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Yirran Muru Play Space

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From the escarpment to the sea, Yirran muru is designed to take you on a cultural journey following the historic seasonal movements of local Aboriginal people.

The playspace is designed educate people of all ages about the cultural and historical significance of landmarks in our area. You will notice these key natural features represented throughout the entire space!

This play space is designed to challenge children physically and mentally and some elements of the space may not be suitable for small children. Children must be supervised and able to access and use this equipment independently.

When visiting City Library, remember to set aside some time to visit the multi-award winning Yirran muru!

Yirran Muru Play Space
Yirran Muru Play Space
Yirran Muru play space

Yirran muru (Dharawal for ‘many pathways’) is an Aboriginal interpretive playspace in Shellharbour City, which was co-designed by Shellharbour City Council and the local Aboriginal community. This unique space is nestled in the native gardens behind the Shellharbour Civic Centre, and shares local Dharawal culture with the wider community through Aboriginal methods of learning. It is an accessible, inclusive space that invites people of all ages to take a cultural journey, following in the footsteps of local Aboriginal people across Dharawal country.  

Yirran muru is a complex and layered Aboriginal interpretive playspace which seeks to promote understanding, appreciation and awareness of Dharawal heritage.

The playspace itself is a map of traditional travel routes taken over Dharawal Country, with stepping stones and pathways around the playspace replicating the seasonal movements of Dharawal people. Important local landmarks are represented by specific play elements within the play space, and each landmark provides a different Aboriginal method of learning to share knowledge including storytelling, constructing and deconstructing, and symbols. Each landmark is supported by interpretive signage to support understanding of Dharawal heritage.

The playspace was developed through co-design via consistent and recurring engagement with the local Aboriginal community, including consultation workshops with Aboriginal children and young people, Elders, and open consultation with the broader Aboriginal community and wider community.  

This multifaceted partnership was a great success, demonstrated through the strengthened relationships with local Aboriginal community members, services and organisations.   

From the escarpment to the sea, Yirran muru is designed to takes visitors on a cultural journey following the historic seasonal movements of local Aboriginal people. 

The overall aim of Yirran muru was to create an authentic Aboriginal interpretive playspace.  The goals of the project included:

  • Co-design an authentic Aboriginal playspace that was supported and endorsed by the local Aboriginal community.  
  • Engage with the local Aboriginal community through culturally appropriate consultation processes to ensure the Aboriginal community was able to voice their ideas, dreams and concerns, and to allow Council to understand their unique needs for the space.
  • Deliver a space that was welcoming, inclusive and provided a sense of connection to local Aboriginal culture. 


During the initial consultation sessions, Elders advised that interpretive signage should be put in important and prominent locations across the City, where people would be encouraged to visit and learn, with the Council building being specifically identified by Elders as the most important place for Aboriginal interpretive signage.   

The co-design process was pivotal in developing innovative features of Yirran muru, as Aboriginal community members expressed a desire for the play space to follow a map of the Illawarra, and to also incorporate Aboriginal methods of learning for sharing culture. Yirran muru’s multi-layered design turns the physical geography of the local landscape into a play space, with the play elements replicating the travel routes and important landmarks for Dharawal people including Jubborsay (Lake Illawarra), Merrigong (the Illawarra Escarpment), Gang man gang (Windang Island) and gadhu (ocean). Different elements of the play space cater to specific Aboriginal methods of learning including storytelling, language, symbols and images, non-linear thinking, place-based connections and kinesthetic movement. 

Authentic co-design and culturally appropriate consultation processes supported Council in strengthening relationships with the local Aboriginal community members, businesses and organisations. 

Shellharbour City Council worked closely with various stakeholders within the local Aboriginal community to ensure the success of Yirran muru. 

Council developed a consultation strategy in collaboration with the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, a group of Aboriginal community representatives who advise Council on matters that impact the local Aboriginal community.  

This resulted in engaging targeted stakeholders for the project with the delivery of consultation workshops with Aboriginal children aged 5 to 12 years old at Oak Flats Public School, Albion Park Rail Public School and Mt Warrigal Public School. 

Council delivered follow-up consultation workshops with local Elders groups including the Illawarra Koori Men’s Support Group and the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation Elders Group. Council facilitated an open community consultation session at the 2021 Reconciliation Week event, which was attended by over 30 schools and 500 local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, as well as Elders and the wider community. 

Throughout this consultation process with various Aboriginal stakeholders, Council provided regular updates to the Aboriginal Advisory Committee to ensure feedback was collected, presented and implemented into the design of the space. 

When approaching the creative design of the playspace, Council engaged local artists, story tellers and language experts to help ensure a local and authentic representation of culture, which included Dr Jodi Edwards and Jasmine Sarin (local Aboriginal artist). 

Yirran muru delivered its intended outcome of an authentic Aboriginal playspace, and an additional unintended outcome of strengthening the partnership between Council and the local Aboriginal community.

Yirran muru was officially opened to the public on 18 April 2023. The event included cultural elements of cleansing – featuring a smoking ceremony, traditional songs and dances that welcome and cleanse, and a Dharawal monologue from Dr Jodi Edwards providing connection to Country from a Traditional Custodian.  

Visitors included Aboriginal children and families, Elders and Aboriginal community members, and members from the wider community. The official opening also included a free lunch for community members. The launch of Yirran Muru was a successful event, attracting over 500 visitors throughout the day. 

The launch was attended by a diverse cross-section of the community, coming together to acknowledge and celebrate local Aboriginal culture and heritage in a true act of reconciliation.  

Local community member Dr Jodi Edwards described the project as “a true representation of reconciliation – it was done before you had a RAP, and done because you wanted it here, not because of a piece of paper telling you to tick a box”. 

This playspace was created through collaboration with a vast range of consultants, community members, schools, artists, technical experts.  

Shellharbour City Council acknowledges and extends thanks to the following contributors:

Local Aboriginal Stakeholders

  • Shellharbour City Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee 
  • Dr Jodi Edwards (Cultural consultant and storyteller)
  • Jasmin Sarin (Aboriginal visual artist)
  • Oak Flats Public School (junior cultural consultants)
  • Albion Park Rail Public School (junior cultural consultants)
  • Mt Warrigal Public School (junior cultural consultants)
  • Illawarra Koori Men’s Support Group (Gawura) – Elders group (Aboriginal Elder consultants)
  • Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation Elders Group (Aboriginal Elder consultants)
  • Gawura (Cultural practitioners)
  • Gumarra (Cultural practitioners)
  • Kugang Djarmbi (Cultural practitioners)


Technical Experts and Contractors

  • Fiona Robbe (architect)
  • Partridge Engineering (structural Engineers)
  • Simpson Landscapes (landscape contractors)
  • Timber Creations (timber play elements)
  • Kim Bowman Music (timber Instruments)
  • Arm Sign (signage manufacturer)

Take a virtual tour...

Explore the multi-award winning Yirran muru!

Activity book

Download the Yirran muru activity book which is filled with lots of exciting activities and things to learn! 

Language wheel

Yirran muru has a language wheel, which is powered by kinetic energy. You spin the handle continuously to power the sign. 

A dial in the top right corner allows you to pick a Dharawal word from the list, and the speaker plays a recording of the Dharawal pronunciation of the word.

 

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with UOW on a range of Paint Shellharbour REaD initiatives. Paint Shellharbour REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD network, dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with The Man Walk to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local, social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library programs space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Smith Family to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading. 

QBD

Shellharbour City Libraries have worked with QBD Shellharbour as the preferred bookseller at all of our Author Talk events. 

Shellharbour City Libraries sponsors Project Bucephalus in their facilitation of the Shellharbour Robo Club. The club teaches youth to form robotics teams and particulate in the FIRST LEGO League tournament. 

Shellharbour City Libraries collaborates with Paint the Gong REaD in conjunction with the Paint the Town REaD network. This partnership promotes early childhood literacy across the Illawarra through multiple reading events and activities. 

Shellharbour City Libraries has partnered with NSW Health to facilitate Independent Living Skills sessions aimed at teaching foster children health and wellbeing skills, in collaboration with the William Campbell Foundation.

The Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra attends Warilla library to utilise the 2528 community room. This is used for exercise and light physio sessions with senior community members.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Living Connected to offer drop-in Tech Help sessions to our customers at Warilla, Albion Park and City Libraries. These short one-on-one sessions are designed to assist customers in their digital skills development. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Legal Aid NSW to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Kiama Community College to deliver Tech Savvy Seniors sessions at our libraries. Tech Savvy Seniors is a NSW Government and Telstra partnership coordinated by the State Library of NSW. The program aims to teach seniors digital skills and knowledge.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Junior Einsteins to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Judi Sandilands-Cincotta to bring Ollie and Shiko the therapy dogs to a range of children’s and youth programs. These programs aim to promote positive mental health and social connection.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Illawarra Legal Centre to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with HARS to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library program space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries organises Sensory Experiences with Greenacres Disability Services at Warilla Library.

Shellharbour City Libraries and the Youth Services team partnered with Fitness Cartel Albion Park to deliver a Youth Fitness program at Warilla Library. This program engaged local youth and taught them about health, personal fitness, and respect.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Ed U Play to facilitate programs and activities that bring young people together. These programs support social and emotional wellbeing amongst youth. The libraries support the Girls Only Project which aims to provide young women with knowledge of and access to positive activities in their own communities. Ed U Play are funded by the Communities for Children Program.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Bunnings to deliver free monthly Craft Workshops at City Library. In these sessions, experts from Bunnings teach our customers a range of crafting skills. These workshops include, Kokedama Balls, Painting Art Canvas and much more!

For Library Lovers Day, Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Belladonna Book Club to produce a series of Book Review videos. 

These reviews were released on the Libraries’ Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the Belladonna Book Club’s social media channels.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Barnardos to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Aruma Disability Services to deliver Library Links. Library Links is a program that aims to invite disability services groups into their local branches to utilise craft and puzzle kits as well as getting to know our collections. Aruma is the first group at the Warilla branch and comes monthly to utilise space, kits and collections with their joined organisation library card.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the William Campbell Foundation to deliver the Independent Living Skills Program. This program involves teaching foster children integral health and wellbeing skills and knowledge. Additionally, the City Library hosts WCF’s fortnightly Homework Club.

Sydney Writers Festival

Every year, Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the Sydney Writers Festival to deliver author panel livestreams and local events as part of the festival’s Live and Local programming. 

Paint the town read

Shellharbour City Libraries leads Paint Shellharbour REaD, which is part of the Paint the Town REaD network. This initiative aims to promote early childhood literacy by connecting local early childhood education stakeholders and providers and collaborating with them to deliver reading events and activities. 

Little Zaks Bee connected

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Little Zaks Academy to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Paint Shellharbour REaD

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Big Fat Smile to deliver Transition to School programs to prepare pre-schoolers for their move into primary school. Big Fat Smile is also a part of the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative, which organises events that promote early childhood literacy.