Burswood Park Board

What Burswood Park Board does

Burswood Park Board is a statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia, established in 1986 to develop and manage the 52.9-56 hectares of public parkland on the Burswood Peninsula along the Swan River foreshore. The organisation operates as the steward of Burswood Park, a free-access public park offering landscaped gardens, heritage sculpture trails, seven freshwater lakes, walking and cycling paths, picnic and barbecue facilities, playgrounds, and a fully fenced heritage trail. Core attractions include the Swan Shell (a 22-metre sculptural wedding and event venue), the Swan Fountain, the Heritage Sculpture Trail of more than a dozen bronzes by artists Joan and Charles Smith, and ancillary commercial tenancies such as Bilya Café and Mizzica Mangiatoria. The Board partners with Matagarup Mini Golf, an 18-hole course operated by a third party on park land, to extend leisure draw without bearing full operator risk.

The business model is not commercial in the traditional sense; the park is free to enter, free parking is provided (with weekday time limits at two car parks), and wedding venue hire is provided at no charge via advance booking. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the entity is funded through the WA Government, with a statutory $3 million annual contribution to the Swan and Canning River restoration program ($33 million total since 2009). Operational revenue inflows are limited to commercial operator licences (e.g., the current six-month Expression of Interest process for Bilya Café) and likely event-hire fees for major events.

The Board's accountability sits with the Minister for Racing and Gaming, currently Hon. Paul Papalia CSC MLA. Governance is provided by a five-member Board including nominees of the Minister for Racing and Gaming, the Minister for Environment, the Town of Victoria Park (Mayor Karen Vernon), and Burswood Resort (Management) Limited / Crown Perth (CEO Brian Pereira), with independent registered architect and planner Chris Melsom. Day-to-day operations are led by Chief Executive Claire Wright and a 13-person administrative and operational team, with a wider 29-person headcount recorded across the organisation. Long-term strategy centres on the Burswood Park 20-Year Vision and the in-progress Perth Park entertainment and sporting precinct being delivered by the Perth Entertainment and Sporting Precinct Alliance (PESPA).

Name

Burswood Park Board

Legal name

Burswood Park Board

Website

https://burswoodpark.wa.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Burswood Park Board is a statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia that manages the free 56-hectare Burswood Park on the Swan River foreshore, serving the general public, event organisers, wedding parties, and horticulture trainees with gardens, lakes, heritage sculptures, wedding venues, and recreational facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Park Management and Recreation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Public park management
• Statutory authority services
• Recreational parkland operations
• Event venue hosting
• Heritage sculpture trail

Headquarters

HQ city

Burswood, Western Australia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Burswood Park Board manages and maintains a 53-hectare public parkland on the Burswood Peninsula along the Swan River foreshore in Perth, Western Australia. The core offering is free public access to landscaped gardens, walking trails, lakes, picnic areas, playgrounds, exercise facilities, the Heritage Sculpture Trail, and event spaces. Supplementary offerings include Matagarup Mini Golf, Swan Shell and Swan Fountain wedding venue hire, event hosting for community and cultural events, an outdoor classroom for horticulture students, and on-site café and restaurant operations.

Product overview

Burswood Park Board operates a single unified public park offering rather than a software platform. The core offering is Burswood Park, a 53-hectare public parkland on the Swan River featuring diverse attractions including Matagarup Mini Golf (18-hole course), the Swan Shell and Swan Fountain (wedding venues), Heritage Sculpture Trail, and River Journeys Interpretation Node. The park provides amenities such as lakes, gardens, picnic spaces, play areas, exercise facilities, and walking trails. Dining options include Bilya Café and Mizzica Mangiatoria restaurant. Services include event hosting for community and major events, and an Outdoor Classroom educational program for horticulture students. The park integrates with nearby attractions on the Burswood Peninsula including Optus Stadium, Crown Perth, and Matagarup Bridge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Burswood Park

Quantifiable outcome

• 56 hectares of public open space maintained and accessible 365 days a year, 24 hours a day
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create the River Journeys Interpretation Node, a cultural interpretation space where Whadjuk Elder Dr Noel Nannup shares ancient history and Whadjuk artist Justin Martin's sandblasted artwork tells the story of the yakkan (oblong turtle). The node honors the cultural and natural heritage of the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River).
• Swan and Canning River ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual $3 million funding arrangement supporting healthy catchments, river health, riverbank rehabilitation and community engagement projects. Since inception in 2009, total contribution of $33 million to this important program.
• Containers for ChangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBurswood Park Board is a collection point for the Containers for Change recycling program, encouraging visitors to recycle eligible containers.
• Matagarup Zip+ClimbminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdjacent attraction offering zip line and bridge climb experiences. Matagarup Mini Golf is located next to Matagarup Zip+Climb, creating a combined visitor experience.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kings Park and Botanic Garden: Perth's flagship public park managed by the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, a WA Government statutory body. Operates a much larger urban parkland with free public access, gardens, events, and heritage assets — the closest functional peer to Burswood Park within the same state.
• Centennial Parklands: Manages a large Sydney urban parkland under a trust structure with free public access, venue hire (weddings, events), sports facilities, and cafe tenancies. Closely comparable operating model combining public open space with commercial venue and food/beverage activity.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Statutory authority managing Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens with free public access, gardens, event venues, heritage landscapes, and education programs. Comparable business model as a state-government park operator running a heritage public open space.

Broad incumbents

• Gardens by the Bay: Singapore government-owned public gardens operating on a similar free-access model with paid event venue hire and F&B tenancies. Comparable in combining public gardens, event hosting, and tourism drawcards in a waterfront precinct alongside entertainment anchors.
• Central Park Conservancy:

Regional players

• Auckland Council Parks and Recreation: Local-government operator of Auckland's public parks, gardens, and event venues across the region. Comparable mandate of free public recreation, gardens maintenance, and event hosting, but at much larger scale and across multiple sites rather than one.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BurswoodPark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burswood-park-board

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Burswood Park Board