Moonee Valley City Council has launched a design competition for the redevelopment of the much-loved Queens Park West Playground. The competition is now open until 15 December.

Competition advisors CityLab are currently welcoming expressions of interest from eligible artists and designers, who will need to draw inspiration from ideas gathered during the community consultation.

This competition invites design responses that deliver an artistically informed playground, which may include a playable public art sculpture or custom-made landscape playground. Council wishes to breathe new life into the playground, with a design that offers both great play value and strong artistic merit.

CityLab is Australia’s leading procurement consultancy, with experience working at all scales, from large to small, and in every state across the country. Their previous projects have included: 2024 NGV Architecture Commission Competition (VIC), Indigenous Centre of Excellence (NSW), Old Young’s Distillery (WA) and many other cultural and creative projects.

Two shortlisted entrants will then be asked to prepare preliminary concepts and have their designs evaluated by a panel of experts composed of Professor Mel Dodd, Dean of Monash Art Design and Architecture, Jocelyn Chiew, from Jocelyn Chiew Strategic & Urban Design, Georgia Chisholm, Adviser, Office of the Victorian Government Architect and Jade Niklai, Head of Visual and Public Art, Moonee Valley City Council

The project builds upon community feedback gathered during consultation in May and June 2025, when more than 150 people shared their aspirations for the future of the playground.

Responses are invited that build on the Council's commitment in 2025 , with record-breaking exhibition The Playground Project Melbourne, encouraging designs that are imaginative and culturally meaningful.

The Plaground Project Melbourne ushered in several new playground acquisitions, including the Lozziwurm Playground – which is now installed at Incinerator Gallery in Aberfeldie. It joins the Ringtales Playground and Edwina Green’s newly commissioned First Nations playable art sculpture in the gallery gardens.

The competition winner is due to be announced in June 2026. For more information, and to express interest, visit CityLab.

Image: QPW Playground / supplied

Clémence Carayol

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