Project Case Study

Macnamara Nature Park

Nature-Inspired Play

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Where Play Meets Art and Country

Macnamara Nature Park is the first in a series of outdoor spaces planned for Ginninderry — a landmark sustainable community straddling the ACT/NSW border, developed by Riverview Group as part of the West Belconnen Joint Venture. Ginninderry holds a six-star ‘Green Star – Communities’ rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, the highest possible and a first for any community in the ACT. That same commitment to place, sustainability and cultural connection runs through every detail of this park, from the Rustik hardwood equipment to the commissioned First Nations artwork woven through the entire space.

Details

Location: Macnamara, ACT

Client: Riverview Group (West Belconnen Joint Venture); Delivered in collaboration with Redbox Design and RAM Constructions

Project Type: Nature-Inspired Play

Scope: Residential Development

Equipment Budget: $120k

Image credits: Ginninderry

Project Overview

PARX was engaged to manufacture and supply Rustik play equipment for Macnamara Nature Park, supporting the nature-led play experience at the heart of this growing neighbourhood. The brief called for equipment that would honour the site’s character — open, unstructured and visually embedded in the landscape — while offering genuine challenge and developmental value for children of all ages.

A suite of five pieces were chosen to integrate into the broader park environment: Carnarvon, Culgoa, Onkaparinga, Single Bay Swing and Spring Rider. Rustik’s sustainably harvested Australian hardwood is chosen for its warmth, structural integrity and enduring connection to the natural world, qualities that feel especially at home within a development shaped so deliberately by its surrounding landscape and conservation vision.

What makes this project particularly special is the integration of ‘Life Source’ — a significant artwork created by Canberra-based Contemporary Aboriginal (Kamilaroi) artist Leah Brideson. Drawing on her celebration of the deep connections between water, land and community, Leah’s work flows through the entire park.

“One thing residents tell us they really appreciate is the fact that not every open space, playground or opportunity to play or create will be the same. he community sees value in the concept of parks like this, which get kids closer to nature, rather than all swings and slides.”
— Matthew Frawley, Ginninderry Urban Design & Landscape Manager

The Finished Space

When the site was first surveyed, the team discovered a natural rock outcrop with a view to the Murrumbidgee River. That outcrop now sits at the heart of the park, a ready-made climbing challenge that no piece of manufactured equipment could replicate.

Around it, Rustik pieces find their place naturally. The Carnarvon stretches across the space, offering a long, unhurried traverse of wobbly bridge, timber pommels and suspended log for children to test their balance and endurance. The Culgoa offers somewhere to gather, climb and linger. While the Onkaparinga’s three suspended hammocks give kids — and adults — permission to simply stop, swing and be still. A Single Bay Swing and two Spring Riders complete the picture.

At night, Leah Brideson’s ‘Life Source’ artwork is projected by overhead lighting, and the park takes on a different kind of beauty. It’s a space that rewards a second visit.