Fiona is wholly committed to the playground industry, and is involved in pro bono research and advocacy.
2021
2nd International Symposium on Planning and Design of Contemporary Early Learning Facilities & Playgrounds – topic: Bringing Nature to Childcare – Design of Outdoor Spaces
PLA NSW – topic: Waverley Inclusive Play Space Study: the Journey So Far, with Carl Nugent (Waverley Council) and Sandy Hoy (Parkland Planners)
Play Australia – topic: Nature Play: What it is & what it isn’t, with Mary Jeavons
PLA NSW – topic: Playground Standards Update
2020
AILA Webinar – topic: Changes to Australian Playground Standards
Office for the Advocate for Children and Young People – topic: “Consultation with Children and Young People”
2019
PLA Conference, Focus on Inclusion – topic: “Design Case Studies: Translating Principles into Design”
SAPIA Conference – topic: “Wayfinding in Play Spaces: So Much More Than Signage!”
Landcom – topic: “The Best Practice Playground”
UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Consultation with Children”
2018
PLA Conference, Lead Collaborate Succeed – topic: “The Latest Playground Standards and Implications for Local Government”
UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Spinny Things & the Love Tree”
Taipei “Play for All” – topic: “Bridging the Gap from Policy to Design: Universal Design and Inclusive Playgrounds”
Taipei “Play for All” – topic: “Real Grass, Spinny Things & the Love Tree”
Taipei “Play for All” – topic: “Key Elements of Playground Design for Children”
UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Whaddaya wanna do?”
2017
AILA The 3rd City: International Festival of Landscape Architecture – topic: “The AHA Moment”
Play Creativity & Culture Symposium, Canberra – topic: Play City: Design for Play
PLA Conference – topic: “Hosting a public Play Day”
UNSW, Masters Course – topic: “Spinny Things & the Love Tree”
World Forum on Early Care and Education (New Zealand) – topic: “Journey into Nature”
AILA (ACT) – topic: Australian Standards: What you need to know
2016
National Sports Convention – topic: “Inside Out & the Wrong Way Around”
PLA New South Wales – topic: “Let’s Design for Everyone”
UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado
2015
New Zealand Recreation Association, Keynote Speaker – topic: “Getting the Brief Sorted.”
PLA South Australia, Keynote Speaker – topic: “It’s in our Nature.”
UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado
2014
Parks and Leisure Australia, Kidsafe NSW and Fiona Robbé – topic “New Playground Equipment Standard Seminar and Tour”
Nature Play WA – topic: “Creating Nature Play Spaces – Child Care Sector”
UNSW, Landscape Architecture Elective – topic: Whaddayawannado
2013
Staff Development, Department of Education and Communities NSW – topic: “Natural Playspaces in your pr eschool”.
AILA Seminar, Hobart, – topic: “Public Playgrounds as Venues for Community Engagement”
2012
AILA Seminar, Sydney – “Planting in Fallzones – the latest research”.
Newcastle, PLA, NSW, 2012 “Change – an opportunity for revitalisation” – topic: “Evaluating playspace potential” & “National Inclusive playground workshop”
Bendigo Child Friendly Cities Conference – topic: “Consultation with Children”.
Parks & Leisure Association Conference, Coffs Harbour – topic: “Playground Assessment Tool”
Bendigo Child Friendly Cities Conference – topic: “Consultation with Children”
Newcastle PLA, “Change – an opportunity for revitalisation”, NSW – topics: “Evaluating playspace potential” and “National Inclusive playground workshop”
AILA Seminar, Sydney – topic: “Planting in Fallzones – the latest research”
2011
Dubbo PLA, Sydney – topic: “Playground Crowding”
New Zealand Recreation Association, Auckland – topic: “The Total Package”
2010
Kidsafe WA Conference, “The Nature of Play”, Perth – topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”
Parks & Leisure Association (PLA) Conference, “Partnerships for Sustainable Outcomes”, Albury – topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Naturally better – designing opportunities to play in a natural setting”
Kompan Seminar, Sydney– topic: “The invitation to play”
Inclusive PlayRoad Show, New Zealand– topic: “Inclusive playground design”
Kompan Seminar, Brisbane – topic: “The invitation to play”
2009
Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Conference, “Making it Happen”, Boomerang Beach – topic: “Consultation with children in the design process”
2008
International Play Association Conference, “Play in a Changing World”, Hong Kong – topic: “The importance of hopscotch” and “‘Play Patrol’ in Australia”
Queensland Children’s Activities Network (QCAN) Conference, Brisbane – topic: “The importance of hopscotch”
NSW Play Environments Network – topic: “Seeing past the sand and into the sky”
Early Childhood Environmental Education Network (ECEEN) Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Nature action collaborative for children”
2007
Playright Conference, Access for All – topic: “Creative solutions for everyone”
2006
Sydney University, Environmental Sociology Conference – topic: “Designing for delight – creative playground solutions, no matter what”
Kidsafe National Playground Conference, Sydney – topics: “Creative solutions for everyone”, “Incidental play at schools” and “Playground Adequacy Checklist”.
Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Conference, Sydney – topic: “Creative playground design –are we creating a liveable legacy?”
Playright Seminar, Perth– topic: “Universal design in playgrounds”
2005
International Play Association (IPA) Conference, Berlin – topic: “Creative solutions for everyone – a special playground in Sydney”
2004
Kidsafe National Playground Conference, Sydney – topic: “Designing for delight – creative playground solutions, no matter what!”
Kompan Seminar, Sydney– topic: “Creative solutions for everyone – inclusive design principles”
2002
Kompan Seminar, Sydney – topic: “Designing beyond ‘splat'”