A New Garden Supporting Healing & Safety at Rockingham Hospital
A remarkable new Firewise Garden has been unveiled at Rockingham General Hospital, designed and built by The Forever Project. Created as a calming outdoor sanctuary, the garden serves a dual purpose: a tranquil space for reflection and conversation, and a strategically designed firewise buffer to help protect the hospital’s buildings from bushfire risk.
Located on the edge of surrounding bushland, the garden demonstrates how thoughtful landscaping can improve both wellbeing and safety. The space is filled with a selection of Australian firewise plant species, chosen for their low flammability, resilience, and ability to thrive in the local climate while reducing fuel loads near critical infrastructure.
A First for a WA State Asset
According to the official hospital release, Rockingham General Hospital is now home to the first Firewise Garden at a State-owned asset in Western Australia. It's a powerful demonstration of how hospital grounds — and public spaces more broadly — can be transformed into safer, healthier, and more resilient landscapes.
The Forever Project’s design highlights how fire prevention strategies can blend seamlessly with therapeutic, human-centered outdoor environments — a model that could be replicated across other healthcare facilities, schools, and community spaces.
Supporting Greener, Safer Futures
StrataGreen is proud to see our products incorporated into projects that prioritise community wellbeing and environmental resilience. The Firewise Garden at Rockingham Hospital is an inspiring example of landscape design that supports both people and place.
Read the official announcement
A Functional & Beautiful Firewise Landscape
This innovative project showcases several key design features that support safer landscapes:
Firewise Planting
The Forever Project team selected plants known for retaining moisture, producing less dry leaf litter, and offering natural fire resistance. These species bring beauty and biodiversity while helping form a protective green buffer.
Formline Raised Garden Beds
Formline steel edging was used to create structured raised garden beds that define the space with clean architectural lines. The non-combustible steel construction is ideal for firewise landscaping, ensuring the garden not only looks refined but also supports the site’s broader fire mitigation strategy.
Rhinoweld Seating & Structural Features
Rhinoweld gabions, filled with stone, were used throughout the garden to form seating areas and structural elements. These gabions are inherently firewise and also offer environmental benefits, creating small habitats and cool microclimates for insects and wildlife—particularly valuable in hot summer months.
Tree Bench & Gathering Spaces
Thoughtfully integrated seating areas, including a circular tree bench, invite staff, patients, and visitors to pause, reflect, or engage in supportive conversations within a peaceful natural setting.
Why Firewise Gardening Matters
With the increasing risks of bushfires across our state, Firewise gardening is about more than safety — it’s about resilience, awareness, and smart design choices.
The DFES Firewise Gardening in Western Australia guide encourages homeowners, landscapers, and developers to:
- Choose low-flammability plant species
- Incorporate non-combustible materials in garden builds
- Design gardens with defensible spaces that help protect homes
- Maintain a sense of natural beauty without compromising safety
Learn more about DFES’s Firewise gardening principles in their excellent Guide or Video Series.
The Forever Project: Inspiring Change Across Western Australia
The Forever Project has long been a leader in sustainability education, empowering communities to design gardens that are environmentally responsible and resilient.
Their Firewise Garden at the Rockingham Hospital is a highlight — combining native plant species, fire-safe materials, and stunning design into a cohesive, inspiring display.
StrataGreen’s support reflects our shared commitment to building a better, safer, and more sustainable Western Australia — one garden at a time.
You can learn more about The Forever Project and their ongoing initiatives in the link below.
