What's New

𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴?? For parks and recreation teams, understanding your assets and services is essential — but knowing how you compare with similar organisations can be challenging. That’s where benchmarking adds value. The #Yardstick benchmarking program provides councils with an evidence-based reference point to understand their current position, identify opportunities and support better decisions. 🌿 City of Whitehorse (2020) used trail provision data to understand how its network compared with other communities, helping inform future trail planning and investment. 🛝 Bega Valley Shire Council (2024) used playground provision data to assess its playspace network against comparable councils, supporting renewal priorities and future investment decisions. Better data supports better decisions for our parks and communities. #Yardstick #YardstickGlobal #YardstickParksBenchmarking #PublicSpaces #ParkManagement #AssetManagement #ParksAndRecreation #Benchmarking #LocalGovernment #PublicSpaces #WeHaveGreatClients

After 8 years managing parks and open spaces in local government, one question kept coming up: “How do we know if we’re actually performing well?” We can track costs, service levels and customer feedback, but understanding how we compare with similar organisations is much harder. That’s where #Yardstick Parks Benchmarking adds real value. It provides objective data to help councils understand where they’re performing strongly, where opportunities exist, and where improvements can have the greatest impact. The value goes beyond the numbers. The Yardstick community connects parks professionals facing similar challenges — sharing insights, lessons learned and practical solutions. To learn more or sign up, visit: https://lnkd.in/ePvQFxXs Subscription options include a free ‘Starter’ plan. Mark Corea
Yardstick Country Champion | Principal Consultant, Xyst

We have been a bit quiet on here of late, however, things have not been quiet at #Yardstick HQ. Australian and New Zealand Parks benchmarking for 2026 is now open and ready for your data! Yardstick benchmarking is an annual programme which enables comparison with similar organisations and industry best practice indicators. Sign up today via our website: https://lnkd.in/ePvQFxXs For more information get in contact with our #Yardstick country champions Paul Wilson (New Zealand) or Mark Corea (Australia). #YardstickGlobal #YardstickParksBenchmarking #ParksAndRecreation #Benchmarking #LocalGovernment #PublicSpaces #WeHaveGreatClients #GreenInfrastructure #PublicSpaces #ParkManagement

We’re proud to share that Karl Nesbitt (Senior Consultant) will be presenting at the upcoming Australian Cemeteries & Crematoria Association (ACCA) Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition 2026 on the Gold Coast, from 1-4 September. Karl will be sharing practical insights on developing a cemetery strategy - planning for sustainable operations, improving customer experience and strengthening community connections across cemetery and memorial park services. At Xyst, we’re passionate about helping organisations plan for the future while delivering meaningful, community-focused outcomes. Karl’s session reflects the work we do alongside our clients to develop thoughtful, long-term strategies that make a real impact. If you’re attending ACCA 2026, make sure to catch Karl’s session and connect with him, to explore how a well-crafted cemetery strategy can support your organisation.
#ACCA2026 #Xyst #CemeteryStrategy #CommunityPlanning #AssetManagement #CustomerExperience

Back in the classroom at Burnley— as a guest speaker! Mark Corea (Principal Consultant) had the pleasure of delivering a guest lecture for the Master of Urban Horticulture students at the University of Melbourne’s Burnley campus, as a former student himself there, speaking on “An Introduction to Parks and Asset Management” as part of their Managing Urban Landscapes module. A big thank you to Associate Professor Claire Farrell for the invitation—always a privilege to be able to contribute to the course program. The thoughtful questions at the end were a great sign of genuine engagement with the topic. It’s exciting to contribute to the next generation of urban horticulture professionals, building an understanding of how effective asset management underpins sustainable and resilient green spaces. Opportunities like this are a great reminder of how important it is to share practical insights from industry with future practitioners. Looking forward to seeing where these students go next!
#UrbanHorticulture #AssetManagement #ParksAndRecreation #UrbanLandscapes #GuestLecture #UniversityOfMelbourne #BurnleyCampus

Proud moment for Melton City Council and Xyst!
 
We’re excited to share that a project Xyst has been involved in with Melton City Council, has been nominated for the Victoria/Tasmania Region 'Innovation in Parks, Sport and Recreation Award' by Parks and Leisure Australia. Titled “Innovating Play Provision: Melton’s Data-Driven Park Improvement Program,” results will be announced at the upcoming Parks and Leisure Australia VIC/TAS Region Awards of Excellence evening on June 25th.
 
As one of Australia’s fastest-growing municipalities, Melton City Council faced the complex challenge of balancing new and existing communities while delivering high-quality, inclusive open spaces. In response, Council—partnering with Xyst—developed an intelligent, data-driven framework to transform how play space upgrades are prioritised. By integrating play value, amenity, and asset condition, this initiative provided a transparent, equitable and needs-based approach to decision making across Council's more than 220 play spaces. The result was a comprehensive, context-specific dataset tool —supporting smarter investment and better outcomes for the community. This recognition reflects a shared commitment to innovation, equity, and creating healthier, more inclusive communities.
👏 Congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this project to life and fingers crossed on the Awards night (and 😉 for the other nominees)
 
#ParksAndLeisureAustralia #PLAVicTas #Innovation #CityOfMelton #UrbanPlanning #PlaySpaces

Parks Management and Planning Training. Have your say. We are working with our valued partner Xyst to develop a new Parks Management and Planning Training programme for the sector. The programme will deliver practical one-day masterclasses across Aotearoa, with a focus on planning, design, and operations. We want to make sure it reflects the real challenges and priorities you face in your work. We invite you to share your input. If you work in planning, design, or day-to-day park management, your feedback will help us shape the right topics, plan delivery across regions, and ensure the training is practical and relevant. Please take 3 to 5 minutes to complete the survey on Jotform.
https://lnkd.in/eVYHGXQn

Always great to see Leamington Domain playground buzzing with activity both in the weekdays and weekends. The Xyst team was fortunate to have a role in shaping the original masterplan, which was then brought to life through concept and detailed design by the talented team at Brodie Hailwood, mana whenua and the amazing staff at Waipā District Council. I have been told the playground has had huge knock-on effects for a community organisation supporting children and youth, and it has even become a much loved birthday party destination. How good to get our tamariki outside and active! Moments like this remind me why I love what I do. Listening to community aspirations and helping to plan future public spaces people truely enjoy is incredibly rewarding.