Everything parks, recreation and community

Open Space Planning

Trails

Research

Camping

Play Spaces

Asset Management

Service Delivery

Amenities & Facilities

Sport & Recreation Planning

Cemeteries

Project Management

Trees

Our company exists to create superior parks, public open spaces and sports facilities to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities

We do this by supporting local government and other agencies with sustainable planning and management of parks, open spaces and public facilities to create better towns and cities for people to live and play.

Xyst has offices in New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Our team of highly qualified and experienced consultants is available to provide you with practical, feasible and achievable solutions to deliver projects that meet the needs of your community, support sustainability and minimise the impact on the environment.

Recent Projects

Xyst has extensive experience and expertise across the spectrum of creating, managing and maintaining outdoor spaces. Take a look at some of our projects to find out how we have improved the outdoor spaces in communities throughout New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

Willoughby City Council (NSW)

Open Space Park Furniture Inspection

The project delivered a robust, accurate and validated dataset of Council’s park assets, which enabled informed decision making for Council. Some other key benefits included improved accuracy and completeness of asset records, dat-driven prioritisation of maintenance and renewal programs, improved financial forecasting, proactive risk reduction and strategic alignment of service delivery and improvement of public open space. Public open space in turn, contributes to community recreation, amenity and wellbeing.

Blacktown City Council

Business Improvement Plan

Blacktown City’s Greenspaces Business Unit sought to conduct a business health check to strategically position itself for the next ten years. The review identifies opportunities for improvement in service delivery, strategic planning, operational structure, financial management, and operational services, and provide actionable recommendations as part of a Greenspace Business Improvement Plan.

The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust

Shade Audit

The shade audit will enable Souther Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust to better protect the health, comfort, and wellbeing of customers and staff at Bunurong Memorial Park by ensuring adequate and effective shade across the site. By identifying gaps in shade coverage and understanding how existing shade performs across different seasons and usage patterns, SMCT can reduce exposure to harmful UV radiation, enhance visitor experience, and support safer work environments. The project will also provide evidence‑based recommendations that prioritise environmentally responsible solutions, directly supporting the objectives of SMCT’s Environmental Strategy 2022–25 and informing future planning, design, and capital investment decisions.

Melton City Council

Kindergarten Play Space Design Guidelines and Assessment

• Consistent, high‑quality design standards for all Council‑managed kindergarten outdoor play spaces, ensuring alignment with Victorian Government requirements and national safety frameworks. • Improved child development outcomes through play spaces designed to support cognitive, physical, emotional, social, and creative growth across diverse ages and abilities. • Evidence‑based planning and investment, enabling Council to prioritise maintenance, renewal, and upgrades through a clear, comparative play value assessment for all existing sites. • Enhanced inclusion and accessibility, ensuring universal design principles are embedded into both new and upgraded play spaces. • Stronger links to early childhood learning, with outdoor environments that support curriculum needs, including STEM, language development, arts, and social learning. • Greater operational efficiency, supported by guidelines that specify durable materials, maintenance considerations, and long‑term sustainability.

Our Services

If you need to create, maintain or manage a park, public open space or community facility, we have the expertise and experience to help you achieve it. We can do as much or as little as you need, from full project management through to filling gaps in capacity or capabilities.

Trees

Trails

Sport & Recreation Planning

Service Delivery

Research

Amenities & Facilities

Project Management

Play Spaces

Open Space Planning

Cemeteries

Camping

Asset Management

Our Team

Our people have a passion for creating outdoor spaces that enhance our communities with healthy, safe and sustainable places for people to exercise, explore and play. We all have experience working in the public sector, so we know how systems work and how to get projects done.

Mark Smith

Yardstick is a benchmarking and user surveys tool for parks and recreation.

With Yardstick you’ll have the data you need to make informed decisions and enhance your service.

Find out more about how Yardstick can help your organisation.