Windang Tourist Park playground refurbishment promises summer of fun

The Windang community will have access to a play space in time for summer, with the playground within Windang Tourist Park set to undergo improvements before being temporarily opened for shared use between the community and Tourist Park guests.

Wollongong City Council will undertake the renewal works that will see the replacement of artificial turf, as well as refurbishment and safety improvements to the play equipment and fencing. Council will also carry out minor works to surrounding roads and footpaths.

As the Tourist Park playground undergoes this renewal, Council will also be removing what remains of the existing Windang Foreshore Playground, which was closed and largely removed following the natural disaster event of April 2024.

Potential sites for a replacement playground in the Windang area will continue to be considered as part of Council’s broader planning for the foreshore, which continues to experience long-term effects of erosion following the permanent opening of the entrance in 2007.

Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said it was important for Council to provide a play space option for families while short, medium and long-term plans for the foreshore are considered.

“The Windang Foreshore is a popular spot for residents and visitors alike and we’re pleased to be able to renew the playground within the tourist park and provide this as an option for families to enjoy in time for the warmer months,” Councillor Brown said.

“By no means is this a complete or permanent solution, but we need to explore short-term options for the community and we’re fortunate to have an existing site in the immediate vicinity of the old playground.

“We also need to consider our long-term approach to the foreshore. A replacement playground is certainly part of that, but we need to ensure it’s considered in a way that aligns with our broader plans and strategies for the area.

“We’re also glad to progress and complete the removal of the old playground which, apart from being an eyesore in a beautiful part of our city, poses an ongoing risk to community safety.”

The old Windang Playground is in an environmentally and culturally sensitive area, which requires a cautious and diligent approach to removing the remaining softfall and other structures.

Council has engaged a contractor to undertake the bulk of removal from an on-water barge to minimise disturbance of the site. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by October with the area to remain fenced off to ensure public safety.

The removal of the old playground and refurbishment of the Tourist Park site, as well as concurrent maintenance works to roads and footpaths, are part of Council’s ongoing plan to manage the impacts of erosion around the lake entrance.

Following a resolution of Wollongong Council on 26 May, Council has engaged a contractor to conduct a feasibility study to consider short and medium-term foreshore protection works along the Windang foreshore.

“There are no simple solutions when it comes to managing an area facing such unique challenges,” Cr Brown said.

“It’s not something Council can tackle alone. It’s why we’ve collaborated with Shellharbour Council and state agencies through the Lake Illawarra Entrance Options Study.

“We’ve written to the state government requesting that it undertake a Strategic Business Case to deliver a long-term management solution in response to the Options Study.

“As that process continues, we need to make sure the steps we take now allow the community to safely enjoy the foreshore while also contributing to the long-term management of the area.”

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