'Great asset for Thirroul': local leader welcomes $1.3m skatepark tender
It's taken about 20 years of community campaigns and council consultations, but two new skateparks are rolling ahead
Children have grown up and skaters grown older but, after more than 17 years, victory is in sight for the grassroots Thirroul Needs a Skatepark campaign.
Last week Wollongong City Council announced that tenders were invited for the design and construction of skateparks in Wollongong’s MacCabe Park and Thirroul’s WF Jackson Park. Both sites were chosen for their central location, being close to public transport, shops and restaurants.
"The Thirroul Village Committee is pleased to see the skatepark finally under way. This project has sat on the council to-do list for far too long,” said Elliot Stein, president of the TVC community group.
"This skatepark must be a place for the entire community, activating a space that has huge potential for all generations.
"Whether you grew up rollerskating at Kings Theatre or have kids inspired to become a future Olympian, this skatepark will be a great asset for Thirroul.”
WF Jackson Park is the location for Thirroul's new skatepark after a long-running community campaign, featured on the cover of the Flame's predecessor, 2515 Coast News, in June 2015.
Tender documents for Thirroul’s $1.3 million design and construction contract describe a skatepark covering up to 800m2, designed for beginner and intermediate skill levels.
The brief for the triangular site – wedged between rail lines, a main road and the Coles shopping complex – includes safety measures, such as a fence between the park and the footpath along Lawrence Hargrave Drive to stop loose boards and accidents.
The tender stipulates trees that should be protected, including a mature fig at the southern end. Other features will include seats for spectators, a water refill station, bicycle parking, at least two bins and skate etiquette signage.
There is a $5000 allowance for public art, which council will confirm in the design phase.
Tenders for both sites will require the provision of floodlights and CCTV infrastructure.
While the Thirroul project is described as a "district-scale" skatepark, MacCabe Park is a much bigger project, nearly twice the size, with a maximum budget of $2.63 million. This tender is to design and build a "regional-scale" facility capable of hosting National Series level competitions, with space for bump-in infrastructure such as seating or trucks.
The MacCabe Park brief is for a skateable area of about 1500m2 for skateboards, BMX and scooters, with seats and spectator areas, shade, a water refill station, lighting and bicycle parking. The budget should allow $10,000 for public art.
Debate over this location – which is close to public transport, Wollongong Youth Centre, Crown Street Mall and restaurants – flared two months ago, when the newly formed Friends of MacCabe Park held a protest on site in August.
“The Friends are respectfully calling on council to urgently revise plans for this skatepark in MacCabe Park,” group convenor Patricia O’Brien said at the time.
“This year council will start work on a long-awaited masterplan for the park, now 15 years overdue. Building the skate park would be putting the cart before the horse.”
The Friends of MacCabe Park support a skatepark in central Wollongong, but say MacCabe Park is the wrong spot, as it will reduce green space in the hottest part of the city. They have suggested alternative sites closer to the ocean or associated with existing sporting facilities at Beaton Park, Thomas Dalton Park or JJ Kelly Park.
Council plans to start the MacCabe Park masterplan in late 2026 or 2027.
Port Kembla's skate success
The Wollongong local government area has six skateparks, one in its northernmost town, Helensburgh, one in central Fairy Meadow, and four in the southern suburbs of Unanderra, Berkeley, West Dapto and Port Kembla.
The newest is Port Kembla Skate Space, which won community project of the year at the Parks and Leisure NSW/ACT Regional Awards of Excellence in June.
Championed by local father Will Mitry and the Port Kembla Chamber of Commerce, this skatepark was was designed by Darren White's Baseplate Design with Revolution Action Sports Concepts, and built in (relatively) record time.
It began as a DIY set-up on the old basketball and netball courts during Covid lockdowns. In 2023, the community campaign to create a permanent park won a $500,000 grant via the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund and, in 2024, PK Skate Space was launched with positive reviews, including from Sydney skateboarding influencer Leon Paxton, who featured the feel-good backstory in a short film.
In April this year, Will Mitry told the Flame the park has increased foot traffic to businesses and coffee shops and has put Port Kembla on the map for the regional skate community.
What's next
On announcing the tenders for Wollongong and Thirroul's new skateparks last week, acting Lord Mayor Cr David Brown said residents’ desire for the two skateparks is “well established”.
“Negative perceptions of skate parks are a thing of the past. It only takes a passing glance at any of the parks across our suburbs to see they are well used and highly valued spaces for people of all ages,” he said.
Council endorsed MacCabe Park and WF Jackson Park as skatepark locations in December 2025. The next round of community engagement will be in the design phase and works on both skateparks are expected to begin in the current financial year.
Tenders are open until October 20.
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Ben Wollen
