Featuring a mud kitchen, climbing walls, slide, brand new deck area and more, the “nature play space” was built locally and came about through a $35,000 state government grant.

The community has made its mark on the space in more ways than one, with the project itself the result of much consultation and the children marking their hands with paint on the side of the new deck.

Beaconsfield Child and Family Centre leader Stewart Bell said the space would provide a “beautiful community hub”.

“It was just a patch of grass and some rubble out here,” Mr Bell added. “There was nothing to walk out onto, and now we’ve also got a deck – which is a new space – a walkway to connect us to the Neighbourhood House, and some beautiful new pieces of natural equipment.”

Tucked between the Beaconsfield Primary School and Neighbourhood House, opportunities to use the space will be open to both neighbours.

Nick Chugg and Sam Tyson from Concept Carpentry and Joinery came on board to help design the new play space with the centre’s team.

“It was quite a rewarding experience,” Mr Chugg said. “Trying to make it as imaginative a playground for the kids as we possibly could – which I think we have achieved.”

“I’m loving coming here today and seeing the kids just enjoy it.

“I’ve got three kids of my own and I can’t believe I’ve never come across the idea of a mud kitchen in my life. I came here today and saw them playing in the mud and thought, ‘that’s just genius’.”

For Mr Bell, the end result was all about getting children active and outside and treating them as “capable and confident”.

“You don’t need expensive, whiz-bang equipment. It’s quite simple in its approach. Let their creativity and their imagination take over and that’s how they build their understanding of the world – and we just facilitated that really.”

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