The Mildura Water Play Park revitalises parkland along the Murray River, inviting families to relax and play in a prime riverfront setting.
Mildura Rural City Council commissioned the project to revive a 10 kilometre stretch of public park as part of an $18.3 million upgrade of the river precinct.
Landscape architects Tract Consultants, with contractors King Construction Group, transformed the space into a local hotspot that attracted 1000 visitors each weekend in its first summer.
“Given the hot climate of Mildura a waterplay facility was identified as an activity; to use that as part of the wider masterplan would help encourage people back to the park and the river,” says Nigel Parker, associate landscape architect with Tract.
The firm designed a 40 metre long artificial stream, laid out like a river delta with divergent paths, islands and rivulets. Fountains, programmed water geysers, splash pads, manual water pumps and other play elements feature along the watercourse.
“Further interest is added through different surfaces and textures, such as river cobbles, naturalistic boulder placement and selected areas of colourful wetpour rubber to add a splash of colour,” says Parker.
“The naturalistic shapes of the waterplay were based on Aboriginal fish traps used on the Murray for centuries.”
A botanical garden surrounds the waterplay stream, with emphasis on indigenous plants used by local Aboriginal people, such as the trunks of the Murray River Cypress, for making fishing spears.
Custom seating and Frame Bin Enclosures by Street Furniture Australia feature in the park, supporting BBQ facilities, pergolas and indigenous trees.
“Tract specifically designed furniture for the site that matched larger structural elements,” says Parker.
“Street Furniture Australia were able to work alongside us to manufacture a quality bench that met the requirements of the design.
“They offered the flexibility to choose paint products and finishes that ensured the furniture fitted seamlessly into the wider design and added to the finished result.”
Cass Harris from King Construction Group says the park has been well received by the local community.
“It is now seen as a large part of the river frontage here in Mildura, where families can go and have a wonderful day out with no cost factors involved,” she says.
“We now see the park being used by the public on a day-to-day basis, with children playing with smiles on their faces.”
She adds, “Working with Street Furniture has been fantastic, their customer service and sales department have been outstanding in regards to going above and beyond to give us the best service and products that we required.
“I would recommend their products and services to anyone needing the products they stock. Their effort and time put into helping us with this product definitely didn’t go unnoticed and we greatly appreciate what they have done as a company to provide us with a great friendly service and fantastic products.”
The Water Play Park up and running:
