Case Studies
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park
Design Feature
Type of project
Playground, Placemaking
State
Western Australia
Location
Urban
RioTinto Naturescape Kings Park uniquely and positively contributes to a local and regional sense of place. It also supports Kings Park and Botanic Garden’s vision for a community that is environmentally sustainable into the future. Many urban children miss out on the wonder of exploring and playing in nature. Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is a unique place to learn through adventure and unstructured play.
A meaningful environment
The space helps children to understand the sensitive Western Australian ecosystems, the importance of bushland and natural resources, all while benefiting from physical activity. It is devoted to connecting children with nature and learning about the Western Australian environment, local Aboriginal culture and the natural sciences.
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is a place for children to connect with nature and learn to appreciate the Western Australian environment. The space provides children with a real ‘bush’ experience in the middle of the city, an experience not common for children in urban environments. Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park comprises 60 000 square metres of native bushland and trails located within the 400 hectares of Kings Park. It is a short walk from the main visitor hub of Fraser Avenue, comprising cafes, the Visitor Information Centre and Aspects of Kings Park Gallery Shop, as well as the Western Australian Botanic Garden.
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park provides a new experience for young children who, unlike their parents, are growing up indoors surrounded by technology, rather than outdoors. It supports the development of children’s motor skills, senses, emotion, intellect, personal growth and social skills.
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park provides a new experience for young children who, unlike their parents, are growing up indoors surrounded by technology, rather than outdoors. It supports the development of children’s motor skills, senses, emotion, intellect, personal growth and social skills.
The design of Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is deliberately different from the structured play areas usually found in local parks. The space is natural with children being able to play in mud, climb on logs, build cubbies and paddle in water. A wheelchair accessible trail links different areas, exposing children to a number of different environments. Trained volunteers and Kings Park Naturescapers assist children and parents to get the most out of the unique natural experience.
Covering six hectares and surrounded by natural bushland, the facility includes popular elements including two aerial walkways, a running creek and waterhole with rocky banks, log bridges, climbing ropes, tree hides, a cubby building zone, bridges and meandering paths. Two thirds of the precinct is open to the general public and one third is a dedicated Education zone. Each section offers a unique experience, designed to appeal to children of different ages, personalities and abilities.
Project team
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority
- Friends of Kings Park
- Lotterywest
- Plan E Landscape Design
- Rio Tinto
Project cost
Rio Tinto is providing funding of almost $9 million during its 12-year partnership with the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority. Lotterywest and the Water Corporation provided $3 million and $1 million respectively, along with additional support from the federal government’s Solar Cities program.
Health value
- Spending time in nature provides children with a diversity of sights, sounds, smells and textures not normally experienced. This exposure to the natural environment supports the development of healthy mental and physical processes.
Economic value
- When Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park was established a new team of volunteers trained to support Rio Tinto Naturescape. The skills these volunteers have developed include familiarity with the site, working effectively with children, and general knowledge of flora and fauna.
- In 2019, a total of 315 teachers and childcare educators participated in professional development sessions. The sessions familiarise the teachers with the philosophy and layout of the site, discuss safety considerations and help teachers with planning and ensuring their excursion is safe and successful.
- The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority supports education with an integrated research focus on practical outcomes. The authority supervises post-graduate students, collaborates on major research projects, grants a limited number of summer scholarships for post-graduate work and has coordinated the University of Western Australia Masters stream for over 11 years running certificate courses and traineeships with some crossover into Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park.
Environmental value
- Nearly two thirds of Kings Park is natural bushland containing 326 species of native plants and over 70 bird species. Children visiting the Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park are introduced to some of these unique Western Australian species and the need to conserve our environment.
- The Kings Park Science team undertakes major research projects which provide practical outcomes in the conservation of rare or threatened species and/or ecological restoration of native plant communities. This knowledge assists in the restoration/management of lands under the care of Kings Park and Bold Park and is applied to wider projects in Western Australia.
- Over 40,000 additional native plants were planted on the site when it was being established and each year approximately 6,000 more native plants are planted during the winter months to enhance Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park’s bush setting.
Social value
- Kings Park acknowledges and provides opportunities for education about both European and Indigenous culture. Mount Eliza, known as Kaarta Gar-up by the local Nyoongar people, has always been a significant gathering point for Aboriginal people.
- Cultural Heritage is one of the three program streams offered by Kings Park Education. This stream includes four regular Nyoongar cultural education programs and the Nyoongar Boodja Six Season festivals, six three-day mini festivals to celebrate cultural activities across the six Nyoongar seasons of the year.
- Community consultation guided the design of Rio Tinto Naturescape. Some 231 public submissions were received through the public consultation process and a further 398 submissions were received prior to the Stage 2 redevelopment
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is understood to be an international first, designed to provide a range of unique activity nodes, carefully overlaid into existing bush vegetation to protect environmental values and sustainable outcomes. It provides a legacy for generations to interact, understand and preserve Western Australia’s unique environment. It is a positive and innovative way to preserve our sense of place.
Use value
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park has established itself as a leader in connecting children with nature since it opened in October 2011. In 2019 it received 118,713 visitors, including over 29,000 who participated in Kings Park Education programs.
- The majority of visitation is from the general community, occurring predominately on weekends and during school holidays.
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park’s design attracts children aged 5 to 12 years and supports children with a range of abilities. The space features a tunnel, gully and boardwalks that are wheelchair accessible.
- Consultation with more than 40 special needs groups provided feedback during the development of Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park for its first stage of development. A second community consultation strategy including children, families and experts from a range of sectors was undertaken in 2015 to prepare for Stage 2.
- Kings Park Education has experienced a three-fold increase in demand since Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park became the new home of Kings Park Education in 2012. Each year 30,000 students take part in the Kings Park Education programs.
- Naturescapers delivered 20 free activities for young visitors in 2019, during the school holidays and on weekends. These activities included a range of nature-based arts, crafts and games and external presentations by environmental educators. In addition the Naturescapers produced a highly successful series of self-guided challenge and activity brochures. It is estimated that over 17 thousand children participated in at least one or more of these challenges.
- Public access to the Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is via Transperth bus route 935 from the Perth CBD.
References
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Annual Report 2017/18, Perth Western Australia
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Annual Report 2011/2012, Perth Western Australia
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park, Sourced on 24 March 2020 from http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/area/naturescape
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park, Sourced on 11 Dec 2012 from http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/education/naturescape
- Commissioned by Planet Ark, Planting Trees: Just What The Doctor Ordered Research Report, T.Ha, J.Lewin, B.Gray, A.Bowden, D.Agnew, S.Mc Gregor, J.Mc Callum, Z.Zhou, T.Glasson, L.Poisel and B.Visperas. (2012)
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