Gumbilang Lar Reserve – Harlowe Estate, Bendigo

Safe Play was proud to collaborate with the landscape architecture team from Spiire on the delivery of the community play space at Gumbilang Lar Reserve. The masterplan for the reserve, situated within the Harlowe Estate development in Bendigo’s Huntly region, was developed while working closely with Dja Dja Wurrung (Djaara) traditional owner representatives. The completed project delivers a vibrant, culturally connected play space that celebrates the identity and natural heritage of the local Country.

The Brief

Gumbilang Lar – meaning ‘Resting Place’ in Djaara language – was conceived as far more than a standard residential estate playground. The overall design brief called for a community space that reflected the cultural significance of the land, with Indigenous themes woven throughout the play equipment, shelters, footpath stencils and seat carvings. The play space needed to serve a growing new community while celebrating the native flora, fauna and rich cultural heritage of the Djaara people. Spiire engaged Safe Play to supply equipment that could meet both the play value requirements and the cultural design intent of the project.

Design Response

Supplying playspace equipment for a project like this calls for a close collaborative approach: understanding the design intent and finding ways to bring it to life, as opposed to simply delivering a catalogue selection.

Working closely with Spiire’s landscape architecture team, one key aspect of customisation was the modification of our sensory play flowers to ensure the structures reflected the local flora of the area.

Indigenous artwork from Djaara artists Troy Firebrace, Natasha Carter and Andrew Saunders informed the overall design language of the space. We played close attention to both the play brief and the cultural context throughout, which influenced both equipment choice and colour schemes. This led to one of the standout elements: the shelter roofs above the play structures, which feature an artwork laser cut into the panels. These were laser cut locally in Ringwood, Victoria by one of our manufacturing partners. It’s a detail that ties the play space unmistakably to its place and community.

Outcome

The result is a play space that tells a story. Gumbilang Lar Reserve is a space where children can play, explore and challenge themselves, surrounded by design elements that connect them to the cultural heritage of the land they’re playing on. The collaboration between Spiire, DJANDAK, the Djaara artists, and Safe Play has produced something the whole Harlowe community can be proud of, and a project we’re honoured to have contributed to.

Design & Spec Notes

• Sensory play flowers: modified to reflect local indigenous flora
• Shelter roofs with laser-cut Indigenous artwork panels, produced locally in Ringwood
• Play equipment specified in collaboration with Spiire landscape architecture team
• Indigenous design themes integrated throughout — equipment, shelters, stencils and seating
• Project delivered as part of the broader Gumbilang Lar Reserve, Harlowe Estate, Bendigo
• Indigenous design collaboration: DJANDAK and Dja Dja Wurrung (Djaara) artists

Location: Huntly, Bendigo Shire, Victoria

Landscape Architecture: Spiire