We travel Melbourne to find our top 25 playgrounds
PLAYGROUNDS are scattered across Melbourne, but where are the best? We travelled far and wide to compile the top 25. There’s sure to be one near you.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MELBOURNE families are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding an amazing playground.
If you haven’t travelled beyond your own suburb, you may be missing out on thrilling adventures including flying foxes, high ropes courses, treehouses, pirate ships, trampolines and water play.
We’ve travelled far and wide to find Melbourne’s best playgrounds. Today we reveal our top 25, guaranteed to bring hours of free entertainment to kids from toddlers to teenagers.
You’ll find our top five below and — to help find the playground closest to you — links to our top 25 separated by region: inner Melbourne, north, east, south and west.
St Kilda Adventure Playground
Off Neptune St, St Kilda
GROWING EVIDENCE PLAYGROUNDS MAKE KIDS HEALTHIER AND SMARTER
Verdict: 9.5/10
Highlights: long flying fox, treehouse, aeroplane, pirate ship, castle, in-ground trampoline, ball courts, fenced
“Playground” doesn’t do this urban wonderland justice.
This place recreates the way kids were able to explore their local neighbourhoods unhindered in days gone by, with lots of climbing structures, cubbies, a treehouse with knotted rope to the ground, big aeroplane, pirate ship with tattered sails and huge steering wheel, and big wooden castle with lots of climbing walls and hidey holes.
There is also a long flying fox, big hammock swing, big in-ground trampoline, huge spiral tunnel slide, tree for climbing, rope bridges, giant tractor tyre tunnel, tee-pee, metal half-pipe, ball courts including basketball key and ring, dodgeball area, sandpit with toys, and big ride-on dinosaur springer.
Parents can enjoy free tea and coffee (although a donation is requested). Water taps and toilets are on site.
Note: St Kilda Adventure Playground won’t suit parents who are risk-averse or don’t want their kids getting dirty. Best suited to age 5-12. Fully fenced but gate is open. Staffed. Lots of trees and shade. Shaded picnic table. Finding a car spot in nearby streets is sometimes tricky.
Open set times after school, weekends, and public and school holidays. The playground runs programs for local disadvantaged children so may be closed at times, especially during school holidays. Phone 9209 6348 to check. No need to book except for groups.
Bicentennial Park
Scotch Parade, Chelsea
Verdict: 9.5/10
Highlights: fenced, giant slides, spinning Supernova, spinning birds nest swing, Liberty Swing, close to skate park
What a doozy! Two giant slides down a hillside are just the beginning in this huge fenced playground with toddler-proof gates and a wide variety of equipment for kids of all ages.
There’s a huge spinning birds nest swing, hammock swing, spinning cup, rocking boat, big play train, a village with a music hut, play hut and story hut, musical instruments including tyres that littlies jump on to play music, two springers, two spinners, spiral slide, standard swings, Liberty Swing, and a spinning Supernova — a slanting ring for one or more kids to stand or sit on as it spins.
There are two sandpits including a big shaded one with a mechanical digger, pouring jugs and sand tables.
A big climbing structure includes three sets of monkey bars, two fixed-track flying foxes, rope ladder wall, chain bridge, walkways, tic tac toe, spinning cylinders, stepping stones, tree climb ladder, twin wave slides from a high tower and a suspended stepping stone walkway.
Lots of barbecues and three shelters with picnic tables. Lots of open space near playground for ball sports.
This is likely to be the best day’s fun you’ve had in ages and won’t cost a cent.
Buckingham Reserve
Buckingham Crescent, Sunshine West
Verdict: 9.5/10
Highlights: giant spiral tunnel slide, long flying foxes, birds nest swing, water play area
What an amazing playground — particularly for the west, which lacks the abundance of top-notch playgrounds dotted throughout Melbourne’s leafy east and southeast.
The centrepiece is a huge tower with a giant spiral tunnel slide, a long rope bridge and small straight slide.
There are also two long flying foxes with disc seats, birds nest swing, big horizontal rope climbing frame, carousel, twin mound slides, three spinners, two springers, standard swings, big sandpit and a fantastic multi-level water play area with moving parts including water gates kids can open and close and a twisting auger as well as channels and reservoirs.
Shade sails over sandpit and water play area only. Located down a quiet side street with no traffic noise.
Barbecues and picnic tables under big shelter. Ideal for bikes and scooters. Can get crowded.
MELBOURNE’S TOP 25 PLAYGROUNDS
Find the closest playground to you below:
Ruffey Lake Park — Victoria St Adventure Playground
Victoria St, Doncaster
Verdict: 9.5/10
Highlights: wooden adventure playground, long flying foxes, shade sails, giant slide
This exceptionally good wooden adventure playground has the bonus of a stunning natural setting with lovely views across rolling parkland, lots of trees and birds, and little traffic noise. It’s beautifully landscaped and maintained, and a wonderful venue for family or group gatherings.
The playground is spread over several levels and includes a big tower with spiral staircase, giant metal straight slide, long spiral slide, long tunnel slide, two long firemen’s poles, chain ladder wall, rope-pull and chain-pull climbing walls, tunnel, spiral ladder, musical bridge, ramps, steps, musical instrument, cubbies and shopfront.
There’s also a huge sandpit with sand-play tables, seven swings including a spinning tyre swing, two long flying foxes (one disc seat, one full seat with harness for littlies), fixed-track flying fox, monkey bars, and a fantastic molecule-shaped rock-climbing structure.
Much of the playground is under shade. Best for age 3-4 upwards. Lots of picnic tables under shelters and several barbecues.
Royal Park Nature Play
Gatehouse St, Parkville
Verdict: 9.5/10
Highlights: water and sand play, high ropes course, nature play
Intrepid explorers including older kids will love challenging themselves on the high ropes course at this new nature-based playground on the city’s doorstep.
A fantastic water play area includes a pump and gates that open and shut to fill a rock-lined creek leading down to a big sandpit where kids are kept busy digging and building in the wet sand.
A separate water play area has several water jets where toddlers can run and splash. A steep grassy hill is great for littlies to roll or run down.
There are also rocks and logs for clambering on, another rope climbing structure, several swings including a birds nest swing, three slides, lovely natural landscaping, barbecues and picnic tables.
The water play is great on a hot day, but the playground has almost no shade.
While many parents rate this as the best playground in Melbourne, its downside is the lack of toilets. Many families duck into the toilets in the nearby commercial building adjoining the Royal Children’s Hospital. Parking can also be tricky.
MELBOURNE’S TOP 25 PLAYGROUNDS
Find the closest playground to you below:
REVIEWS: Jen Kelly, Bridget Davies, Joe Young
‘Angels’: Hero Coles workers save mum’s life
A mother of three has opened up on how her life was saved after she suddenly collapsed while doing a routine supermarket shop.
Wildlife and traffic fears over music festival
Wildlife advocates fear a weekend music festival in central Victoria will endanger native animals including rescued joeys.