Wurundjeri Seasons & Royal Park Nature Playground

Did you know that Royal Park Nature Playground was designed to emulate the seven Wurundjeri seasons?

As part of their study of the Wurundjeri seasons, some of our year 7 students have taken a local excursion to Royal Park Nature Playground and explored how the different areas use structures and design elements to feature aspects of each season.

When we entered the playground from the east we walked straight into Waring season. The students in 7J2 discussed what the large wooden structure could be as part of this season and they decided, since Waring season is most often associated with wombats, that it could be designed to resemble a wombat or a wombat warren. 

As we continued into the playground, some students headed directly to the wet-play area as it was a very hot day. We talked about why this area is meant to be part of the Biderap season (dry season) and Winter Allen, Kaitlyn Vuong, Violet Gibbon and Penny Tu decided that, because Biderap season is so dry and hot, knowing where water was located would be extremely important at this time of year. 

Many other students went immediately to the climbing ropes and the slides at the rear of the playground. This area of the playground is meant to showcase the Iuk season (eel season) which takes place in March. Eryn Benson, Nathaniel Mitchell-Wong and Alex Milbourne described how perhaps the way we move on the ropes and the slides represent the way eels move or could even be designed to be like an eel trap.

The students of 7J2 had a wonderful time seeing how their studies of the Wurundjeri seasons could be seen in their community and helped them see their local area in a new light.

Gordon Brown - Head of Humanities