Some of South Australia’s most beautiful landscape designs were recognised and honoured at the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) South Australia Awards, with the winners chosen from a total of 22 entries across a broad range of categories.

Held at Sanctuary Adelaide Zoo, the 2025 AILA SA Awards celebrated landscape projects and practitioners across categories spanning civic landscape, health and education, parks and open space, gardens and more.

“What emerges clearly from this year’s awards is a profession that is a champion of the environment, people, culture and place,” AILA SA Jury Chair Warwick Keates says. “We continue to demonstrate that landscape architects are respectful, inclusive and incredibly innovative.”

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3

Part of the River Torrens redevelopment, the project includes over 6.2km of walking trails and shared paths, 11,400m² of permanently vegetated wetlands, five viewing decks, a new river crossing and accessible boardwalk. Designed by TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens, the project won Awards of Excellence for both Land Management and Parks and Open Space.

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 also won a Climate Positive Design award, along with a Water for Life Commendation.

The Jury described the project as “an exemplary demonstration of landscape architectural leadership in the design and delivery of complex blue/green infrastructure”.

Breakout Creek_Purruna Pari Stage 3 - TCL (2).jpg — *Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3, TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Photography: Jackie Gu*

Gumnut Garden

A residential design by Oxigen, Gumnut Garden is the recipient of this year’s coveted Garden Award of Excellence as well as the Water for Life Award.

“Unusually brave within both front and rear yards, the garden showcases an array of local and nearby native plant species that support biodiversity. Additionally, it provides habitat whilst simultaneously creating a series of spaces for the occupants – and views from within indoor spaces,” the Jury says.

Gumnut Garden - Oxigen.jpg — *Gumnut Garden by Oxigen | Photography: Dan Schulz*

Dunstan Adventure Playground

Designed by City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and CLOVER Green Space, the Dunstan Adventure Playground in St Peters won the Play Spaces’ Landscape Architecture Award.

According to the Jury, “the playground design is brave and also encourages children and parents to be brave – just as it did in the seventies”.

Dunstan Adventure Playground.jpg — *Dunstan Adventure Playground, City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and CLOVER Green Space | Photography: Sweet Lime Photo*

Mofflin Reserve

Designed by Landskap and Outside Ideas for the City of Playford, Mofflin Reserve in Elizabeth Vale won three coveted awards including the Healthy Parks, Healthy People SA Award (the highest accolade in its category), the Minister for Planning’s Award, and a Parks and Open Space Landscape Architecture Award.

Located in Playford’s Health and Wellbeing Precinct, Mofflin Reserve has transformed a dryland grass paddock into a vibrant open space for play, social connection and wellbeing.

The Jury described the design as providing “quality, accessible, nature-based and green spaces for South Australia”.

Mofflin Reserve - Landskap and Outside Ideas.jpg — *Mofflin Reserve by Landskap and Outside Ideas | Photography: Jack Fenby*

AILA SA 2025 Awards

All winners of an AILA SA Award will now proceed to the National Landscape Architecture Awards, to be announced in October in Hobart.

Category | Project Name | Winner | Award Type

Civic Landscape

Marion Cultural Centre Plaza | Outerspace Studios and City of Marion | Landscape Architecture Award

Port Lincoln Foreshore | WAX Design | Landscape Architecture Award

Community Contribution

Swallowcliffe Children’s Precinct Vision | JPE Design Studio | Landscape Architecture Award

Cultural Heritage

Port Noarlunga South Memorial Seat | City of Onkaparinga with Turner Family | Landscape Architecture Award

Gardens

Gumnut Garden | Oxigen | Award of Excellence

Health and Education Landscape

Woodcroft College Junior School | Swanbury Penglase | Landscape Architecture Award

Land Management

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 | TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Award of Excellence

Landscape Planning

Murray Coorong Trail | Oxigen | Award of Excellence

Greater Adelaide Open Space Strategy | Aurecon | Landscape Architecture Award

Parks and Open Space

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 | TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Award of Excellence

Mofflin Reserve | Landskap and Outside Ideas | Landscape Architecture Award

Play Spaces

Dunstan Adventure Playground | City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and CLOVER Green Space | Landscape Architecture Award

Research, Policy and Communications

Transforming to an Age-friendly World: Models of Co-design for Creating Age-friendly Public Green Spaces in Urban Neighbourhoods | University of South Australia, City of Unley, Office for Ageing Well, Tract Consultants | Landscape Architecture Award

Small Projects

Nightingale Bowden | Landskap and Openwork | Award of Excellence

Regional

Port Lincoln Foreshore | WAX Design | Regional Achievement Award

Climate Positive Design

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 | TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Climate Positive Design Award

Water for Life

Gumnut Garden | Oxigen | Water for Life Award

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 | TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Water for Life Commendation

Burchell Reserve | Outerspace Studios and City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters | Water for Life Commendation

Shadesmart

Playford Road Reserve Redevelopment | Campbelltown City Council | Shadesmart Award

Woodcroft Dog Park and Public Toilet | City of Onkaparinga | Shadesmart Award

Healthy Parks Healthy People SA

Mofflin Reserve | Landskap and Outside Ideas | Healthy Parks Healthy People SA Award

Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari Stage 3 | TCL with Green Adelaide, City of Charles Sturt, and City of West Torrens | Healthy Parks Healthy People SA Commendation

Burchell Reserve | Outerspace Studios and City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters | Healthy Parks Healthy People SA Commendation

Port Lincoln Foreshore | WAX Design | Healthy Parks Healthy People SA Commendation

President’s Award

Green Adelaide | President’s Award

People’s Choice Award

Transforming to an Age-friendly World: Models of Co-design for Creating Age-friendly Public Green Spaces in Urban Neighbourhoods | University of South Australia, City of Unley, Office for Ageing Well, Tract Consultants | People’s Choice Award

Minister for Planning’s Award

Mofflin Reserve | Landskap and Outside Ideas | Minister for Planning’s Award

Future Leader SA

Ziyan Qi | Future Leader Award – Graduate

Future Leader NT

Tara Bogam | Future Leader Award – Graduate

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