Swing into Summer at the new Neumann Park

With balance beams, slides, swings and a rock scramble, children of all ages can roam through the nature-based park and admire the two rock shelters that demonstrate a direct link to the past and the traditional owners.

Surrounded by an expansive eucalypt forest, Neumann Park is an exciting new playscape for school holiday fun, a family picnic or a quiet place to enjoy the natural environment.

The park has been designed to encourage children to actively play within the natural surroundings  and is focused on movement between spaces and levels, discovery, and learning.

Lendlease Urban Design Manager Sue Dewar said the park was a great new regional destination within the Plunkett Conservation Park, perfect for everyone from children to bushwalkers, hikers and nature enthusiasts.

“The design of Neumann Park is drawn heavily from its relationship to the Plunkett Conservation Park – a bold and timeless place which has been shaped through natural processes, Indigenous and European uses,” she said.

“A place with rich and diverse ecological values, the park has maintained the existing trees and rock features to enhance visitors’ awareness of the history of the site.

“The nature-play themes of the park are reflected through the play equipment, encouraging exploration and discovery. The character of the park is very much an extension of the Plunkett Conservation Area down to the street gathering, as well as relaxation.”

The two rock shelters located at Neumann Park are part of a much larger network of sandstone rock shelters on the sandstone ridge that borders Yarrabilba, Plunkett Conservation Park and Wickham National Park.

These are the only two ground level rock shelters although many others are located high up in the sandstone escarpment.

Seating has been provided outside the rock shelters to allow visitors to sit and contemplate, for school groups to learn more about the cultural heritage of the area and to help encourage a culture of care for these significant sites in Yarrabilba.

“In 2011, the Yugambeh traditional owners of our area, working with their archaeologist, discovered a highly significant cultural site in front of the larger shelter on the eastern side,” said Sue.

“Over 1,000 stone artefacts were discovered during the manual excavation of a series of archaeological pits in front of the shelter. The stone artefacts found demonstrate on-site manufacture of stone tools (knapping), including blade production and retouching of stone flakes.

“Stone tool knapping involves the use of hammer stone (such as a river pebble) and fine-grained stone material, perfect for making knives with a sharp edge for skinning an animal.”

The smaller shelter on the western side, was more likely an occupation site used for camping and cooking. Both sites hold high cultural significance to the traditional owners and form a material link to their ancestors.

Lendlease has worked with Jabree Limited, the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Body within the Gold Coast and Logan areas, to care for this special site and establish this interpretive display.

It is important to note that the rock shelters are not for play purposes but to be viewed from the seating area.