Budd Park, Murwillumbuh NSW

Challenge

The major flood events of 2017 and 2022 devastated Murwillumbah and the surrounding communities in Northern NSW. Among the many losses was the World Heritage Rainforest Centre - also known as the Murwillumbah Visitor Information Centre - which suffered irreparable damage and was subsequently demolished for public safety.

In the wake of these disasters, Tweed Shire Council identified an opportunity to transform the flood-affected site into Budd Park, a welcoming and inclusive open space designed for both the local community and travellers passing through the region. Situated at the key entry and exit point to Tweed Valley Way, the site held strategic value as a social and visual gateway to Murwillumbah.

However, the redevelopment presented a significant challenge: to create a park that was both functional and inviting while being resilient enough to withstand future flood events - events that were considered a matter not of if, but when.

Material Requirements

Budd Park required furniture capable of withstanding full water inundation and being easy to clean after floods. The furniture needed to be designed for durability, rapid recovery, and accessibility, ensuring the space remains user-friendly for all visitors.

Solution

We were able to supply a full suite of high-quality aluminium products for Budd Park, including Park Shelters, Table Setting, Park Seating, Commercial Bin Enclosures, and Bike Racks. Supplying a complete range offered several benefits: all elements matched in colour and style, creating a cohesive, visually unified aesthetic throughout the park, while the flexible seating options - including plinth-mounted installations - allowed the furniture to be seamlessly integrated into Ian Bentley’s design, complementing the concrete surfaces he selected for their ability to be easily washed down after floods.

The Red Gum Shelters were a standout feature, with laser-cut Sweet Gum leaves in the roof panels that cast decorative shadows and pay homage to the riverbank trees. This motif was also reflected in the park’s welcome signage, demonstrating how our products can support a consistent design language across different elements of a public space. The Integra EX Table Setting included extended tabletops to provide wheelchair access, ensuring inclusivity for the wider community, including nearby retirement villages.

Every community is different. That’s why GX Outdoors offers semi-customisation - adapting our proven designs to reflect local needs and branding. Semi-custom options range from: 

• Amendments to Size

• Laser Cutting

• Colours, Combinations & Finishes 

• TimberImage

• Design Modifications 

Perfectly demonstrated at Budd Park, semi‑customisation shows that products don’t need to be fully bespoke or require a large budget to make a design impact - a key advantage for communities like Murwillumbah, where recovery budgets must be carefully managed. 

Budd Park now stands as a symbol of Murwillumbah’s resilience. Its flood‑resilient design allows the site to be quickly cleaned and restored after flood events, while the thoughtful colour palette, cohesive furniture suite, and aesthetic details - like the Sweet Gum leaf motif - create a space the community can take pride in and enjoy for years to come. 

Hear insights from Landscape Architect Ian Bentley, on how this project demonstrates thoughtful, future-focused design in the video below.