A child was assaulted, and a phone was stolen at the Oran Park skatepark, sparking outrage among local residents who say the facility has become a hotspot for youth violence and antisocial behaviour.
The incident was reported to the Oran Park community Facebook group by an anonymous parent, who said a group of kids attacked her son during the afternoon.
Police have since been notified, and community members are now calling for urgent action from authorities and the local council.
“To the kids that attacked my son at the skatepark this afternoon, it has been reported to police. Then they also stole a child’s phone. I can’t believe how kids act these days,” the parent wrote.
The post quickly drew responses from concerned residents, many of whom said the skatepark has been a recurring problem area. Evette McKechnie commented,
“What is it with that skate park. There is always trouble there. Hope he is okay.” Kayla Bird added, “Absolutely disgraceful. I hope your son is alright, sending hugs.”
One community member, who goes by Honestdecenthuman online, claimed this was not an isolated incident. “This is the 4th attack,” they wrote, suggesting a pattern of violence that has gone largely unaddressed.
A nearby resident, YellowSquirrel2852, offered potential assistance to police, asking whether the incident occurred on the basketball court or the grass and what time it happened, noting they may have CCTV footage.
The victim’s older sister, Caitlyn Meyers, confirmed the attack took place on the basketball court between 4 pm and 5 pm and reached out to the resident for contact details. YellowSquirrel2852 said the footage would likely be grainy but offered to share it publicly.
Sam3995, a resident who says they have been raising concerns for months, expressed frustration at the lack of response from officials.
“These kids been reported to police, council, local councillors from past many months. Nothing happened. At the end we stopping taking kids to this park,” they wrote.
Paul Roocroft used the incident to push for better local infrastructure, stating plainly, “We need a police station in Oran Park!” A reply from Nickkey Frances suggested the station should be located right at the skatepark itself.
Not everyone agreed the facility should remain as is. Slobo Charger suggested an entirely different approach:
“That skate park needs to be turned into a soccer field.”
The incident has also reignited broader concerns about community safety in the suburb. Kez Pez wrote,
“Seems Oran Park is not a nice neighbourhood to live in. All I see is stealing and violence posts lately. Certainly turned me off from buying in this suburb.”
One reply to that comment from Amanda Godfrey drew mixed reactions, with some agreeing and others pushing back on the sentiment expressed.
Police have been made aware of the attack, and residents are urging anyone with information or footage from the basketball court between 4 pm and 5 pm on the day of the incident to come forward.
Community members say the pressure on local authorities to act is only growing, with families increasingly reluctant to let their children use the park at all.
