Cannon Hill Anglican College

Cannon Hill Anglican College invited Everything Outside to transform an underused grassy mound into an engaging playground designed especially for Prep students. Previously offering little play value, the space has become a vibrant environment where children can climb, explore, create and learn through play.

The Challenge

The existing grassy mound had no real purpose for students and provided few opportunities for active or imaginative play. An unattractive boundary fence also dominated one corner of the area, detracting from the surrounding environment.

The challenge was to unlock the potential of the site while providing a diverse mix of play experiences suitable for young learners. The new playground needed to encourage physical development, imaginative thinking, sensory exploration and social interaction within one connected space.

The Solution

Everything Outside excavated the grassy mound, flattening the earth to make way for a bespoke playground to inspire movement and discovery.

A striking series of timber hideaway boxes forms an elevated bridge across a dry river bed. Connected by climbing and balancing elements, the boxes give children opportunities to travel through, over and beneath the structure. Transparent and crimsafe panels create a sense of enclosure without limiting teacher visibility, while quiet spaces within the structure support retreat, imaginative games and social play.

Nature play flows beneath and around the structure through a dry river bed featuring rocks, logs and a working water pump. Timber pods provide inviting places for children to gather, rest or invent their own adventures, while musical instruments introduce sound and sensory exploration.

The existing sandpit was enhanced with a mud kitchen, adding another layer of messy, hands-on play. Balance scales and a working conveyor belt incorporate STEM learning, encouraging students to experiment with weight, movement, volume and cause and effect.

One of the most striking transformations occurred along the existing fence. Rather than allowing it to remain an unattractive boundary, the design turned this overlooked corner into a colourful destination. A vibrant garden mural, herb garden and general store shopfront now create a lively setting for role play, storytelling and real-world learning.

The Outcome

A grassy mound with little purpose has been transformed into a rich and engaging playground for Cannon Hill Anglican College’s youngest students.

The completed space brings together nature play, imagination play, physical challenge, music, water and STEM learning. Children can climb between hideaway boxes, follow the dry river bed, make music, prepare creations in the mud kitchen, operate their own shop or simply retreat into a pod with friends.

Every part of the playground offers a new invitation to explore. The result is a distinctive Prep play environment that encourages curiosity, confidence, creativity and connection—transforming an overlooked area of the College into a place where learning and play happen naturally.