Explored different types of playground equipment and talked about what’s the most fun
Did you know?
The kids want equipment that everyone can use making sure the playground is fun and accessible for all.
Other design options
Design 1 includes:
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Design 2 includes:
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