Castle Playground Grand Opening

CASTLE PLAYGROUND VIDEO

Many months ago, our Executive Principal, Mr Davis, had the vision to create an amazing Prep – Year 2 playground that would inspire hours of imagination and fun. Talented local artist, Andrew Payne (and Mrs Payne’s husband), was tasked with designing and constructing the project. After brainstorming and conceptualising the aesthetics, a medieval castle theme was chosen and in early 2021 construction works began. Over the six months that followed, Mr Payne persevered through many obstacles, from extreme weather that created extensive flooding and access difficulties for the large machinery, COVID delays to the two large slides and evolving changes from the compliance certifier. Andrew had to think creatively to position the 4-tonne concrete pipes (turrets) onto the very boggy site with heavy equipment, but slowly the framework of the playground came to life. Mrs Payne also poured many hours into the masterpiece as she spent her weekends and school holidays painting the walls, making castle bricks and completing general labouring work. Designed with our young students’ learning and interests in mind, the Castle playground provides problem-solving challenges and opportunities to extend their physical development, from scaling up tunnels, traversing across walls, walking across a rickety bridge onto a slide, climbing through an underground tunnel, swinging on a trebuchet, balancing on logs, to playing in the sandpit ‘moat.'

Official Opening Day

Early in Week 2, our Prep – Year 2 students gathered on the Primary Oval to see their brand new King’s Castle playground unveiled. There were cheers of excitement and appreciation as our Head of Primary, Mrs Payne, cut the red ribbon to signify the official opening of the magnificent new play space. This playground has been dedicated to Mr Davis, whose heart for our King’s kids to have a wonderful playground has seen his dream become a reality, and created a place that will become the highlight of Primary breaktimes for many years to come.