Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of visiting Joomunjie Land—an Adventure Playground (also known as a Community Backyard) in Queensland, developed by the Australian Institute of Play (AIP). Joomunjie Land is a space designed to support children’s right to play, encouraging spontaneous, free, and unstructured behaviour. My visit to this remarkable space was a profound experience that solidified the importance of child-led environments.
A true ‘Junk’ adventure playground
When I first stepped into Joomunjie Land, I was immediately reminded of The Land, a renowned play space in Wales – one that I have strong professional and personal ties with. Both The Land and Joomunjie Land embrace an earnest ‘Junk Play’ philosophy.
The concept of staffed playwork provision began in Junk Playgrounds, which emerged in Europe toward the end of World War II. They earned their name because they resembled junkyards, filled with ‘loose parts’ for children to build and explore. However, as the idea spread, the term ‘Junk’ was dropped due to its negative connotations, and these spaces became known as Adventure Playgrounds. While this remains the most widely used term, it has also been applied to unstaffed, fixed playgrounds, leading to some ambiguity.
In Queensland, the term “Community Backyard” has emerged as a more localised and inviting alternative. Community backyards are unique, in that, they are situated on school grounds and are open to the public after school hours.
Distinctive features of Joomunjie Land
One of the most fascinating aspects of Joomunjie Land was observing how children repurposed certain materials. For a long time, I had envisioned a spa pool as an exciting loose part, imagining it filled with other materials and children playing inside. Here, the children had flipped it on its side, using were using it as a cubby wall. Jordan Hill, an inspiring playworker, shared the other ways it had been used – like when it was a makeshift see-saw. This reinforced to me the idea that you can never truly predict how children will interact with their environment.
At the far end of the playground, beyond the school fence, I noticed a traditional fixed playground. I asked Jordan if it was used and she explained for some children, it acted as a ‘comfort blanket’, allowing them to observe the more adventurous play that happened on the other side of the fence, before immersing themselves in it.
Another highlight of the visit was discussing the ‘conditions of entry’ created by the children. I have never been a supporter of rules when applied to play, as they can unnecessarily curtail children’s creativity, limit their ability to manage risk, and ultimately stifle play opportunities. I prefer to adopt a broad set of flexible expectations like the ones I encountered at Joomunjie Land. The ‘conditions of entry’ were devised by the children, further demonstrating the AIP’s commitment to children’s rights. In this instance, the right to be heard – Article 12 of the UNCRC.
Process over product
Jordan’s dedication to playwork was evident as she expressed deep insights about children’s play. One thing she said stuck with me: ‘holding the earthworm’—a beautiful metaphor for valuing play for its intrinsic worth, even when we don’t fully understand it. The narrative she gave was of a child who was enthusiastically moving around the space with an earthworm in his hand. When he decided to become involved in another play opportunity, he handed the worm to Jordan to hold, trusting her to keep it safe until he needed it again.
Final Thoughts
Joomunjie Land exemplifies excellent playwork practice. This provision would not have been possible without strong advocacy and a high level of trust between partners, staff, and the community. The lessons from Joomunjie Land should be celebrated and shared widely, not only to promote enriching play experiences, but also to help ensure that more children across Australia have access to them.
Curious about setting up an Adventure Playground at your location? Contact us to see how we can help.
You can also read more about Adventure Playgrounds in Daniel’s blog on the playground we established at Guildford Grammar School.