Project Overview
McDonald Parade Reserve Playground, Burrill Lake NSW
A Marine-Themed Inclusive Playspace Designed for Shoalhaven City Council
Set beside the beautiful waters of Burrill Lake, McDonald Parade Reserve is a valued neighbourhood playspace where local families can gather, play and enjoy the outdoors. Shoalhaven City Council identified the upgrade as part of its commitment to providing safe, modern and engaging recreational spaces for the Burrill Lake community, with new equipment designed to support active play, creativity and social interaction.
Austek Play delivered a custom, marine-themed playground that reflects the reserve’s lakefront setting while responding to community feedback. Completed on 29 May 2026, the new playspace has been designed for approximately 20 users across multiple age groups, combining inclusive play, sensory experiences, climbing, ropes, swings and imaginative play.
From the eye-catching 4m custom tower to the dolphin, surf shack and jellyfish sensory elements, the playground brings a strong sense of place to this beautiful Burrill Lake location.
Project Overview
Project: McDonald Parade Reserve Playground
Location: Burrill Lake, NSW
Client: Shoalhaven City Council
Completion Date: 29 May 2026
Capacity: Approximately 20 users
Age Range: Multi-age play
Project Type: Council playground design, equipment supply, installation and landscaping
Key Features: Custom design, inclusive play, marine theme, sensory play, ropes, climbing, swings, toddler play and accessible surfacing
Project Design
The Brief
Shoalhaven City Council’s brief was to deliver a new playground facility that would improve the recreational value of McDonald Parade Reserve while reflecting the wishes of the community.
The project needed to:
- Deliver a new playground facility designed to comply with relevant standards
- Incorporate safety by design principles
- Respond to the Everyone Can Play guidelines
- Reflect community feedback and local play preferences
- Provide a modern, inclusive and accessible playspace
- Support community wellbeing and social connection through improved public infrastructure
Community consultation directly helped shape the playground direction. For McDonald Parade Reserve, Shoalhaven City Council received responses, with strong support for swings, slides, climbing equipment, balancing features and toddler play.
The design was shaped around two key play outcomes: active play and imaginative play. Children needed opportunities to climb, swing, slide and test their confidence, but the space also needed quieter, creative and sensory experiences for storytelling, role play and connection.
Because the reserve backs onto Burrill Lake, the playground also needed to feel connected to its surroundings. The equipment selection, rubber colours and marine-themed features were chosen to complement the natural environment and give the playground a clear local identity. The Rubber Sensory Dolphin, Surf Shack Sensory Panel and Jellyfish Musical Panel help create a playful connection to the surrounding environment while giving children sensory and imaginative ways to engage with the space.
The result is a custom playground that feels playful, practical and connected to place.
Inclusivity
Designed with Everyone Can Play Principles in Mind
The NSW Everyone Can Play guideline is a best practice resource for creating inclusive playspaces across NSW. It is designed to help councils, designers and communities create playspaces that include everyone.
The guideline is built around three key questions:
Can I get there?
How people arrive at, enter and move through a playspace. At McDonald Parade Reserve, the renewed playground layout, concrete edging, softfall rubber, softfall mulch and turfing help create a more defined and usable public play area.
Can I play?
Providing varied play opportunities for different ages, abilities, interests and confidence levels. The McDonald Parade Reserve playground includes climbing, ropes, swings, sensory play, imaginative play, toddler play and a large tube slide, giving children different ways to participate.
Can I stay?
Do families and carers feel comfortable spending time in the space? The lakefront setting, marine-inspired design, sensory elements and improved landscaping help create a welcoming neighbourhood destination where families can gather, connect and enjoy the outdoors.
Playground equipment
Custom 4m Tower Unit
The custom tower unit is the hero of the playground. At 4m high, it creates a strong visual focal point and gives children multiple ways to climb, explore and move through the structure. The large tube slide adds excitement and repeat play value, making the tower a standout feature within the reserve.
2 Bay Swing with Basket, Strap and Infant Seat
The swing set supports a wider range of ages and abilities. With a basket seat, strap seat and infant seat, children can enjoy swinging in different ways, whether they are playing independently, with friends or with support from a carer.
Custom Toddler Play Hut
The custom toddler play hut gives younger children their own space for imaginative play, early climbing and social interaction. It supports confidence-building in a way that feels age-appropriate and welcoming.
Rubber Sensory Dolphin
The dolphin brings a tactile, marine-inspired feature into the playspace. It adds sensory value and helps reinforce the Burrill Lake theme in a playful and memorable way.
Surf Shack Sensory Panel
The surf shack panel encourages imaginative play and storytelling. It connects with the relaxed coastal lifestyle of the area and gives children another way to engage beyond climbing and sliding.
Jellyfish Musical Panel
The jellyfish musical panel introduces sound and sensory exploration. It supports creative play, cause-and-effect learning and shared interaction between children.
Landscaping
Landscaping and Surfacing
Austek Play also completed the supporting landscaping works to help transform the site into a finished community playspace.
Works included:
- Removal and disposal of the old existing playspace
- Concrete edging
- Softfall rubber
- Softfall mulch
- Turfing
- Surfacing integration around the new play equipment
The combination of softfall rubber and softfall mulch supports safety, access and visual interest, while the turfing and edging help give the renewed playground a clean, complete finish.
Project Outcome
Project Outcome
The completed McDonald Parade Reserve playground is a modern, inclusive and marine-themed playspace that enhances the recreational value of this beautiful Burrill Lake location.
Backing onto the lake, the playground benefits from a naturally scenic setting. By tying the equipment and rubber colours into the surrounding environment, the finished space feels connected to the reserve rather than separate from it.
The 4m custom tower is the standout feature, drawing children in with height, challenge, ropes, climbing elements and a large tube slide. Around it, the swings, toddler play hut, dolphin, surf shack and jellyfish musical panel provide varied play opportunities for children of different ages, abilities and play styles.
Most importantly, the renewed playspace gives the Burrill Lake community a welcoming place to gather, play, connect and spend time outdoors.
Planning a new playground or upgrading an existing community space in NSW?
We can help you create a safer, more inclusive and engaging playspace that reflects your community, works for your site and brings your vision to life.
Talk to Austek Play about your next playground project.
Phone: 1300 433 364
Email: enquiries@austekplay.com.au
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