NSW Public Spaces Near Me (Near Me) is a digital online platform that is being developed to display public spaces within walking distances anywhere in NSW.

Near Me will grow awareness of the diversity and quantity of NSW public spaces and support people to walk more, explore more, and visit great public spaces state-wide.

The platform will inspire people to explore their local neighbourhoods by highlighting not only the location of public spaces but also the walkable connections between them, as well as Points of Interest (POI) that may be well-known or hidden gems.

Public spaces are all places publicly owned or of public use, accessible and enjoyable by all for free and without a profit motive, this includes:

• Public open spaces: active and passive (including parks, gardens, playgrounds, public beaches, riverbanks and waterfronts, outdoor playing fields and courts, and publicly accessible bushland),
• Public facilities: public libraries, museums, galleries, civic/community centres, showgrounds and indoor public sports facilities,
• Streets: streets, avenues and boulevards, squares and plazas, pavements, passages and lanes, and bicycle paths.

A POI is defined for the purposes of the Near Me project as a physical feature located in public space that is free and accessible to all and endures overtime. The object may be well-known or unexpected, and natural or human-made including:

• a geographic feature, for example a point on a hill or river, or a key viewpoint
• significant vegetation, for example a significant tree or grasslands
• a place of contemporary or historic cultural values, for example the site of a historic event, a memorial, fountain or public art
• a place of significance to First Nations people where appropriate and in consultation with that community, for example a scar tree or rock engraving
• a building or a feature on a building, for example a stained-glass window, a hidden message or feature, a gargoyle with a particular expression, or a clocktower

POI are specific sites, objects and places that are interesting, popular or hidden gems in your local area. They may reveal something unique, unknown or unusual about your communities. They may have a ‘wow’ factor – sparking admiration, incredulity or curiosity. They may be modest or overlooked, invoking a ‘I didn’t know that!’ response. POI should be, in some way, remarkable and tell a story for locals and visitors whilst being puclically accessible.