Blackwell & Associates were engaged for Stages 1 and 2 of Roebuck Primary School as part of a multi-disciplinary team led by Oldfield Knott Architects. The main landscape goal of the project was to provide the new Roebuck Community Primary School with a landscape that reflected a truly Broome character.

The school’s location and site conditions were a major source of design inspiration. The neighbouring Broome Airport inspired a bold plan echoing the adjacent mangrove swamps as seen from the aircraft frequenting the airport.

An access and circulation plan integrating open drainage swales, billabongs and feature bridges are incorporated into the design to meet the extreme drainage requirements of the site, providing a visually appealing and cost effective passive drainage solution. All plants used throughout the project are native which provides an educational resource in addition to habitats and feature low water requirements. Close consultation was held with representatives of the local Aboriginal community to ensure that the plants selected were culturally appropriate.

Other major design features include a series of shade structures designed to encourage parental meetings outside the school buildings and an extensive, integrated series of artworks running the length of the site, based on the theme of flight and the school’s location in relation to the airport, providing interest and a connection to the broader environment.