GRAFIC PLAY WITH ARTISTIC FLAIR

Showcasing a custom colour palette and indigenous artwork, the Riverside Park Adventure Playground is a testament to imaginative and inclusive play.

Situated on the banks of the Murray River in Victoria, Riverside Park is a must-see jewel of the Swan Hill region. Offering lush open greenspace, walking trails, picnic settings and barbecues, this regional asset has been the site of many a community event. And, with the addition of the Riverside Park Adventure Playground, it just got better!

Outfitted by well-known inclusive play specialists Proludic, the adventure playground within Riverside Park is a delightful wonderland of climbing, swinging and sliding adventures for children of all ages and abilities.

Designed by Thomson Hay Landscape Architects, the playground embraces the reuse of industrial and agricultural materials from the local district. Standing at the centre of the playspace is an 8.7-metre-high Kanopé Tree Tower designed, manufactured and installed by Proludic. With advanced play features that engage children in active and imaginative play, the impressive structure offers endless hours of fun.

Wanting to ensure a community connection with the playground, Swan Hill Rural City Council commissioned local indigenous artist Sandra Kropinyeri to design artwork for the playspace. Utilising its award-winning Grafic Games system, Proludic was able to implement Sandra’s artwork on the tower to create a truly unique play  structure within the space. 

Sandra’s artwork reflects traditional stories of the Swan Hill region and highlights local fauna. Ground-dwelling and flightless creatures feature on panels at the lowest levels of the Kanopé tower, while climbing marsupials and reptiles feature on the playhouse above. Small birds and insects, along with cockatoos and kookaburras can be seen displayed on the playhouse on the highest level. Rendered in muted pastels and earthy tones, the customised colour palette of the tower complements the character of the landscape and the local environment.

Further enhancing the fun in the playspace is a series of innovative and accessible play equipment with sensory elements. An inclusive hammock swing sits alongside a custom-designed multiplay unit that offers over 46 play activities from Proludic’s Diabolo range.

A two-bay swing set comprising an inclusive pod seat, a toddler’s seat and junior seat enable children of different ages to swing together. Those that like to get close to nature can enjoy sensory play with sand in The Sand Factory, which houses a trail of activities that encourage communication and cooperation

For additional sensory experiences, parkgoers can make music with Proludic’s Sensory Flowers, Tubophones or Babel Drum. Designed to impart physical, cognitive and emotional benefits to children through sound and touch, the musical and sensory units on offer in Riverside Park are a fun way for kids to develop creativity and social connections.

To round out the park space, parents and carers can enjoy clear sight lines into the park from the custom-designed barbecue shelter. From comfortable park furniture they can watch their charges dash across softfall surfacing and scramble over log elements, darting from one play zone to the next with joy and abandon.

PROJECT PARTICULARS

Client Swan Hill Rural City Council

Location Swan Hill, Victoria

Landscape Architect Thomson Hay Landscape Architects

Play Equipment Proludic