Bass Coast playgrounds set to bring joy in the South Pacific
THREE local playgrounds from Cape Paterson and Wonthaggi are set to bring joy to children across the South Pacific thanks to the work of Rotary volunteers and the Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds program.
Members of the Rotary Club of Phillip Island and San Remo joined forces with other Victorian Rotary clubs last week to carefully dismantle, sort, catalogue and prepare three playgrounds for shipment overseas.
The equipment, which may otherwise have ended up in landfill, will be repurposed to create safe and welcoming play spaces for children and families in developing communities.
The playgrounds were harvested from Park Parade Playground in Cape Paterson, Strongs Reserve Playground in Wonthaggi, and Rodney Court Playground in Wonthaggi.
The initiative is part of Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds, known as RORP, a program that began in Melbourne in 2019 and has since grown into a significant Rotary collaboration aiming to rescue quality Australian playground equipment and relocate it to communities where it can continue to be enjoyed.
Rotary volunteers undertook the detailed work of dismantling each playground piece by piece, ensuring that all components were recorded and prepared for safe
reassembly.
The project is supported by Rotary Australia World Community Service through Rotary Australia Repurposing Equipment, whose storage facilities and shipping expertise help make the program possible.
Beyond its international impact, the project also delivers strong environmental benefits, with tonnes of plastic and metal kept out of landfills by recycling and relocating playgrounds.
Rotary representatives said the project reflected the strength of clubs working together through Rotary Community Groups, where clubs combine their efforts around shared goals and practical service.
What began as three local playgrounds in Bass Coast will now travel far beyond their original communities, carrying with them the spirit of Rotary service and the simple joy of play.
