Bunbury's Maidens Reserve recognised as State's best designed landscape
Bunbury's Maidens Reserve has been recognised as one of the best designed landscapes, winning on of the State's top architecture gongs.
The area, designed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, took home the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA's highest honour — the WA Medal.
That was in addition to an award of excellence in the category of parks and open space, and a regional achievement award in the tourism category.
Maidens Reserve is a coastal nature reserve featuring lookouts, hiking and walking trails, and picnic and play spaces in Bunbury.
The awards were announced at the Royal Perth Yacht Club on May 30.
AILA WA jury chair Amanda Mannolini described the project as a 'landmark example of regional landscape architecture'.
'Maidens Reserve captivated the jury with its elegance, restraint, and powerful connection to place,' she said.
'Through subtle interventions and careful restoration, the project enhances both access and ecological integrity — allowing the landscape to heal while welcoming more people to experience it.'
The jury described Maidens Reserve as 'world-class' and highlighted its dual strengths of inclusivity and accessibility.
'Carefully placed rest points, a ramped lookout, and improved pathways extend the reserve's reach beyond fitness users and tourists to include families, wheelchair users, and older people,' the judges said.
'Grounded in collaboration with traditional owners and an accessibility panel, the design reflects best-practice principles and global inspiration.'
Maidens Reserve is now eligible for the National Landscape Architecture Awards, to be announced later this year.
Landscape architects design natural environments — including parks, precincts, wetlands and gardens — that help bolster economies by increasing visitation, boosting property values, and providing employment opportunities.
Well-designed landscapes are considered accessible and sustainable and care for country, and can improve people's wellbeing and help protect and renew plant and animal species.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
02-06-2025
- West Australian
Bunbury's Maidens Reserve recognised as State's best designed landscape
Bunbury's Maidens Reserve has been recognised as one of the best designed landscapes, winning on of the State's top architecture gongs. The area, designed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, took home the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA's highest honour — the WA Medal. That was in addition to an award of excellence in the category of parks and open space, and a regional achievement award in the tourism category. Maidens Reserve is a coastal nature reserve featuring lookouts, hiking and walking trails, and picnic and play spaces in Bunbury. The awards were announced at the Royal Perth Yacht Club on May 30. AILA WA jury chair Amanda Mannolini described the project as a 'landmark example of regional landscape architecture'. 'Maidens Reserve captivated the jury with its elegance, restraint, and powerful connection to place,' she said. 'Through subtle interventions and careful restoration, the project enhances both access and ecological integrity — allowing the landscape to heal while welcoming more people to experience it.' The jury described Maidens Reserve as 'world-class' and highlighted its dual strengths of inclusivity and accessibility. 'Carefully placed rest points, a ramped lookout, and improved pathways extend the reserve's reach beyond fitness users and tourists to include families, wheelchair users, and older people,' the judges said. 'Grounded in collaboration with traditional owners and an accessibility panel, the design reflects best-practice principles and global inspiration.' Maidens Reserve is now eligible for the National Landscape Architecture Awards, to be announced later this year. Landscape architects design natural environments — including parks, precincts, wetlands and gardens — that help bolster economies by increasing visitation, boosting property values, and providing employment opportunities. Well-designed landscapes are considered accessible and sustainable and care for country, and can improve people's wellbeing and help protect and renew plant and animal species.
West Australian
30-05-2025
- West Australian
Middleton Beach foreshore designers earn award of excellence from Australian Institute of Architects
Marrying natural beauty with pragmatic place making has earned the designers of the Middleton Beach Foreshore an award of excellence from the WA Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects. The project, designed by the City of Albany and See Design, was successful in the civic landscape category and honoured at a ceremony held at the Royal Perth Yacht Club on Friday. 'Binalup / Middleton Beach is one of Western Australia's most iconic and cherished coastal destinations, and this award is a testament to what's possible when good design is grounded in community, culture and care for the environment,' Mayor Greg Stocks said. 'The Foreshore Enhancement Project has transformed Binalup into a more resilient, functional and beautiful public space, and we're proud to have worked in close partnership with See Design Studio to design and deliver it. 'To receive this recognition from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects reinforces how important this project is — not just for Albany, but as an example of civic landscape done well.' See Design director Eoin Gladish said the project had a personal significance for him. 'I have wonderful childhood memories of Middleton Beach and I relished the opportunity to create a design to reinvigorate this cherished coastline,' he said. 'First and foremost, we design for people. 'It's really exciting to see the local community embracing and engaging with the waterfront — whether they're cycling, walking, exercising, picnicking or just relaxing. 'That's my greatest reward.' The Middleton Beach foreshore was praised for the designers' selection of materials and their response to erosion of the coastline. 'The design leverages the site's natural beauty and applies a restrained, elegant material palette to shape a series of multifunctional public spaces that improve beach access and amenity,' the jury said. It was also applauded for the way it recognised the area's cultural significance to the Menang Noongar people. 'The project respects its deep history while supporting Middleton Beach as a shared and enduring public space,' the jury said. The foreshore also received a regional achievement award. The design incorporated a buried seawall to protect against erosion and featured upgraded pathways, seating and gathering spaces. 'Middleton Beach foreshore is one of Albany's most cherished coastal destinations, valued for its community, cultural, and environmental significance,' the jury said. 'The renewal enhances public access, coastal protection, and ecological resilience while preserving its role as a gathering place.' Other winners on the night were Bunbury's Maidens Reserve which took home the most prestigious award, the WA Medal. Perth's Oval at Subi East earned an award of excellence in the category of cultural heritage as well as two landscape architecture awards in the civic landscape, and parks and open spaces sections.
The Age
30-05-2025
- The Age
Subiaco, Bunbury developments take out WA's top landscape awards
Landscape architecture redevelopments at Subi East's new-look oval and Bunbury's Maidens Reserve have been crowned the best in Western Australia. In a ceremony at Royal Perth Yacht Club on Friday evening, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects' WA chapter awarded the Maidens Reserve redevelopment the highest achiever in the regions and gave it the top honour overall, the WA Medal. The Institute's jury chairwoman Amanda Mannolini said they had been captivated by the new lookout trails designed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, in collaboration with the City of Bunbury and an accessibility expert panel. The trails allow those using devices such as wheelchairs and prams to access a lower lookout and have an easy return to the car park, while also providing a spectacular stair climb. 'This was a challenging project because it involved a 58-metre rise, dealing with it so softly that it did not impact the landscape around it,' Mannolini said. 'Being able to build it despite that steep grade, so that people with access issues could get up there, and doing it in such a simple-looking form, was the clincher. That was why our eyes lit up, it was done so elegantly.' The jury's official comments said the project's subtle interventions and careful restoration enhanced both access and ecological integrity – allowing the landscape to heal while welcoming more people to experience it. 'Weaving built form seamlessly into the natural setting … is a landmark example of regional landscape architecture that offers a bold, memorable, and deeply inclusive experience,' they said. Maidens Reserve also won an Award of Excellence in Parks and Open Space and one of three Regional Achievement Awards.
