CONNECTING with other families on the mountain is really important for Alexis Looker and her daughters, Mia, 6 and Eloa, 5, but finding a playground to hang out in she said is difficult.
“Comparative to playgrounds around southeast Queensland and the Scenic Rim ours lack any evolution or the level of investment seen in other regions,” she said.
“They have minimal play equipment and not diversified for a range of age groups.”
New families to the mountain are questioning why the playgrounds haven’t been upgraded.
The Scenic Rim Regional Council Playground Strategy 2019 found all the playgrounds on the mountain, and largely across the Scenic Rim, scored very low for their play value, catering to a narrow (relatively young) age group and offering little in the way of challenging or imaginative play experiences.
However, the strategy said the predicted growth in children for Tamborine Mountain compared to Beaudesert was very low.
The strategy recommended play value enhancement for Doughty Park and Staffsmith Park. A council spokesperson said Doughty Park is scheduled for an upgrade; however, they did not say when or elaborate on what would be done.
Lions Park will now get a toilet block in this new financial year.
Councillor Stephen Moriarty, who has the Sport and Recreation portfolio said he would ask the Scenic Rim Regional Council for a briefing and update on the playground strategy to determine future direction and if more funding needed to be allocated.
The council has begun work on upgrading Moriarty Park in Canungra to include a basket swing and new tower with a slide, rope and climbing platform, manipulative play panel and external climbing net, which was funded from the 2023 budget.
Work has also begun on upgrading the skate park.
The upgrade is the result of lobbying and fundraising by locals since around 2009.
“It’s a long overdue project that many people have invested a lot of time and money into addressing,” Cr Moriarty said.
“I was lucky to get $100,000 in this years’ budget to go towards the project.”
Alexis said she’d love to see crowdsourcing done on the mountain and working with skilled locals to upgrade the mountain’s playgrounds too.
“It’s a shame as we have ample spaces but lack the investment to have sufficient play areas including a path for children to scoot on and amenities,” she said.
“My children like scooting but it’s hilly where we live so generally, we have to go up and down Main Street and towards IGA.
“If we meet other families we often go to Flagstone, Yarrabilba, Southport or Broadbeach,” she said.
“It was common knowledge among families that there weren’t any playgrounds here and that we’d have to go off the mountain.”
She believed with Goat Track Theatre likely to move off the mountain and The Knoll Studio also closing the opportunities for young people to gather and connect was dwindling.
“We don’t need a fancy playground. I’d hate for it to not happen until 10 years’ time and my children have missed out,” Alexis said.
Cr Amanda Hay said while there was no shortage of playgrounds on the mountain, they could do with an upgrade.
“They could always do with an upgrade, the skate park is definitely shabby and needs an upgrade, but it’s a budgetary balance and Tamborine Mountain isn’t a high growth area for young families, whereas Beaudesert and surrounds is.
