A playground which the City of Sydney says is the largest it has ever built is now open.

The City of Sydney has announced that Gunyama Park in Zetland is now open for play.

Part of Sydney’s Green Square urban development project, the park will enable children to climb, skate and splash across an area of 6,300 square meters of new open space.

Features include:

• Major features, including 70 meters of tunnels and tube slides, a skate plaza and a water play area.
• Playground features including swings, a flying fox, climbing ropes, in-ground trampolines, a small sand play area, musical elements and obstacles. (The playground features specific areas for toddlers and primary school-aged children).
• A design which reflects the park’s location, including banksia scrub surrounding channels that mirror the original wetlands and native plants belonging to the area.
• Sustainability features including more than 150 planted trees, a green roof on the amenities building, habitat boxes for local animals to make themselves at home, seating made of rammed earth and recycled water to help plants thrive.
• A design which recognises how Aboriginal ways of living are dictated by knowledge of Country and seasonal changes in the environment, marked by transformations in flora and fauna and movements of the stars. (The park’s name Gunyama is an Aboriginal Sydney language word meaning wind from the southwest. Strong southerlies regularly blow through the district.)
• Other features, including a learning circle to support intergenerational and cross-cultural education, a large lawn area, barbecues and picnic tables and bathrooms and change rooms for the sports field next door.

(credit: City of Sydney/Will Jones)

The new playground is part of Sydney’s Green Square urban renewal project.

Set across an area of 278 hectares spanning five inner-southern suburbs, the project is one of Australia’s largest urban generation developments.

By 2036, it is expected to house 63,000 people and be home to one of Australia’s most densely populated neighborhoods.

(credit: City of Sydney/Will Jones)

The development is being supported by a $1.8 billion dollar infrastructure program.

This has so far delivered a new library and plaza, an aquatic centre, sports fields, childcare and a creative hub as well as roads, drains, footpaths, cycling links and a protected corridor for future rail.

Th program is also delivering more than 40 playgrounds and parks and recently completed a new primary school.

The new playground sits alongside a sporting field, outdoor fitness equipment and the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre – the largest swim facility built in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.

(credit: City of Sydney/Will Jones)

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO welcomed the opening of the new playground.

“For the many thousands in our community who live in apartments, parks and playgrounds are a backyard,” Moore said.

“This new wonderland for our youngest residents and their friends is one of 40 parks we’re delivering to ensure Green Square is not just one of Australia’s largest urban renewal precincts, but one of our most livable communities.”

The playground was designed by Andrew Burges Architects, Grimshaw Architects, Taylor Cullity Lethlean and Place Design Group in collaboration with City of Sydney.

It was constructed by Regal Innovations.

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