Council
8 May, 2026
Wingecarribee Shortlisted for Major Award
Wingecarribee Shire Council has been named a finalist in the 2026 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards for the Murraural 4K Playspace at East Bowral.
Wingecarribee Shire Council has been named a finalist in the 2026 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards for the Murraural 4K Playspace at East Bowral.
The playspace is recognised in the Asset and Infrastructure category for projects under $1.5 million.
The awards celebrate innovation and outstanding achievements across councils throughout the state.
The Murraural 4K Playspace was developed at David Wood Playing Fields in East Bowral as an all-abilities recreation space designed to cater for children of all ages and abilities.
The project includes:
a pump track
learn-to-ride track
flying fox
water play
sensory elements
accessible play equipment and landscaping.
The Playspace attracts dozens of children daily and is widely considered a successful project.
According to Wingecarribee council papers, the original project budget totalled about $1.514 million.
That funding included:
$1 million from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund
$244,000 from local charity 4K
Advertisement$200,000 from the Retford Park Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA)
$70,000 from Wingecarribee Shire Council.
Council later increased the project budget by a further $124,000 in May 2025.
That additional funding included:
$74,000 in additional Stronger Country Communities funding
$50,000 reallocated from the Bowral Beautification project.
That pushed the total project value to about $1.638 million.
Council said the project was designed to create “a space where all children can play, connect and thrive”.
Winners will be announced at the awards dinner on 4 June.
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