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Have your say on a new playground at Horseshoe Lake!

Project Overview

online community engagement

We are excited to announce the planning phase for a new neighbourhood park and playground at Horseshoe Lake in East Bunbury - and we need your input to make it a space that truly reflects our community's needs and desires!

Your feedback is invaluable in helping us design a playground and park that will be enjoyed by all community members for years to come.

To help inform the City’s concept planning, we invite you to participate in a survey to help us better understand how the reserve is currently being enjoyed, potential future needs and any preferences you might have on the playground location. The survey is open until the 10th August 2025.

Please take a few moments to complete our survey and share your thoughts on what features and amenities you would like to see! Your responses will directly influence the design options and location.

Once we have created draft designs and preferred location of the playground, we will consult our community again to choose their favourite design and features.

If you have any questions or queries relating to this project, please contact our Parks and Reserves Project Officer Michael McCutcheon - contact details are provided in the 'Who's Listening' section on this page.

Also, keep an eye on the on the City's website and Facebook page for further updates.

  • Horseshoe Lake Playground Survey open

    July - August 2025
  • City tenders for playground design integrating community survey feedback

    August - September 2025
  • Community invited to vote on preferred playground design option

    November 2025
  • Community's chosen playground design announced

    January 2026
  • New playground constructed

    April 2026

The City’s Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan 2023-2033 provides a 10-year strategic framework for the provision, design and management of the City’s recreation parks and playgrounds. 

The vision of the plan is to provide a diverse range of quality parks and playgrounds that meet the recreational, environmental, social, cultural and health needs of our community. 

Currently, about 78 per cent of residents have access to a playground within 400m of their home while 98.3 per cent are within 800m. 

Under the plan, this will increase to 83 per cent and 98.65 per cent respectively – meaning it will be easier than ever for our community to get out and play at their local park! 

We know that our beautiful city has a diverse and growing community, and limited green space to create new parks. So, it’s important we ensure our existing playgrounds meet the contemporary needs of our community.

Horseshoe Lake is a beautiful reserve located in East Bunbury, one of our largest residential surburbs. This neighbourhood park will replace the close by local parks, and offer greater accessibilty and amentities for all to enjoy. 

  • Have your say on a new playground at Horseshoe Lake

    The City of Bunbury will soon start work to design a new park and playground at Horseshoe Lake reserve in East Bunbury.

    To help inform the City’s concept planning towards this new neighbourhood park, the City are inviting community to participate in a survey to better understand existing Horseshoe Lake area users, and particularly in relation to the playground location while understanding community needs and desires for the playground itself.

    The survey is open until the 10th August 2025.

    Thank you for sharing your ideas with us! 

    You can also access a hardcopy of the survey by asking for it at the City of Bunbury Administration Building.

    If you have any difficulties completing the survey, please contact us for assistance.

    Take this Survey

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FAQS

The City plan to install new play equipment and some additional amenities at Horseshoe Lake reserve.

The Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan 2023-2033 guides what assets are to be included in the design. Neighbourhood parks can accommodate a variety of amenity enhancements, dependant on site specific considerations.

These can include bins, drink fountains, landscapes areas, reticulated turf, picnic setting, bench seating, shelter, shade trees, pathways, BBQ, bike racks, interpretive signage, lighting of BBQ areas as potential options for consideration.

 

Neighbourhood parks provide for a variety of recreational and social experiences. Residents are attracted by a variety of features and facilities. These parks can service as the recreational and social focus of a community, as well as protecting natural values. 

Yes, absolutely! 

Our team are currently in the planning phase of the project, and once we understand our community's preferred location of the playground and key considerations, we will produce design options. 

We will then be asking our community to select their preferred design option before constructing. 

The City is committed to ensuring high accessibility standards in all new playground developments and in line with the City of Bunbury Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2023 - 2028 this project will include:

  • Accessible pathways leading to and around the play equipment.
  • Inclusive softfall surfacing to support safe and easy access to multiple pieces of equipment.
  • Design considerations that accommodate users of all abilities, promoting inclusive play for children and families.

 

As outlined in the Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan 2023 - 2028, the Horseshoe Lake neighbourhood park will eventually replace the local park at Coverley Park. 

A neighbourhood park includes additional amenities to a local park, meaning the new Horseshoe Lake playground will provide our community with more features and experiences to enjoy. 

The Coverley Park playground will remain in place and accessible to community members until end of asset life. 

Playgrounds provide opportunities for creating joy, inclusion, social connection and exercise, and overall contributing to community wellbeing.

The close proximity and accessibility of communities to parks and playgrounds assists with developing skills, education, safe playand improves social connections.

Projected population growth in Bunbury suburbs including East Bunbury means that the demand for recreation parks with playgrounds will also increase. Access to quality parks and playgrounds is important for affordable play, community connections, and mental health and wellbeing.

Project Links

Who's Listening

  • Michael McCutcheon
    Technical Officer - Parks & Gardens
    City of Bunbury

The City of Bunbury acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, the Noongar Wardandi people and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders past, present and emerging.