Located at the Gold Coast's most iconic foreshore parks, Fleetwood delivers a custom interactive...
- Client
- Stockland
- Project Partners
- MALA Studio (landscape architect) and JMac Constructions (lead contractor)
- State
- Victoria
Enter the 'Fallen Log Forest'.
Mt. Atkinson is a new residential community being developed by Stockland at Truganina, 25km west of the Melbourne CBD. FORGE was appointed to help design, detail and deliver a destination nature play experience at Conondale Park, in partnership with the Mt. Atkinson landscape architects, MALA Studio, and JMac Constructions.
Inspired by the history and geology of surrounding area, the park design features the extensive use of local natural timbers and reclaimed volcanic rock with custom play elements including a ‘Fallen Log Forest’, swing set and a 32-metre adventure course. Conondale Park was completed in late 2023 and officially opened to the public in January 2024.
Our involvement.
FORGE was originally approached by MALA Studio to provide design input for achieving their vision for the new play structures at Conondale Park.
We proposed a Design Scoping Package (DSP) which was approved by both MALA and Stockland. Working collaboratively with the wider project team, we explored and refined a series of concept designs and budgets which formed part of MALA’s drawing submission to Council for approval. With the green light given to proceed, we were then appointed under the lead landscape contractor at Conondale Park, JMac Constructions, to detail, manufacture and install the approved play structures in close and ongoing consultation with the project’s external play safety auditors.
Design Challenge
Inspired by the region’s historic volcanic lava flows, the design vision from MALA Studio was highly original - and also highly complex to realise. In particular, the main ‘Fallen Log Forest’ play experience - including a 32-metre adventure course - featured multiple overlapping layers, with forest play, volcanic play, programmed play and connection play all radiating out from a central climbing spine. Combining this custom creativity in a way that could be delivered safely and cost-effectively in the real world required considerable design thought and planning.
Another key consideration was the desire to utilise as much reclaimed basaltic stone in the new play structures as possible. A number of ancillary proprietary play items (trampolines, swings, a spinner and sand diggers) also needed to be seamlessly integrated into the wider design, as well as shade structures and furniture elements.
Construction Challenge
With no two elements the same, the extensive use of irregular natural timbers gives the structures at Conondale Park their charm. But it also made the installation process far from straightforward. Lining up the different lengths of timber with steel members and ropes required detailed planning and considerable attention to detail from our site crews, whilst also mitigating potential entrapment issues with the many timber connections.
Innovation
To maximise safety for users of the park for years to come, FORGE designed a custom conduit and heat shrink to be used over the play ropes to prevent fraying against the timber logs.
Features
- ‘Fallen Log Forest’
- Swing set
- 32-metre adventure course
- Timber post steppers
- Rope net and tunnels
- Pommels and monkey bars
- Wobbly bridge
Materials
- Basaltic stone
- Class 1 Hardwood timber
- Steel-core rope
- Proprietary play items
Safety & Risk Considerations
Safety compliance is a critical consideration for custom play projects like Conondale Park, with care required to eliminate risks posed by entrapment and fall zones. A number of modifications were made to satisfy the play auditor’s requirements before final sign-off, with particular attention paid to the safety of all interfaces between play rope and natural timbers.
Sustainability Considerations
As part of the overall design vision for Conondale Park, it was important to reuse as much of the basaltic stone from the existing site as possible. Sustainably sourced hardwood timbers also featured heavily in the final play structures.
