Frontier Estate Playground

Play inspired by place, designed for community

Once rolling farmland, Te Awamutu’s new Frontier Estate has been reimagined as a place where nature and neighbourhood life thrive side by side. At the heart of Mahana Reserve —a thoughtfully designed playground brings the local landscape to life through fun, colour and connection.

The playground is the result of close collaboration between landscape architect Brodie Hailwood and Playground Centre. Together, we created a vibrant playspace that reflects the site’s agricultural heritage, invites children to explore, and helps families feel at home.

With double timber towers, natural textures and pops of colour inspired by the fruit once grown in the orchards on the property, the playground blends beautifully into its surroundings — while setting the scene for imaginative, active and development-rich play.

A fruitful collaboration

With a shared commitment to sustainable urban planning, Waipā District Council, Frontier Developments and landscape architect Brodie Hailwood came together to “weave together ecological conservation and community engagement in one location”.

Playground Centre was brought on board to help bring this vision to life delivering a playspace that combines natural materials, orchard-inspired colours and layered experiences that spark the imagination and inspire movement.

• Double Towers for Double the fun – Two striking custom made octagonal towers, finished in natural timber and linked by a dynamic rope net bridge.
• Slides – High enclosed tube slides and lower, open double slides for safe, fast exits from the towers.
• Colourful zones – Bright, fruit coloured play surfacing brings energy and connects to the site’s orchard heritage.
• In-ground trampolines and timber balance posts – Low-level features that build coordination, balance and confidence.
• Swings and seating areas – Offering space for both active play and quiet connection.