Parks and Playgrounds

Did you know the City has a plan that aims to increase community access to parks and playgrounds within neighbourhoods? 

The City’s Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan 2023-2033 provides a 10-year strategic framework for the provision, design and management of the City’s recreation parks and playgrounds. 

The vision of the plan is to provide a diverse range of quality parks and playgrounds that meet the recreational, environmental, social, cultural and health needs of our community. 

Currently, about 78 per cent of residents have access to a playground within 400m of their home while 98.3 per cent are within 800m. 

Under the plan, this will increase to 83 per cent and 98.65 per cent respectively – meaning it will be easier than ever for our community to get out and play at their local park! 

We know that our beautiful city has a diverse and growing community, and limited green space to create new parks. So, it’s important we ensure our existing playgrounds meet the contemporary needs of our community. 

The plan – which will be reviewed and updated annually in line with compliance and safety checks – identifies a hierarchy for the City’s 87 recreation parks and outlines a 10-year playground replacement program for a proposed network of 43 playgrounds. 

The hierarchy system has five classifications including local, neighbourhood, district, regional and special purpose parks. 

As part of the development of this plan, an analysis of playgrounds was undertaken and subsequently 37 playgrounds will be retained, and two new local playgrounds will be developed at St Marks Park in East Bunbury and Wattle Park in Bunbury. 

Four playgrounds will be relocated at the end of their asset life with Coverley Park relocating to Horseshoe Lake, Elizabeth Park to Hands Oval, Ken Cantwell Park to Morrissey Lake and Rocky Point closer to the City of Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club. 

Three playgrounds have been assessed as surplus to community need given their close proximity to other playgrounds along with safety considerations and will be removed at the end of their asset life, including Gidgee Park in Glen Iris and Les Wilson and Mason parks in Withers. 

It is important to remember, these actions will increase the city’s playground hierarchy, therefore increasing our playground provision and community accessibility. 

An engagement process was undertaken by the City to help inform the plan with space, equipment, shade trees and aesthetics identified as our community’s most valued elements of parks. 

This plan does not include sporting or nature spaces.