Have your say on the new playground design at Horseshoe Lake!

Project Overview

The City is progressing 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. You've already shared your preferred location of the new playground (Option2 - Peninsular in the Location Map) and now we are finalising the playground design!

To help ensure the new playground includes features our community will love, we’re inviting you to take part in our design poll and vote for your favourite option!

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 and once we have confirmed your preferred design we will let you know!

Playground Design Options

Located in one of Bunbury's largest residential suburbs, Horseshoe Lake is a beautiful reserve, and we’re excited to construct a new playground for this popular area. We’re pleased to present two design options for our community to vote on. Check out the details of each option below, and the rendered images for both in the image section on the side bar!

Design Option One: Agility
This playground design offers a compact yet highly engaging play space for all ages and abilities, featuring 24 different activities and capacity for 50+ users. Key elements include the Ranger Connect Unit with slides, climbing nets, and sensory panels; a double bay swing with nest and strap seats; a Zulu II rocker for inclusive play; and a balance trail for agility and coordination. Accessibility is a priority, with wide pathways, Disability Discrimination Act-compliant seating, and equipment designed for diverse needs. Supporting amenities include a picnic shelter with BBQ, shade over swings, bike racks, and soft-fall surfaces. The design embraces sustainability with Australian sourced, recyclable materials and aligns with inclusive play principles to encourage social interaction, creativity, and physical development.

Design Option Two: Nature
Design two creates a vibrant, nature-inspired play space with 16 activities and capacity for 30+ users, focusing on inclusivity and creative play. The Tavua Premium Unit features a palm-leaf roof, tube, and double slides, climbing elements, and imaginative play panels, while the Compact Triple Swing offers hammock, strap, and infant seats for all abilities. Accessibility is supported through DDA-compliant seating, bike racks, and a connected pathway leading to a shaded picnic shelter with BBQ. Shade structures over swings ensure comfort for long-stay play, and soft-fall surfaces enhance safety. This design promotes physical, social, and sensory engagement in a compact footprint with a tropical theme.

Which design is your favourite? Simply cast your vote in the poll link and help us bring this exciting new space to life. ️

Want to check out the designs in person and chat to our project team? They’ll be available at Horseshoe Lake this Friday 7 November from 7.30am to 10.30am for you to let them know your design preference and to answer any questions.

Timeline
Background

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.

Document Library

Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan 2023-2033

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2023 - 2028

Horseshoe Lake

Horseshoe Lake Location Options

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.

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.

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.