this is what our parks look like

As many in my community know, I live in Toowoomba, and I believe our council has a strategy to strengthen the community, which includes enhancing play equipment and promoting active transport. One area they fall short on is public transport, but you can't have everything. So, I’ll take what we do have and be grateful, understanding that they are trying to reduce the health burden by building walking tracks.

I’m always amazed when international viewers watch Bluey and don’t realize that, yes, this is what our parks really look like! We encourage kids to engage in risk management and take risks, as it helps them build resilience and problem-solving skills.

We don’t have the same risk-averse culture as some other places, likely due to having a universal healthcare system. While there are situations where legal action might be appropriate, it's relatively rare.

We also encourage outdoor activities, so yes—this is what parks in my community look like. You’ll often see families enjoying them, especially on weekends. There are some unwritten rules, like leaving toys where you found them or posting lost items on community pages so parents can retrieve them. It's also common courtesy to ask for a turn on the swings, and people usually let you know when it’s your turn.

Just to be clear, I’m not a parent, so I’m not fully immersed in playground culture, but that seems to be the way things go here.

I know this post is a bit different from my usual content, but we really do embed accessibility into our outdoor spaces, making inclusion easier for everyone.