Benalla Rocket Park, Benalla Botanical Gardens

The heritage listed rocket slide is an iconic element within the Benalla Botanic Gardens, loved by generations of children. The surrounding play equipment though was basic, and it was a recommendation of the Benalla Botanic Gardens Master Plan that a new children’s garden be built.

The new design includes custom play equipment catering for various ages,  a water play creek and sand area with “hobbit caves” made of the local Benalla mudstone and capped by planted hillocks. The children’s garden opened in 2017 and is now well established in its botanic garden setting.

Project Summary

Lead Designer:
Andrew Laidlaw
Client:
Benalla Rural City Council
Year:
2017
Budget:
$400,000* from various philanthropic sources including the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Team and Collaborators:
Andrew Laidlaw (lead designer)
Benalla Rural City project management, planting and maintenance
Play Rope, play equipment supplier
*all budgets approximate

Features

  • Nature-based play
  • Picnic facilities
  • Separate, fenced play area for young children
  • Rope course and basket swing for older children
  • Restoration of the historic Rocket Slide
  • Tank fed, low-pressure water play creek
  • Sand pit and caves made from local Benalla Mudstone
  • Botanically rich plantings
  • New tree planting
andrea proctor landscapes
 horticulture | landscape architecture | heritage   
www.andreaproctor.com.au        [email protected]      +61 411 037 886
we are grateful to laidlaw & laidlaw design for allowing us to share projects we completed together