Romsey Ecotherapy Park has been named as one of the recipients of the National Landscape Architecture Awards.
Crowned the Victorian champion in the Regional Achievement category and a recipient of the Award of Excellence in the Parks and Open Space category, the awards seek to recognise outstanding parks and playgrounds across the nation.
The accolades were a well-deserved win for the 14-year community-led initiative, which saw over 20 organisations and individuals come together to address the township’s lack of innovative open space.
The result of the collaboration eventually saw the abandoned former site of Romsey Primary School transformed into a new-age and nature-based space for passive recreation, delivering a wealth of benefits to the community such as sensory play, picnic facilities, and artistic and cultural incorporations.
The judging panel noted that the park’s features were a result of considerate and forward-thinking designs.
“[The park is] both water-sensitive and economically stimulating,” they said.
“The project is a stunning example of the profound impact that collaborative design and community agency can have in crafting spaces that resonate with social and environmental values.”
