A CONNECTED DESTINATION FOR PLAY

With the aim of constructing a playscape that connects a community, Tucker Family Park offers something for everyone all day long.

Covering an entire hectare, Tucker Family Park is comprised of four sections that form a playground, multi-purpose sports park, fitness zone and off-leash dog park. Designed by Urban Play to feed the needs of the whole family, the park is a state-of-the-art facility that encourages a community to get outside and get active, together.

Part of the Brentwood Forest Estate developed by AVID Property Group, Tucker Family Park is located within Bellbird Park in the City of Ipswich region of Queensland. A masterplanned estate, Brentwood Forest is nestled in a wooded enclave and offers residents a family-orientated community that exudes space and natural tranquillity. Boasting a host of schools, shops, sports facilities, retail services and leafy parks, the neighbourhood is an adventure wonderland — with a killer recreation zone!

When AVID Property Group approached Urban Play about designing and constructing the park, they were adamant about creating a destination space that would get kids and older generations out and moving. They wanted the whole family to experience the benefits of the outdoor spaces on offer and develop a place that would buzz with activity and a sense of community all year round. To align with the developer’s vision for connection, Urban Play designed a state-of-the-art fitness hub and multipurpose sports court to sit alongside a playground, allowing families to exercise and play together. Utilising the existing topography, the resultant multi-tiered park uses the rare Hoops Pines found on the site along with creative landscaping to maintain the natural vibe of the area.

Challenging the mind and the body, Urban Play created a senior play zone that includes a gigantic four-level Cube Tower that is hard to miss. Sitting boldly atop a hill, the Quad Cube Tower is jam-packed with challenging play activities catering to a variety of ages. From the top, children are aligned with the tree canopy and are afforded a 360-degree view across the estate. When they tire of the view, they whizz back down to the ground via an 18-metre long slide.

The junior play zone, just like the senior play area, offers an array of play opportunities that encourage physical, social and cognitive development. They can also work off some excess energy on the springer, spinner or see-saw — which also provide them with balance, proprioception and muscle strength training. But don’t tell them that!

To keep the whole family young and fit, Urban Play also created a fitness space that utilises intergenerational design principles to engage everyone. A grass pitch with goal posts offers a clear field for football and soccer games the whole family can engage in. The multi-purpose sports court encourages basketball and other ball games. A covered fitness park also offers an extensive range of static and dynamic exercise equipment. For the serious-minded fitness fanatics — or even just the first-timers — the fitness equipment is supported by a digital app that assists users to plan their workouts and guide the use of the machines, so users get the full benefit of this amazing space.

For peace of mind, the park was designed with clear sightlines, which means parents and carers can feel comfortable working-out while their kids run wild in the play zones and still be able to see them. “It’s brought the community together,” claims Peter Macleod, Development Manager for Avid Property Group. “We’ve got fantastic feedback to all the different uses within the park and it’s been a fantastic gathering place for the whole community.”

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PROJECT PARTICULARS
Client AVID Property Group
Location Bellbird Park, Queensland
Landscape Architect AECOM
Landscape Contractor Eureka Landscapes
Design & Install Urban Play