Jeavons Landscape Architects were invited to assist with further development of the outdoor play spaces on this is new early childhood centre in the Kimberley, W.A. The centre provides care and education services to children and families from the Fitzroy River Valley. The centre has a wonderful new building which was only opened officially in June 2013. The aim is to provide rich and culturally appropriate outdoor play and to address critical issues such as shade in a climate where the temperatures are regularly above 40 degrees in summer.
Mary visited the centre in July 2013 and spent the week working with staff including the centre director and management, educators, occupational therapists and others.
Mary and Naomi discuss ideas for the playgroup spaces. Naomi works with families attending the playgroup.
The women’s centre at Fitzroy Crossing has an important gardening outreach program and seeds from this garden are used to distribute to outlying communities for food production.
The aboriginal communities in the Fitzroy Valley identify themselves as river people. This is the Fitzroy river at sunset at the old crossing.