PLAYGROUND ROCKS ROCKHAMPTON’S RIVERSIDE
25 Oct 2018
Featuring the incredible Fitzroy Adventure Playground, created and delivered by KOMPAN and Urban Play, it's easy to see why Rockhampton Riverside has taken out a prestigious award at the 2018 AILA Landscape Architecture Awards.
The Rockhampton Riverside revitalisation project saw the transformation of the upper and lower banks of Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River into a mixed-use public recreational space thanks landscape architecture firm Urbis. The riverside now features a reconstructed pier, a waterplay space, a playground, stunning gardens and an amphitheatre.
Aiming to activate the area and engage the community, the project is showing results of its success just seven months down the track, both with the restoration of a vibrant public culture to the area and in its state-of-the-art architecture and design, as attested by its numerous awards. Most recently, the precinct received an award in the Parks and Open Space category at the 2018 National Landscape Architecture awards, hosted by AILA. 
KOMPAN created and delivered the incredible Fitzroy Adventure Playground to the precinct in collaboration with Queensland local partners Urban Play. The playspace’s key feature is a bespoke, eight-metre-high Skywalk that allows for kids and their parents to move between towers across a series of bridges and marvel in the stunning bird’s-eye view across the Fitzroy River. 
The Skywalk can be entered through a Spacenet and exited via large slides that land on the softfall surface below. Below the Skywalk are a series of smaller slides and climbing structures, including rock climbing walls and nets, that will keep the smaller kids engaged.
Toddlers can join in on the fun with a mini fort structure that includes a slide and various climbing objects. The playground also includes sail shades, terraced seating and drinking fountains to ensure visitors are kept comfortable at all times. 
“The Riverside has delivered so much more than just a beautiful space to be admired for generations to come - it has restored pride in our city, it has encouraged new business and it has become a turning point for our city,” said acting Mayor Councillor, Cherie Rutherford.
Rockhampton Riverside is part of the wider urban revitalisation taking place in Rockhampton, along with the recently completed Kershaw Gardens that includes the Wyatt’s Wonder Web playground, a world-first play space delivered by KOMPAN and Urban Play. 
Images by Florian Groehn
