Government: Making the most of Wyong's open spaces

Working outdoors: Landscape architect Katherine Simmons enjoys the community perspective that drives local government.

Design of open space around buildings and infrastructure should not be an afterthought it should be considered at the start of projects, the principal landscape architect at Wyong Shire Council, Katherine Simmons, says.

"Landscape architects should be involved right from the site planning and analysis stage of a projectso there is a good balance of professionals involved in urban design," she says.

Simmons and her team at Wyong take a systematic approach to the development and integration of open space in the New South Wales central coast municipality and it has brought them national recognition.

A redesign of land at Blue Haven to form the multi-use Bamayi Reserve won a State Play Space award of excellence and a new park at Canton Beach, which is designed for use by children of all abilities, won a Playspace award in the 2014 Parks and Leisure Australia awards.

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Simmons, who studied landscape architecture at the University of New South Wales, says people in her profession are involved in the design of anything other than buildings. This can include urban and public space, areas around commercial buildings and along freeways and foreshore reserves.

She chose her degree in a quest for a profession that would allow her to pursue interests in art, design, science and the natural environment.

After working in consultancy in Australia and Britain, she worked for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils, discovering she enjoys the community perspective that drives local government.

When she joined the staff at Wyong eight years ago, she began work on an assessment of parks, playgrounds and open space in the area.

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Government: Making the most of Wyong's open spaces