The City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian Government officially opened the new Gateway Sanctuary playground in Leopold.
Located on the corner Melaluka Road and the Bellarine Highway, the new and larger playground is based around nature play, incorporating the sanctuary’s natural surrounds and allowing children of all ages to play and immerse themselves in the natural environment.
Leopold Primary School students tested out the new play equipment, which features a rope bridge, tunnels, mud pits, logs, sand, fossils, magnifying glasses and water play.
Designed with a sustainability focus, the playground features more than 2000 mostly indigenous plants, recycled and re-purposed timber and mulch, local stone, low-carbon concrete and recycled crushed rock.
A further sustainable aspect of the project involved Highton, Geelong and Flemington Rotary clubs and the MG Car Club Geelong dismantling the old play equipment and sending it to Sri Lanka to be re-used as part of the Sputnik Children’s Park and Toy Library project.
The project delivered a much-needed playground and book and toy library to young people, including a girls’ orphanage and nearby school, in Sri Lanka’s Kurunegala District.
It included a container filled with items such as computers, sewing machines, shelving, books and toys, solar panels and batteries for the local community.
The new Gateway Sanctuary nature playground was funded jointly by the City ($150,000) and the State Government ($100,000).
The City looks after 270 public playgrounds throughout Greater Geelong, you can find your nearest one at www.geelongaustralia.com.au/parks