About this project

An aging park and reserve area at popular Mullaway Beach (near Coffs Harbour) needed a major overhaul with some creative thinking to create a connected space for community and visitors.

Project brief
Mullaway Beach Reserve is a popular spot for the local community as well as day trippers and visitors to the area. Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) had a vision for the reserve to be transformed to provide Mullaway with a connected, attractive, safe, recreational reserve creating a focal point for the local community.

Existing infrastructure was aged, with a lack of connectivity between the playground, picnic area, and the beach. The plan was for a new playground, upgrade of existing facilities and formalisation of pathway connections.

The site
Mullaway Beach Reserve forms part of the Coffs Coast Regional Park, which is governed by a NSW Government-appointed Trust Board of community representatives, including Aboriginal Elders and representatives of CHCC and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Prior to revitalisation, Mullaway Beach Reserve was separated into two distinct sections due to the native vegetation that divided the site, connected by a raised boardwalk. It linked the community to the beach through the tree‐lined reserve. Although there were challenges to working with the current layout, it also meant there was design opportunity to open up the space and make it more accessible and usable.

The reserve was divided into

  1. Beach access area
    provides toilet facilities which are to be upgraded as part of the overall works with consideration being given to screening the existing pump station infrastructure.
  2. Play space section of the park

Benefits from the natural shade provided by established vegetation which creates a pleasant environment.

Challenges and considerations
As the focal point for the community, their input was needed to understand how they envisaged using the space. This formed the basis for concepts as well as refinements to the final design.

We also needed to consider key factors affecting the site:

  • the majority of the existing play equipment and shelter were dated and due for replacement to enable a new design which utilises the existing natural assets
  • consideration needed to be given to the pump house infrastructure which was an eyesore for those going to and from the beach
  • the location of the BBQ dominated the space and needed to be relocated with the provision of covered seating to provide better amenity for the space.

The first stage of improvement was to enhance existing facilities through

  • the installation of a compliant and inclusive play space
  • improving connectivity between the beach, restrooms, picnic and play space facilities

The design needed to incorporate seating, picnic and play elements to reflect and enhance the coastal character of the space.

Landscape elements included in the design
Community involvement and stakeholder engagement was instrumental in forming the foundation for the design brief and what attributes the reserve needed to serve the community and visitors.  GeoLINK’s Landscape Architecture team were able to provide a well considered design that incorporated

  1. Play space
  2. Path network
  3. Shelters
  4. Park furniture
  5. Soft landscaping
  6. Disabled parking and access
  7. Amenities
  8. Services

Working in conjunction with our in-house civil engineer and GIS specialist, GeoLINK were able to provide a comprehensive design, that ticked all the boxes for the client.

Design concepts become reality for the Mullaway community
New play facilities, sheltered picnic table, pathways, seating, bubbler and the yarning circle were completed in the Reserve earlier in 2022. A new beach shower, accessible car parking and linking pathway complemented the space in November 2022. The reserve is now more popular than ever.

At GeoLINK, we pride ourselves on innovative landscape architecture design solutions that provide a valued legacy to our clients, the community and the environment. Get in touch to find out more.

 

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