Burning issue: Playground arson sparks fury ahead of holidays

Published 23 June 2025

• Playground gutted by fire in arson attack, causing $100,000 worth of damage
• Arson incident is the latest in a string of vandalism acts in the City of Moreton Bay, which is proving costly to ratepayers
• Mayor fires up as playground off-limits for kids ahead of school holidays 

Arsonists have burned down a playground in the City of Moreton Bay in yet another vandalism attack on ratepayer-funded community facilities, which has fired up the Mayor.

Ebert Park was set alight not once but twice in the space of the week, causing $100,000 worth of damage with two slides, shade sail, ball climbing unit, rope bridge and plastic moulded rock stairs among the equipment gutted.

Mayor Peter Flannery said the arson was the latest in a series of vandalism acts – and a costly blow for ratepayers and children ahead of the winter school holidays. 

“I’ve had a gutful of this behaviour. Why should our community keep paying to repair damage that is totally unacceptable and unnecessary?” he said.

“In the week before school holidays we should not have to explain to parents that they cannot take their kids to the playground because someone set fire to it. In this cost-of-living crisis, it’s important families can go to the playground, which is a free and fun school holiday activity.”

A small fire was initially lit at Ebert Park, located in the suburb of Bray Park, some time over the weekend of 14-15 June and then again in the early hours of Friday, 20 June.

Earlier this year, a shade sail at Town Park, North Lakes was also set alight, causing the burning material to drip onto the rubber ground below, which resulted in $17,000 worth of damage.

And late last year, arsonists destroyed helicopter play equipment at HT Ireland Reserve, Eatons Hill, resulting in a $45,000 repair bill.

And it’s not just arsonists wreaking havoc on playgrounds in the City, with thieves also helping themselves to slides and other equipment.

“We have had playground parts and pieces of equipment such as cross bars, Roman rings and even slides stolen from our parks,” Mayor Flannery said.

“We suspect that people are taking the equipment to build their own playgrounds in their backyard – this month alone we’ve had an estimated $15,000 in various parts vanish, yet another unnecessary impost on our ratepayers.”

Graffiti is also a major problem at parks and other community facilities, with Council recording 4308 repair orders for graffiti this financial year. Earlier in June, a vandalism incident at Morayfield Skate Park resulted in $15,000-$20,000 worth of damage.

Council continues to invest heavily in its CCTV network in an effort to curb costly damage to play spaces and other community facilities. Its public safety program includes a network of more than 1850 CCTV cameras, with nearly 200 deployed in the past 12 months alone.