2 August 2025
The Finocchiaro CLP Government is proud to announce the official reopening of the beloved tree house at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens Children's Playground - just in time for families to enjoy over the long weekend.
The much-loved feature, closed in 2023 for safety reasons, has now been restored and reopened following upgrades to ensure the structure meets modern safety and compliance standards.
Students from Larrakeyah Primary School played a key role advocating for the playground to be reopened, with their calls being heard by Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Marie-Clare Boothby.
"We heard loud and clear from families, school children, and the community that the tree house matters and how important it is to so many people - we listened, and we have delivered," said Ms Boothby.
"We took action to reopen this popular site for the next generation of Territory children to enjoy. Labor prioritised other projects, but our government is restoring the spaces that make Darwin unique."
"With the tree house back in action, families can once again enjoy a truly unique part of the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens experience - which is a fantastic spot for locals and visitors to enjoy on the weekend and a great place for locals and visitors to bring their kids."
Member for Fannie Bay Laurie Zio has been a key driving force in getting the tree house restored along with strong support and advocacy from Friends of the Botanic Gardens, local families, and community groups.
The George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens is a popular spot for locals and visitors, with 448,500 coming through the park during the 2024-25 financial year. The playground, with its multi-level play structure nestled amongst the trees, has long been a crowd favourite.
$205,000 in capital works were identified to upgrade and deliver this important community project. Construction was completed by local contractors Wurrba Pty Ltd and upgrades included soft-fall replacement, structural reinforcements and independent certification.
Minister Boothby thanked everyone for their patience whilst the CLP government resolved this longstanding problem dating back to 2023.
"We promised Territorians a year of action, certainty and security, and this project is another example of how we're restoring confidence in our community spaces and restoring the unique Territory lifestyle we all love so much," said Ms Boothby.
Jason Hanna, owner of Eva's Cafe located in the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, said: "The Botanic Gardens is and has always been free for locals and visitors to enjoy the hard efforts of the gardens staff so close to heart of the city.
"I can speak for all the kids and families that come to visit us at Eva's, everyone is excited by the opening of the iconic Botanic Gardens treehouse."
