The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters' Dunstan Adventure Playground was awarded the Landscape Architecture Award for Play Spaces at the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) 2025 Landscape Architecture Awards on Friday 20 June.
The Landscape Architecture Awards promote the achievements and work of landscape architects in Australia and is an opportunity for public and peer recognition.
Following a $1 million redevelopment, the new Dunstan Adventure Playground was officially opened on 2 February 2024 by Mayor Robert Bria and the South Australian Premier, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP.
Mayor Bria says the award reflects the investment that the Council is making into the renewal of its playgrounds as places the whole family can enjoy.
"The Dunstan Adventure Playground is the result of thoughtful planning and collaboration with First Nations people to create a place that demonstrates a strong connection to Country, offers active and nature play for children of all ages and places for families and friends to connect, among a stunning natural landscape.
"I am particularly proud of the teamwork demonstrated throughout the project that included Council staff, arborists, designers, contractors, Kaurna representatives and artists and residents."
Paying homage to former South Australian Premier Don Dunstan's vision, the Dunstan Adventure Playground boasts adventure themed play equipment complete with barbecues, lighting, shelter toilets and picnic facilities amongst a thoughtfully designed landscape setting.
The AILA Landscape Awards judges' citation notes that, "The project is an exemplar, led by landscape architecture and a collaborative relationship with Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation and local Kaurna artists".
"The refreshed space has a strong connection to Country — an element previously missing within this playground on the Karrawirra Pari, despite Don Dunstan being a champion for First Nations people and its riverine context."
Judges acknowledged that through its redevelopment, the Dunstan Adventure Playground has retained its unique qualities of challenging play while building on these themes with embedded culture and environmental sensitivity.
"The team has reinforced this fantastic destination along the River Torrens Linear Park. The playground design is brave and also encourages children and parents to be brave — just as it did in the seventies."
Burchell Reserve, located at 50 Sixth Avenue, St Peters, was also acknowledged with two commendations following its $4.2 million redevelopment.
The Water for Life Commendation is a nod to the Council's strategic approach to substantive stormwater peak flow mitigation and water quality improvements that has been delivered with high-quality green space and leisure opportunities for the local community.
Judges specifically noted thoughtful integration of a raingarden and stormwater detention tanks below the tennis courts, stating, "this was done without impacting on activity space, and park-wide detention storage, whilst retaining mature trees via progressive civil works treatment".
The Healthy Parks Healthy People Commendation saluted the Council's approach to integration of existing mature trees and green spaces with stormwater management and new recreational opportunities — with a clear focus on expressing the natural drainage and landscape palette.
