Nature Play WA survey finds girls are being ‘driven out’ of recreational outdoor spaces

Girls are being “driven out” of WA’s public outdoor spaces, with a new survey of parks, playgrounds and recreational areas finding teenage girls made up just 6 per cent of users. The snapshot of more than 6500 people at outdoor recreational spaces, compiled by Nature Play WA, also highlighted an over-representation of BMX, skate and basketball facilities which it found were primarily used by boys. The head of the not-for-profit, which aims to increase the time WA kids spend outdoors, said because teenage girls were not being catered for many were instead staying indoors, often at home or at shopping centres. Nature Play WA chief executive Kelsie Prabawa-Sear said the consequences were significant. “Essentially we are, by design, driving girls out of these spaces,” she said. “(The consequence) is a lack of physical activity and social connection. Research shows that teen girls get the least physical activity, and about 90 per cent don’t get enough for good health.” The survey was carried out in October 2025, with 400 observations of more than 6500 people across Perth and regional towns including Broome, Dunsborough, Walpole and Bunbury. Playgrounds, sporting ovals, skate parks, BMX tracks, tennis and basketball courts and reserves were among the 250 locations surveyed, with teenagers making up 17 per cent of users. Teenage girls represented just six per cent of visitors, and in many cases they were not actually using the facilities. Girls were most likely to be at jetties, grass and open areas or places with seating. The top activities reported were walking, swinging and sitting and chatting. Dr Prabawa-Sear said the snapshot highlighted a proliferation of BMX and skateboarding facilities, which were the spaces least likely to be used by girls. “We keep offering the same thing, which is appealing almost exclusively to boys, so we want variation,” she said. Just one per cent of basketball courts and BMX tracks had teenage girls present. This increased to five per cent at skate parks and ovals and nine per cent at parkour and obstacle courses. Seventy per cent of observations did not feature any teenage girls. The findings from the snapshot will inform a practical tool kit to guide local governments, designers, and developers in creating welcoming and empowering recreational spaces for girls. Dr Prabawa-Sear said Nature Play WA would consult girls in the design and planning. Research suggested girls wanted spaces with communal seating, shade, structures allowing them to perch high above the ground and big swings which could be shared by multiple girls at once. Dr Prabawa-Sear said girls tended to start avoiding outdoor recreational spaces from around 11, and by 15 it “dropped off a cliff.” “So we’re trying to encourage them to be socially connected and physically active outside,” she said. “And that doesn’t have to mean like running laps, it can be walking to the park and sitting in a nice seated area.” Caoimhe Power, 17, suggested outdoor spaces be “glamourised” with beautiful gardens to entice more girls outside. “They like taking photos so (places with) pretty flowers, more paths, benches . . . places to socialise at that look like what they are seeing online,” she said. “Girls are on social media, they see parties or make-up trends and they would rather go spend their time at the shops trying to uphold the same look as the people they see online, rather than go out and actually be a kid and enjoy nature and enjoy outdoors.” Allesia D’Aadamo, 11, said some girls found play areas intimidating, or preferred to spend time on their devices. “When they see a group of boys at a playground, they kind of get scared and they just choose not to go,” she said. The project was inspired by Make Space for Girls in the UK, which conducted a similar survey and found most parks had more facilities for dog waste than for teen girls. The UK study showed 94 per cent of youth facilities were skate parks, multi-use games areas or BMX tracks, whereas girls were more likely to use swings, shelters and social seating. University of Sydney sociologist Indigo Willing researches social inclusion in skateboarding and said gender equality in the sport had come a long way. She said group events, like organised meet-ups and lessons, helped girls feel more comfortable at skate parks but there was more work to do. “Without attention to gender-sensitive approaches, skate parks start only serving the needs of elite athletes,” she said. “People want to have fun, so spaces have to be made in a way that’s accessible, inclusive and inviting, where they can be social, and where there are toilet facilities.” The goal, Dr Willing said, was for girls to feel as comfortable at skate parks as they do at netball courts.