As a wife and mum raising a young family, I appreciate how much we can enjoy on the Fraser Coast without spending a fortune. Beach walks, bike rides along the Esplanade, nature trails and picnics in the botanic gardens. Add our new library facilities, playgrounds and WetSide’s free water play areas, there’s plenty to love.
But as my children grow I wonder: what would my eldest put on the wishlist for our region? More places to meet friends? Somewhere creative? Or something wonderfully ambitious like a jetty at Point Vernon or a boardwalk connecting more of our coastline?
At my daughter’s school, students were given a role in designing their new playground. I thought that was a bold move. Rather than presenting them with a finished plan, the school gave them a chance to help create it. Their ideas were ambitious. The adults then helped work through what could actually be built, bridging the gap between the children’s imagination and the practicalities. That process was a learning experience in itself.
I’d love to see more of that approach when planning spaces for young people across our region. We have plenty for little ones, but what do older kids want? We ask young people to spend less time on screens but have we asked what would make them want to head outside? Somewhere to meet without buying something? Outdoor movies, music or somewhere to create? Better paths connecting the places they already enjoy? A high ropes adventure course? Where young people are already being consulted, could we take that further and involve them in developing the designs? Some will ask: what if it gets vandalised? That’s a fair concern. Maintenance and looking after the space need to be part of the plan. Could young people help care for something they’ve helped design?
Of course there’s a budget. A jetty might stay on the wishlist. But we won’t know which ideas are possible or which ones we’ve overlooked until we ask.
What would your kids build?
