NewScape Design has played a leading role in the development and ongoing evolution of the NSW National Parks Park Facilities Manual, a foundational guide supporting the planning, design and delivery of visitor facilities across national parks throughout the state.
First developed in 2005, the manual has been progressively reviewed and updated in 2010 and 2016, with a further comprehensive update currently underway to ensure the document continues to reflect best practice, evolving visitor needs and contemporary approaches to park design and management. Over time, the manual has become a legacy document for NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, providing a consistent framework for delivering high-quality visitor infrastructure across diverse park landscapes.
The manual establishes a coordinated set of design standards to ensure facilities across NSW National Parks maintain a consistent identity while remaining responsive to local environmental, climatic and site-specific conditions. It provides guidance on planning principles, facility design and implementation, supported by case studies and a comprehensive catalogue of facility types including walking tracks, drainage systems, boardwalks and bridges, lookouts, shelters, toilets, park furniture, barriers, lighting and camping platforms. It also includes a dedicated chapter addressing horse riding infrastructure, recognising the unique operational requirements of the equestrian community within park settings.
The success of the manual has seen it adopted as a template for similar park facility manuals and design guidelines by government agencies nationally, reinforcing its influence as a benchmark for visitor infrastructure design across Australia.
