Community

 

Fiona is wholly committed to the playground industry, and is involved in pro bono research and advocacy, including:

– development of Australia’s first playground adequacy checklist (collaborative work with Kidsafe).
– in-depth research on children’s gardens.
– research into the benefits of hopscotch (action-based research).

– giving regular peer support to other Landscape Architectural practices.
– providing regular advice, advocacy and information on Inclusive Design Principles for play environments.
– advising on everyday playground matters throughout the industry.
– regularly reviewing playground books and articles.

– maintaining a vibrant professional network with her numerous international colleagues in the play industry.
– instigation and active running of Australia’s first ‘Play Patrol’ at Arcadia Public School (a pilot study).
– regularly speaking about playgrounds at conferences and seminars (in Australia and internationally – the most frequent topic being Inclusive Playground Design).
– running discussion groups with like-minded professionals on topics of interest.

 

Conference presentations

2018

PLA Conference, Lead Collaborate Succeed – topic: “The Latest Playground Standards and Implications for Local Government”

UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Spinny Things & the Love Tree”

2017

AILA The 3rd City: International Festival of Landscape Architecture – topic: “The AHA Moment”

Play Creativity & Culture Symposium, Canberra – topic: Play City: Design for Play

PLA Conference – topic: “Hosting a public Play Day”

UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Spinny Things & the Love Tree”

World Forum on Early Care and Education (New Zealand) – topic: “Journey into Nature”

AILA (ACT) – topic: Australian Standards: What you need to know

2016

National Sports Convention – topic: “Inside Out & the Wrong Way Around”

PLA New South Wales – topic: “Let’s Design for Everyone”

UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado

2015

New Zealand Recreation Association, Keynote Speaker – topic: “Getting the Brief Sorted.”

PLA South Australia, Keynote Speaker – topic: “It’s in our Nature.”

UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado

2014

Parks and Leisure Australia, Kidsafe NSW and Fiona Robbé – topic “New Playground Equipment Standard Seminar and Tour”

Nature Play WA – topic: “Creating Nature Play Spaces – Child Care Sector”

UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado

2013

Staff Development, Department of Education and Communities NSW – topic: “Natural Playspaces in your pr eschool”.

AILA Seminar, Hobart, – topic: “Public Playgrounds as Venues for Community Engagement”

2012

AILA Seminar, Sydney – “Planting in Fallzones – the latest research”.

Newcastle, PLA, NSW, 2012 “Change – an opportunity for revitalisation” – topic: “Evaluating playspace potential” & “National Inclusive playground workshop”

Bendigo Child Friendly Cities Conference – topic: “Consultation with Children”.

Parks & Leisure Association Conference, Coffs Harbour – topic: “Playground Assessment Tool”

Bendigo Child Friendly Cities Conference – topic: “Consultation with Children”

Newcastle PLA, “Change – an opportunity for revitalisation”, NSW – topics: “Evaluating playspace potential” and “National Inclusive playground workshop”

AILA Seminar, Sydney – topic: “Planting in Fallzones – the latest research”

2011

Dubbo PLA, Sydney – topic: “Playground Crowding”

New Zealand Recreation Association, Auckland – topic: “The Total Package”

2010

Kidsafe WA Conference, “The Nature of Play”, Perth – topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”

Parks & Leisure Association (PLA) Conference, “Partnerships for Sustainable Outcomes”, Albury – topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”

Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”

Kompan Seminar, Sydney– topic: “The invitation to play”

Inclusive PlayRoad Show, New Zealand– topic: “Inclusive playground design”

Kompan Seminar, Brisbane – topic: “The invitation to play”

2009

Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Conference, “Making it Happen”, Boomerang Beach – topic: “Consultation with children in the design process”

2008

International Play Association Conference, “Play in a Changing World”, Hong Kong – topic: “The importance of hopscotch” and “‘Play Patrol’ in Australia”

Queensland Children’s Activities Network (QCAN) Conference, Brisbane – topic: “The importance of hopscotch”

NSW Play Environments Network – topic: “Seeing past the sand and into the sky”

Early Childhood Environmental Education Network (ECEEN) Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Nature action collaborative for children”

2007

Playright Conference, Access for All – topic: “Creative solutions for everyone”

2006

Sydney University, Environmental Sociology Conference – topic: “Designing for delight – creative playground solutions, no matter what”

Kidsafe National Playground Conference, Sydney – topics: “Creative solutions for everyone”, “Incidental play at schools” and “Playground Adequacy Checklist”.

Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Conference, Sydney – topic: “Creative playground design –are we creating a liveable legacy?”

Playright Seminar, Perth– topic: “Universal design in playgrounds”

2005

International Play Association (IPA) Conference, Berlin – topic: “Creative solutions for everyone – a special playground in Sydney”

2004

Kidsafe National Playground Conference, Sydney – topic: “Designing for delight – creative playground solutions, no matter what!”

Kompan Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Creative solutions for everyone – inclusive design principles”

2002

Kompan Seminar, Sydney – topic: “Designing beyond ‘splat'”