Wollongong inclusive playground secures people’s choice at Shaping Australia awards

A groundbreaking All Ages, All Abilities playground located in North Wollongong has received the people’s choice at the prestigious Shaping Australia Awards, announced on 25th February during a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.

The playground serves as a pioneering model for inclusive spaces worldwide, and has many unique features, including adult-sized, accessible equipment and sensory elements tailored to diverse needs.

The All Ages, All Abilities Playground, spearheaded by the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Associate Professor Shoshana Dreyfus received the highest vote count in the Community Champion category.

The development and construction of the playground was driven by the community and partners from across the Illawarra, including UOW, the Australian Government, the NSW Government, Wollongong City Council, and The Disability Trust.

The awards, an initiative of Universities Australia, the peak body for the higher education sector, celebrate the extraordinary people that transform the nation for the better.

Associate Professor Dreyfus, a specialist in systemic functional linguistics and language disorders, was inspired by her adult son, Bodhi, to begin the playground project. Born with a severe intellectual disability, Bodhi has never been able to talk and uses non-verbal methods to communicate.

She paid tribute to Bodhi in accepting the award and said it was an incredible win for people with intellectual disabilities.

Associate Professor Dreyfus shared “this award is a real win for people with intellectual disabilities. It is a win for people with all disabilities.

“That’s what the whole project is about, creating a space that celebrates people with an intellectual disability. I hope we can inspire others to build more spaces like this around the world.”

It took Associate Professor Shoshana Dreyfus many years to bring her unique idea to life: a playground for people of all ages and all abilities. She dreamed of a playground that was innovative and inspiring, a place of joy that was big enough to accommodate Bodhi. No other place like it seemed to exist, but she was confident that she could make it happen.

Around 500,000 Australians have an intellectual disability and many young adults with intellectual disability love playing at playgrounds.

However, playgrounds are typically designed for young, able-bodied children. As they grow up, people with intellectual disabilities face barriers to accessing playgrounds because of the small size and inaccessibility of the equipment and the social discomfort from families who are unfamiliar with their needs. 

Associate Professor Dreyfus’s tireless advocacy secured more than $1 million in funding, bringing this vision to life. Opened in December 2023, in an area that welcomes more than 10,000 visitors weekly, the playground provides a joyful, inclusive environment where young adults with intellectual disabilities can engage in outdoor play within the community.

Fifteen finalists were chosen across Shaping Australia's three award categories – The Problem Solver Award, The Future Builder Award, and The Community Champion Award – with UOW receiving three nominations.

The finalists were chosen from more than 110 entries from universities across Australia.

iAccelerate Director Dr Tamantha Stutchbury and the team behind iAccelerate’s RISE program, and Associate Professor Shoshana Dreyfus, who spearheaded the All Ages, All Abilities Playground in Wollongong, were named finalists in The Community Champion category.

In The Problem Solver category, Senior Professor Gerhard Swiegers and his team at Hysata, a UOW-backed enterprise, was named a finalist for his breakthrough work aiming to produce the world’s cheapest green hydrogen.

Image top. Wollongong’s inclusive playground; Image centre. Associate Professor Shoshana Dreyfus with her son Bodhi at the playground opening in 2023; image below: Wollongong’s inclusive playground. Credit: University of Wollongong.