June 6th, 2025Magic Pudding playground serves up a new ‘slice’
Words & Images: Eve Lamb
A bit like that cantankerous yet amazing pud itself, Creswick’s Magic Pudding Playground is serving up some fabulous new “slices”.
New colourful character bollards, similar in style to those at Geelong’s popular Eastern Beach waterfront area, are set to be installed at the much-loved local playground in coming months. More on that later.
Establishment of the playground as part of Lindsays Arts Trail, dates back over a decade and celebrates the town’s famous creative Lindsay family, and particularly the iconic Aussie children’s book, The Magic Pudding created by Norman Lindsay.
The Magic Pudding is Norman Lindsay’s best known children’s book. He wrote it in 1917, partly to settle an argument with his friend Bertram Stevens of The Bulletin and Art in Australia, who maintained that children liked to read about fairies, whereas Lindsay said they liked to read about food.
So, Norman Lindsay cooked up a whimsical children’s book that is still loved around the world by both adults and children today.
For more than a century The Magic Pudding amused generations of children and their parents with the fun and harrowing adventures of Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle, Sam Sawnoff, the Puddin’ thieves, and Albert, the cheeky ‘never-ending’ pudding.
Creswick was the birthplace and home for many members of the famed Lindsay family including Norman who was also a famous artist, wrote 11 comic novels and illustrated 30 other books.
Proud of their Lindsay family heritage, today’s Creswick locals say planned developments of the Magic Pudding Playground had stalled going back quite a few years ago.
However a dedicated small committee of locals recently got back on the case and has been working hard to see new additions and developments.
Among the committee members, Creswick’s Margaret Giles (pictured above) says those efforts are now yielding the kind of results that kids and families can enjoy.
These include the very recent installation of children’s steppers and balancing planks, a picnic setting and seating along with some fun new pieces of playground equipment.
New signage featuring some text and illustrations from the original book is also soon to go in, with funding for the various developments coming from multiple sources including two sausage sizzles held at Bunnings, a Bendigo Community Bank Creswick and District, Hepburn Shire Council, Creswick Garden Lovers weekend, state Tidy Towns funding and federal funding.
Margaret says the committee’s efforts have also been assisted through contributions of recycled salvaged timber, and also from the area’s Timber Training School.
Now she says they’re eagerly anticipating the addition of some life-sized colourful bollards featuring six favourite characters inspired by The Magic Pudding book.
“The bollards are interpretations of the characters and they’re being painted by Talbot artist Penny Hetherington,” Margaret says.
“There are six bollards and we’re hoping to see them installed in September or October,” she says.
“We’ve also been donated a small children’s slide and we’re talking to council to get that OK-ed and approved to install as well. It’s very expensive to install playground equipment and it all has to be approved and ticked-off.
“We’re also taking about getting some decorative mosaics, we want to reinvigorate the (existing timber) hut as well and also put a rudder on the (playground’s existing timber) boat.”
Fellow committee member Chrissy Austin is also manager of the town’s neighbourhood centre which auspices the working group to assist with fundraising and profile-raising for the playground.
She also has a couple of primary school aged sons who are among the many local children who use and appreciate the playground.
“I don’t think there’s a family with young kids in the area here who wouldn’t use and enjoy the playground,” Chrissy says.
“Yes, we’re only a small committee and we’re always keen to welcome new members to the working group. If anyone is interested in contributing and becoming part of the group they can contact me at the neighbourhood centre.”
Margaret says that as the committee looks to continue its work at the much-loved playground it’s also planning to hold another sausage sizzle at Bunnings in the future and would welcome volunteers.
Those keen to help out can contact Margaret on 0419326453.
