Queen Victoria Gardens

Childhood memories of playing evoke feelings of nostalgia, wistful dreaminess of a life before the experience of adulthood. Longing for the playful experiences of our youth is compelling. We know that playing helps to move bodies, build brains, grow confidence, and connect communities. This panel discussion will focus on memories around ‘play.’ Come share your contributions in this thoughtful conversation designed to support designers of private and public spaces to think differently about how, when and where we play.

Collaborator:

Alli Coster is a passionate public space professional motivated by creating experience and environment led outcomes for communities across Melbourne. With over 19 years’ experience in government organisations, Alli is an advocate for social and environmental benefit, through delivery of simple, community led spaces that connect people, place and nature. As current president of Play Australia, Alli advocates for green open space supporting healthy, unstructured play opportunities. Alli has a strong interest in sustainability, making significant progress in reducing the environmental impact of public infrastructure, through the application of ambitious strategy and design.

Sulochi Walisinghe is a driven and passionate mother and an AILA registered Landscape architect with over 16 years of experience in designing and delivering open spaces that foster meaningful connections between children and nature.

Judy McKinty is an independent children’s play researcher and folklorist, with a special interest in traditional games and the play culture of the schoolyard. Her main work has been studying, collecting and sharing children’s play from different countries and cultures. She was born in Ballarat mid-last century. Her childhood was largely spent roaming the local neighbourhood with other kids, climbing trees, playing Marbles in the dirt with the boys and Skippy with the girls, sliding down mullock heaps on sheets of tin, playing ball games and Tiggy and hanging upside-down on the monkey bars at school. Her favourite games are Marbles, Jacks and string games.

Darren Braybon A proud Aboriginal Cooma man, Darren grew up in Southwest Queensland, in Charleville on the Warrigo River. Darren moved to Melbourne when he was 15 and works as a creative landscaper delivering parks and playgrounds at Merri-bek City Council.