The Friends of Warrnambool Botanic Gardens is responsible for completing the project and committee member Neil McLeod is overseeing the works as the volunteer project manager alongside contractor Garry Drake. Warrnambool City Council is supporting through curator John Sheely and Paula Gardiner.

"We've hit the road running," Mr Sheely said.

"We've got the main logs and we're up to the stepping logs and log tangle now.

"We hope the project will be finished by mid to late June, weather permitting.

"I think it will be great. It activates an otherwise stagnant area in the gardens.

"All the feedback we've had has been fantastic."

The backbone of the play space design, drawn up by Yarra Valley landscape architects Laidlaw and Laidlaw, is formed by large logs cut from the trunk of an old Cypress that once grew along the Queens Road boundary of the gardens.

There will also be a tangle of roots from the Conheady family's farm, bluestone shards from Bamstone and a planting of tough shrubs and grasses.

The space will also feature a series of engaging, natural play elements complimenting the heritage-listed gardens.

The Friends of the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens president Pat Varley was overjoyed to obtain approval from Heritage Victoria on April 22 after the play space was selected by the south-west community to receive funding from the Victorian government's $30 million Pick My Project initiative.

"We are delighted and grateful for the written support we had from so many people," Mrs Varley said.

"All the support showed us we were on the right track and everyone was ready to get going.

"In the weeks since the approval came through, we've had an enormous amount of work done."

Only natural and recycled materials will be used to build the play space, with no plastic or cost to parents and the elements encourage climbing, jumping, balancing and squeezing.

A total of 44 local projects within a 50 kilometre radius of Warrnambool applied for the Pick My Project initiative and $198,000 was given to the Friends of the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens to complete the project by the end of this financial year.

"Our suggestion of a natural play space was one of the highest voted initiatives in our region," Mrs Varley said.

"It was obviously supported by the community.

"We thought the gardens itself was a play space but the new design will be in a fairly dead space and can add interest.

"I'm sure it will be a delightful space."

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