DIGGIN' THE DINO

Queensland’s fastest growing residential community, Aura, has a new dino-mite playspace that kids really dig.

The first of its kind in Australia, this custom-designed playground in the Aura residential community has a prehistoric theme that takes children on an unforgettable adventure as they climb up a dinosaur’s back and slide down its tail or escape through its toothy jaws.

A Stockland development, the evolving Aura residential estate is situated on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Promising more than just a home, Aura represents a lifestyle with a flourishing village atmosphere, shopping precincts, schools, entertainment venues, bike paths and walking trails, as well as world-class parks and playgrounds to serve its growing population.

The newest playground on site is Dino Park. Brought to life by play equipment specialists Urban Play, Dino Park features the mighty Aurasaurus, a 6.6-metre-high custom-designed play structure. Spanning 21 metres in length, the Aurasaurus’s body is formed by a gigantic three-dimensional octahedron climbing net. Vibrantly coloured panels form the dino’s head while on the other end a tube slide tapers off to form a tail.

Working in collaboration with Stockland, Place Design Group and Eureka Landscapes, Urban Play contributed to the development of a playspace that would offer this community something no one else had ever experienced. Through this collaboration, the Aurasaurus was born.

Offering off-the-charts play value, the Aurasaurus is comprised of climbing nets, which make up the main structural body of the dinosaur. Optic panels, sound shakers, swaying pods and seats, together with climbing discs and membrane bridges are all available to explore as kids scramble over the dinosaur before they slide down the tail or tunnel out through its mouth. And that’s not all!

Ensuring something for everyone, Dino Park also features a host of other play opportunities for those that aren’t keen to scale the prehistoric beast. An archaeological dig sandpit encourages little players to excavate fossils and cubbies shaped like dinosaur eggs offer fun hiding places for group or solo play. Whatever their play preferences, Dino Park is filled with unique play challenges that help children develop physical, social, cognitive and communication skills.

Carefully selected to provide an imaginative playscape, the equipment chosen by Urban Play was also chosen to ensure a variety of physical actions such as climbing, sliding, swinging and balancing to improve motor skills. In addition, dichroic panels and a vivid material palette contribute colour and movement to ensure a sensory-rich experience.

While the park provides a range of amenities for all-day fun including picnic tables, barbecues and hammocks, the Aurasaurus is clearly everyone’s favourite fixture. Architecturally astounding and offering amazing play value, can you blame them?

PROJECT PARTICULARS

Client Stockland

Location Nirimba, Queensland

Landscape Architect Place Design Group

Landscape Contractor Eureka Landscapes

Design & Install Urban Play