Tuncurry Rockpool playground opens this week

Published on 07 December 2021

Tuncurry Rockpool’s new inclusive children’s playground will be ready for action from Thursday afternoon 9 December, providing local children and visitors with creative play suitable for all ages and abilities.

The four-month project has seen two new exciting play spaces installed at Tuncurry and Old Bar Park, which is also nearing completion.

At Barry Stoneham Park near the Tuncurry Rockpool, the new playground includes an eight-metre accessible slide tower for all ability play, linked by an access ramp and lookout, and incorporating three grades of slides.

There’s loads more fun to be had with a triple play swing with nest, cub, toddler and strap seats, as well as a flying fox.

The playground also includes nature discovery play such as timber hopping logs, balance beams and a two-metre rope traverse unit.

Completing the playground is a shade sail, additional picnic facilities and extensive landscaping with accessible pathways linking the playground to the existing carpark and accessways.

“Students from the support group at Tuncurry High School will be the first to experience the playground, in a special event prior to the public opening on Thursday afternoon,” said Council’s Executive Manager Community Spaces, Daniel Aldridge.

This playground was possible thanks to $250,000 from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund and Council funding of $100,000.

In other great news for children, the new playground at Old Bar will open for play ahead of the Christmas holidays. Wet weather has delayed completion of rubber surfacing with sand in place for now. Final touches including landscaping and additional shelters and seating will complete the park’s revamp in early 2022.

MidCoast Council manages 84 playgrounds across the region, with 10 identified as high use regional parks, and the remainder either categorised as high use district parks, or lower use neighbourhood parks.

Council’s plan for playground upgrades focuses on maintenance, providing structured or natural shade over playground equipment and improving accessibility to play equipment.

For updates on playground upgrades in progress and recently completed projects, head to our playgrounds hub page.

You can register there to receive updates as we commence and complete new playground projects.