Gage Roads Freo Brewery

Custom Playground Design, Fremantle — The Gage Roads Brewery Kid Zone

When Good Drinks Co engaged Van Ryt Industries to design the kid zone at Gage Roads Brewery, A-Shed Fremantle, the brief was as ambitious as the venue itself. With a 1,500-capacity brewery overlooking Victoria Quay and an outdoor courtyard steeped in maritime history, nothing off-the-shelf would do. The client needed a custom playground design that matched the scale, character, and WA coastal spirit of Gage Roads Freo — from concept to the last custom detail.

Opened in 2021 following a major refurbishment of the historic Fremantle Port A-Shed warehouse, Gage Roads Freo has quickly become one of WA's best-loved family-friendly hospitality destinations. VRI designed, fabricated, and installed a fully themed coastal play space in the outdoor courtyard — working around significant infrastructure constraints that made this one of the more technically demanding projects our team has taken on.

The Centrepiece — A 10-Metre Recycled Jarrah Crayfishing Boat

The hero of VRI's custom playground design is a 10-metre recycled Jarrah timber crayfishing boat, salvaged and transformed at our O'Connor WA workshop into a multi-level play structure. Children can peer through the Perspex window over the engine bay, discover the hidden treasure chest below decks, fire down the fireman's pole, scale the climbing walls, or navigate the tunnel through the hull. It is exactly the kind of standout coastal feature that no catalogue product could replicate — and precisely what the waterfront setting demanded.

Designing Through a Complex Heritage Site

The project brought significant site challenges. The designated play zone sits directly above steel sheet piling that retains the wall of the Swan River. Consequently, no deep excavation was possible — every structural decision needed to protect existing underground concrete slabs and services, while still delivering full compliance with AS 4685.

Working closely with the project structural engineer, VRI developed a bespoke steel cradle system to support the large upper deck of the crayfishing boat — a solution that resolved the structural constraint without compromising the design intent. Transporting a 10-metre vessel to and from our workshop required specialist logistics planning. Additionally, fitting every element — including the required fall zones — within the compact courtyard footprint demanded creative spatial problem-solving at every stage of the build.

Custom Features That Celebrate WA's Coastal Culture

Beyond the boat, every element was purpose-designed to reinforce the maritime theme. A giant wahoo fish — suspended from a set of scales — functions as the custom weighing station climbing wall. It is a feature unique to this installation and consistently the first element children head for. A stainless steel fish cleaning table serves as the custom sand play table, with an etched game inscribed into the surface and tactile features hidden throughout the space. Custom boardwalk jetty sections and feature entry signage complete the coastal setting, giving the kid zone an immersive depth that rewards repeated visits.

The 324-CRY Giant Cray Pot, crafted from locally sourced West Australian Jarrah hardwood, adds a lower-height climbing and seating element with strong maritime character. The 501-CAR Car — a bespoke repurposed vehicle with a custom Jarrah interior fitout — provides an imaginative role-play anchor well suited to younger children. Together, these catalogue pieces support VRI's broader bespoke playground design to create a layered environment that engages a wide age range within the one themed space.

Designing for Dwell Time — The Hospitality Playground Brief

A hospitality playground design serves a different purpose to a public park. The goal is not just safety and play value — it is keeping children genuinely engaged so families feel comfortable staying longer, ordering another round, and returning with friends. VRI approaches each bespoke playground design in Perth with this commercial reality in mind: the play space must earn its floor area.

At Gage Roads, that meant building a kid zone that functions as a venue feature in its own right — something parents photograph, children remember, and visitors recommend. This approach shapes every decision: age-range layering to hold children across different developmental stages, sensory and tactile detail to sustain attention, and a visual identity strong enough to reinforce the venue's own character. It is the same thinking VRI brings to every hospitality playground project across WA.

A Kid Zone Well Loved by Fremantle Families

Since opening, the Gage Roads Freo kid zone has become one of the venue's most celebrated features — earning strong recognition in Fremantle family guides and consistent praise from visiting parents. For VRI, this project demonstrates the full reach of Perth-manufactured custom playground design: a bespoke, coastal-inspired play space that keeps children engaged and gives families the confidence to stay longer, return more often, and bring others.

VRI installs throughout WA and supplies Australia-wide with full documentation for your local installer. For more examples of VRI's hospitality and commercial playground work, see the Bayswater Hotel playground, Charlie's Paddock at Melaleuka Farm in Piara Waters, and the BIG4 Dunsborough Southern Stars holiday park playground.

Thinking about transforming your venue's outdoor space? Contact Van Ryt Industries to discuss your brief.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good hospitality playground design?

A hospitality playground succeeds when it keeps children genuinely engaged — giving families the confidence to stay, order again, and return. VRI's approach to bespoke playground design starts with the venue's identity, not a product catalogue. Strong theming, layered challenge levels, and age-range coverage all contribute to a play space that functions as a venue feature rather than an afterthought.

How does VRI handle structural and site constraints on hospitality projects?

Every site presents its own constraints. At Gage Roads, the play zone sat directly above steel sheet piling retaining the Swan River wall — deep excavation was not an option. VRI developed a bespoke steel cradle system in collaboration with the project structural engineer, resolving the structural requirement without changing the design intent. This kind of site-specific problem-solving is a routine part of VRI's process for complex hospitality and commercial playground installations in WA.

Does VRI supply custom playground equipment Australia-wide?

Yes. VRI installs throughout WA and supplies Australia-wide with full documentation for your local installer. Supply-only orders include fabrication, finishing, and all documentation required for install in accordance with AS 4685.

How long does a custom playground design take from brief to installation?

Timelines depend on brief complexity, site constraints, and fabrication scope. Individual themed elements can move from concept to delivery relatively quickly. Complex multi-element spaces — like the Gage Roads kid zone — require design development, structural coordination, specialist logistics, and phased fabrication. Contact VRI early in your venue planning timeline to discuss your scope and scheduling requirements.

Featured Equipment

• Custom Crayfishing Boat — 10m recycled Jarrah timber, bespoke item
• Custom 'Weighing Station' Climbing Wall (Wahoo Fish) — bespoke item
• 324-CRY Giant Cray Pot — Jarrah climber and seat
• Custom Sand Play Table — stainless steel, etched game detail, bespoke item
• Custom Boardwalk Jetty — bespoke item
• Custom Feature Entry Signage — bespoke item
• 501-CAR Car — repurposed vehicle play feature with Jarrah interior