Gympie Regional Council is asking the community to help shape renewed playgrounds at Crab Creek Park in Tin Can Bay and Clive Colburn Park in Kandanga. Both projects were funded in this year's Budget and aim to deliver modern, safe and accessible play spaces. The Crab Creek playground sits on the foreshore and is popular with locals and visitors. The Clive Colburn playground is heavily used on game and training days at nearby sporting fields. Surveys close at 5pm on Thursday, 12 November 2026, and the renewals are expected to be completed by 30 June 2027.
A fresh look is planned for the playground at Brookville Gardens in Toorak, with a draft design now open for public comment. The design includes a tunnel slide, a double slide, a rock scaling wall, a tree climber, a spider web climber, netted cube monkey bars and a shop counter for imaginative play. The council also proposes updating the existing play towers, which the community has said it values. Feedback can be shared online until 11.59 pm on Monday 16 November.
Knox City Council has secured $312,500 in state funding for two park projects after community votes in the Victorian Government's Pick My Park program. Marie Wallace Reserve in Bayswater will receive $250,000 for a new eel-themed playspace with water play, an accessible net swing, carousel and bank slide, plus tree planting and seating. David Cooper Park in Wantirna South will receive $62,500 for solar-powered lighting to improve safety after dark. Construction at both sites is expected to start in early 2027.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
MidCoast Council says more than $11 million has been spent on parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities across the region over the past three years. The council has completed or partly completed 73 actions under its Open Space and Recreation Strategy, with more than $9.13 million coming from external funding. Major projects include the Black Head Skatepark, the Forster Pelican Boardwalk extension and the Gloucester Billabong Park Suspension Bridge. Council executive manager Liam Bulley said the projects reflect community priorities. Master plans have also been completed for Taree Recreation Grounds, Old Bar Park and Wingham Central Park.
Residents in Logan can help shape designs for seven park projects, with the first feedback deadline just days away. Logan Mayor Jon Raven said locals can influence what is included before plans are finalised. Proposals include a rocket-themed playground and flying fox at Logan West Parklands in Greenbank, and a moon buggy play feature at Mount Warren Park. Tudor Park in Loganholme could get a fenced futsal and basketball court. Feedback closes between 21 October and 13 November.
Greater Dandenong Council's Woody Meadow garden beds are brightening parks while creating habitat for insects and other wildlife. The low-maintenance gardens have been planted since 2021 as part of a trial with the University of Melbourne. Council's Environmental Engagement Team Leader Patrick Cazaly says the dense plantings discourage weeds and reduce work for the horticulture team. The beds are coppiced every two years to encourage healthy regrowth. Three Woody Meadows are located at Burden Park, Ross Reserve and Dandenong Park, and were pruned in May.
Parks across Wyndham will host free outdoor movie screenings over the next four months as part of Movies in the Park. The first screening, Hotel Transylvania, will be shown at Hoppers Junction on Saturday October 31. Venues in Hoppers Crossing, Williams Landing, Werribee and Mambourin will host films including Sing, Elf, The Notebook and Rio. Free popcorn will be provided, and nearby dinner and takeaway options will be available. A special Christmas screening will feature an appearance from Santa. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and bring picnic rugs, low-back chairs and warm layers.
Brisbane City Council is developing a Dawn Plan to boost early-morning economic opportunities, with a survey open until November 22 to gather resident feedback. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the plan aims to improve park facilities, pathways and public transport options for early risers. Research shows 13 per cent of Brisbane cafes open between 5am and 6am, with half serving customers by 8am.
Wyndham has been awarded $250,000 through the Pick My Park program for the Greening the Pipeline project in Williams Landing. The funding will pay for a new playspace, picnic facilities, trees and landscaping at Zone 5 East Local Park, on the corner of Mclachlan Drive and Lukis Avenue. Laverton MP Sarah Connolly said the project would create more green space and local amenities. Precincts Minister Nick Staikos said the program aims to create quality green spaces where local communities can connect.
An opinion piece argues that when local open space is fenced off for restricted use, the public loses part of its neighbourhood. It says public parks and community-held lots exist for everyone.
The City of Wanneroo is considering leasing sections of four parks in Perth’s northern suburbs to Optus and Telstra for mobile phone towers. The proposed sites are at Halesworth, Heath, Caraway and Ridgewood parks, with some less than 50 metres from nearby homes. The city says the areas have experienced lower coverage and service gaps, and the towers could generate between $80,000 and $120,000 in annual rental income. A final vote on the proposal is expected on October 27.
North Sydney Council has endorsed the re-establishment of North Sydney Swimming Club, which will provide a representative pathway for swimmers from the Olympic Pool. Council has also expressed serious concern over the potential withdrawal of $9.3 million in committed funding for Hume Street Park Stage 2 in Crows Nest, and will write to Premier Chris Minns seeking assurance. Public exhibition of two Ilbery Reserve Playground concept designs runs from 26 October to 22 November 2026. Council also backed keeping defence land, including land at HMAS Penguin, in public hands.
The Arthur Fairall playground in Kings Park will be permanently removed later this month after an independent engineering assessment found its poles structurally unsound. The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority announced the closure, saying the playground had reached the end of its useful life. Repairs were judged unviable because of widespread defects from natural degradation, and repair would require significant investment. Landscaping works will follow, and alternative play spaces will be investigated as part of a broader review. The Lycopod Island in the ornamental lake will remain open.
North Sydney's new park booking system is live, balancing commercial use and large gatherings with free casual access. The system aims to manage limited open space as demand grows, particularly in Crows Nest and St Leonards, where open space per person is projected to fall. From 2027, commercial operators and large groups will pay fees, with revenue funding maintenance. Casual use remains free, and the system launched on 6 October 2026.
