Orterra: From Floodplain to Learning Landscape: Norfolk Village State School’s Nature Play Transformation

At Orterra, we work alongside schools to design outdoor spaces that foster creativity, learning, and community. One of our recent projects with Norfolk Village State School on the Gold Coast demonstrates how thoughtful landscape architecture can turn an underutilised site into a dynamic, inclusive environment for play and education.

The school approached us after receiving a grant to support its Out of Hours School Care (OHSC) program. The funding sparked an opportunity not only to improve after-school offerings but also to reconsider how outdoor play could be reimagined across the entire school. The focus was on a large area of land that had previously been inaccessible due to drainage issues. Rather than settling for a traditional playground, Norfolk Village wanted a space that encouraged open-ended, imaginative play and maximised student engagement.

Our design approach is always collaborative and site-specific. We began by working with school leadership to understand how nature play aligned with their broader educational goals. This included supporting creativity and problem-solving through unstructured play, while also reflecting the school’s commitment to First Nations perspectives and a deeper connection to Country. These values became central to the project.

One of the key technical challenges was the site’s history of flooding. By integrating Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) principles, we created a landscape that could manage water sustainably while remaining accessible and safe throughout the year.

We also took time to observe how students moved through the school grounds, where they played, and how they interacted with different spaces. This research informed a design that is intuitive, inclusive, and engaging. From the earliest stages, staff and students were involved in the planning process, helping to build a strong sense of ownership and shared purpose.

Since the opening of the new nature play garden, the space has had a measurable impact:

• Students are more physically active, with increased running, climbing and exploration
• Creative and imaginative play has grown significantly
• There has been a significant decrease in the number of students needing supported play

Teachers, too, have embraced the space. What began as a conceptual idea quickly evolved into a real teaching resource. Since launch, the garden has been used for explicit teaching, group work, and informal learning, reinforcing the connection between physical space and pedagogical practice.

For Orterra, the success of this project lies not just in the transformation of the landscape, but in the way students and teachers now use and value it. A once-forgotten corner of the school has become a central hub of activity, connection, and learning.

If your school is looking to reimagine outdoor learning, we’d love to support you. We help schools unlock the full potential of their grounds – physically, culturally, and educationally. Let’s start a conversation about what’s possible.

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orterra.com.au