Challenge

The Killalea Regional Park is 250 hectares of coast edge bushland that is best known for its national surfing reserve ‘The Farm’. It is a beautiful and very popular spot, located close to the urban areas of Wollongong and Shellharbour and in fact it is this popularity that is part of the challenge. NSW National Park and Wildlife Services needed a plan that could continue to welcome large numbers of visitors while improving accessibility, protecting the natural beauty and incorporate the cultural knowledge of its First Nation custodians. 

Response

It was imperative to retain the park’s natural character while enhancing accessibility and amenities for a variety of users.

Central to the project is the introduction of a new visitor’s pavilion which replaces and consolidates outdated facilities and provides versatile communal space. Designed to blend into the natural landscape, this new space prioritises easy connections to outdoor areas, including a cultural seating area and revitalized picnic space. We worked hard to find how materials could be repurposed from the necessary demolition of dilapidated structures into these new facilities.

Through collaboration with community groups and educational facilitators, our project aims to provide permanent and temporary ‘learning overlays’ to enrich educational experiences within the park.