A NSW Government website

Places to Play

Places to Play builds on the commitment of the Everyone Can Play program, expanded to support the delivery of adventurous spaces such as skate parks, pump tracks in addition to mountain bike trails, water play and nature-based playspaces. These projects create better places for people of all ages and abilities to come together, enjoy the outdoors and play.

Places to Play is part of the Open Spaces Program, with a $16.7 million funding commitment to provide more public open spaces for adventure and play.

Successful projects in 2022/23

Full list of successful projects

A total of $4,987,223 has been awarded across 13 projects in the 2022/23 grant program.

CouncilProject details
Bourke Shire CouncilCentral Park Bourke Adventure Park - $184,433
Carrathool Shire CouncilConstruction of the Goolgowi Pump Track - $170,910
Edward River CouncilEdward River Skate Park - $500,000
Hornsby Shire CouncilBrickpit Park Playground Upgrade - $500,000
Kempsey Shire CouncilKalateenee Forest Mountain Bike Enduro Trail Upgrade - $301,600
Lake Macquarie City CouncilRathmines Park Pump Track - $500,000
Maitland City CouncilRoy Jordan Oval Skate Park & Playspace - $500,000
Orange City CouncilOrange Adventure Playground (Stage 2) - $485,280
Parkes Shire CouncilTelling the story of water in Parkes Shire through play - $500,000
Sydney Olympic Park AuthorityHaslams Pump Track project - $500,000
Temora Shire CouncilBradley Park Nature based Adventure and Water Playspace - $345,000
Upper Hunter Shire CouncilScone Mountain National Park mountain bike and walking trails - $200,000
Wollongong City CouncilWollongong City Centre Skate Park - $300,000

Pilot project - Bingara Long Run Skate Park

Gwydir Shire Council

The NSW Government has committed $450,000 to an innovative skate park in Cunningham Park, Gwydir Shire. The facility accommodates users of all ages and includes a perimeter pump track, an inner skate area and supporting amenities.

The skate park and pump track was designed with young people in the region and aims to provide more recreational activities for local residents and visitors.

This project is due to start construction in 2023.

Image: Bingara Long Run Skate Park, Gwydir Shire Council

Bingara Long Run Skate Park

Pilot project - Gipps Street Recreation Precinct

Penrith City Council

The NSW has invested $500,000 towards the 32-hectare Gipps Street Recreation Precinct which will deliver essential district-level sports and recreation infrastructure for the people of Western Sydney.

The Gipps Street Recreation Precinct originally functioned as council’s main waste facility from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s. Following extensive remediation, it is set to become a landmark destination for adventure and play in Western Sydney.

This facility is a first of its kind in the Penrith local government area. The precinct will include an inclusive floodlit adventure skate park, BMX pump track, multi-sport courts, parkour and youth-based adventure infrastructure as well as inclusive water playspaces, outdoor fitness gym, walking trails and passive recreation areas.

This project has started construction.

Image: Gipps Street Recreation Precinct, Penrith City Council

Gipps Street Recreation Precinct artist image

Successful 2021-22 grant projects

Full list of successful projects

There were 24 projects across 11 councils that were successful in the 2021/22 grant program with a total value of $8.5 million.

CouncilProject details
Bayside CouncilSir Joseph Banks Park Nature Playspace – $250,000
Blacktown City CouncilGlenwood Skate Space – $375,000
Campbelltown City CouncilMarsden Park Playspace upgrade – $200,000
Canterbury-Bankstown CouncilBringing BMX to CBCity – $500,000
City of Canada BayBrett Park Adventure Playspace – Nature Play and Water Play – $250,000
City of Parramatta CouncilCentral City Parkway – $500,000
Cumberland City CouncilCivic Park Nature Play Area – $250,000
Goulburn Mulwaree CouncilRiverside Park Pump Track Project – $455,200
Griffith City CouncilGriffith Mountain Bike – $500,000
Hawkesbury City CouncilWoodbury Reserve Adventure Facilities – $455,000
Hay Shire CouncilHay Teenage Adventure Zone – $477,525
Hornsby Shire CouncilChildren’s Forest Fagan Park, Galston – $250,000
Inner West CouncilLilyfield Skate Plaza – $500,000
Kempsey Shire CouncilMacleay Valley Recreation Adventure Park Pump Track – $459,987
Lake Macquarie City CouncilMurrays Beach Park – $100,000
Muswellbrook Shire CouncilAdventure Playground at Wollombi Park – $480,000
Port Macquarie-Hastings CouncilKew Nature Playground – $150,000
Shellharbour City CouncilAboriginal Interpretive Playspace Stage 2 – $80,000
Upper Lachlan Shire CouncilWattle Glen Adventure Park – $500,000
Wingecarribee Shire CouncilWingello Adventure Play – $440,000
Wollondilly Shire CouncilTahmoor District Sporting complex – BMX Park Adventure Play upgrade – $100,000
Woollahra Municipal CouncilLyne Park Playground Renewal – $250,000

The following map shows the list of successful projects. You can open this map in a new window or a static version of the map can be viewed here.

Grant guidelines and supporting information

Who is eligible to apply?

Funding is available to all councils in NSW and eligible NSW state government agencies.

Eligible state government agencies include those who own and manage the publicly accessible land on which the projects will be delivered. The delivered facilities must be freely and publicly accessible.

What can funding be used for?

The funding will support the creation of innovative and inclusive play and adventure spaces for people of all ages and abilities. This can include:

  • new and better public spaces that facilitate adventure sports and recreation (such as mountain biking, parkour, scooter and skate places and pump tracks)
  • nature and water play for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, and promotion of recreation and connection with nature for families and children following lockdown
  • provision of outdoor recreation spaces for young people in areas where these facilities are in high demand but where there is an undersupply.
How is this program different to the Everyone Can Play grant program?

The funding will support the creation of innovative and inclusive play and adventure spaces for people of all ages and abilities. This can include:

  • new and better public spaces that facilitate adventure sports and recreation (such as mountain biking, parkour, scooter and skate places and pump tracks)
  • nature and water play for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, and promotion of recreation and connection with nature for families and children following lockdown
  • provision of outdoor recreation spaces for young people in areas where these facilities are in high demand but where there is an undersupply.
How is this program different to the Everyone Can Play grant program?

Places to Play builds on the success of the Everyone Can Play program by applying the principles to adventure play, water and nature play. Places to Play is designed to support the creation of places for play and adventure that are inclusive to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Places to Play takes the principles of Can I Get There, Can I Play, Can I Stay and applies it to adventurous activities, water and nature playspaces.