Blacktown City Council is excited to announce its new Wawai Ngurra, Inclusive Adventure Playspace at Nurragingy Reserve in Doonside, which was officially opened on Saturday 25 February 2023. The 6000 square metres of play space, the first of its kind in the City, is designed to be fully inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities. The play space features a customised 85-metre-long elevated walkway, a Changing Places facility, all-access swings, musical items, a trampoline, a sand table, quiet places, and a play sculpture.
The Wawai Ngurra play space is named after the Dharug word for spirit (river monster) and Country, and it is located in the green heart of the Nurragingy Reserve, surrounded by mature eucalypt bushland. The play space’s centrepiece is the elevated walkway, which leads visitors to a top platform with a play area 3.5 metres above the ground, with various play opportunities intertwined with the walkway for all visitors to experience and enjoy.
The Wawai Ngurra inclusive play space is a safe, fun, and inclusive play oasis for everyone, where nature meets adventure and everything in between. Council was proud to collaborate and consult with Variety – the Children’s Charity – and the Touched by Olivia organisation to deliver the play space as a project for the whole community. Founder of Touched by Olivia and Livvi’s mum, Justine Perkins, said, “Nature play is something we all need, but time spent in the wonders of the outside world is not easy, or even possible for many of us. By connecting to place, families and children can experience nature and adventure play together, with boundless choices on offer. Accessible pathways, parking, and a full Changing Places amenity means you can stay for an hour or stay for a whole day. Come join us at Livvi’s Place where inclusion isn’t something special – it just is. Let’s Play!”
of Blacktown City Council, councillor Tony Bleasdale OAM
Blacktown City Council worked with Darug Artist Leanne Watson and design experts to develop ideas for signage and symbols used in the play space. In addition, Council staff volunteered alongside Greater Sydney Landcare to plant more trees native to the Nurragingy and Western Sydney Parklands Area, enhancing the surrounding space.
The $1.9 million-dollar project was fully delivered by Blacktown City Council, with support from grants from the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure, the NSW Government’s Everyone Can Play and Public Spaces Legacy Program, and Council funding programs. The Council is committed to providing increased opportunities to connect all members of the thriving communities across Blacktown City and remove the barriers that have previously stopped everyone from playing together.