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Ultimate Playground Guide for Kids in Melbourne
Are you looking for the best playgrounds in Melbourne for kids? Whether you are a local parent or visiting with the family, Melbourne offers some of the best kids’ play spaces in Australia. This guide highlights the most exciting playgrounds across Melbourne’s suburbs and regions, from giant rope climbing nets to inclusive play areas. If you have ever searched “best playgrounds near me” or “fun free activities for kids in Melbourne,” this ultimate guide is for you. Let the adventure begin!
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Quick Links: Best Playgrounds by Region
Melbourne South & Bayside:
Thomas Street South Reserve, Booran Reserve, Peter Scullin Reserve
Melbourne South East:
Waverley Park Lake Playground, Frankston Regional Foreshore Playground, Ballam Park
Melbourne West:
Frontier Park
Melbourne CBD & Docklands:
Ron Barassi Senior Park,
Melbourne North & North East:
Verdant Park Playground, Community Bank® Adventure Playground, Gumnut Park and Adventure Playground
Mornington Peninsula & Yarra Ranges:
Rosebud Foreshore Playground, Warburton Water World
Find the Best Playgrounds in Melbourne South, Melbourne South East and Bayside
Thomas Street South Reserve
Thomas Street Playground has undergone a remarkable transformation, and it’s now proudly home to Bayside’s very first fully inclusive playspace, where everyone can join in the fun.
This playground is a haven of inclusivity, featuring wheelchair trampolines, flying foxes, slides, a variety of swings, an engaging parkour course, and even a small water play area. At its heart stands a magnificent timber castle, continuing the theme of the previous fort/castle, making it a centrepiece that sparks the imagination of all who visit.
Location: Thomas Street, Hampton
Waverley Park Lake Playground
Waverley Park Lake Playground also known as Finale Park stands as one of the City of Monash’s largest playgrounds. It offers plenty of exciting features, including a play tower with slides, a rope bridge, a flying fox, swings, and an intricate tunnel network. For sensory delights, there are timber balance beams, sculptural timber posts, a snake-shaped water channel with a pump, artistic rockwork, and a sandy haven. Additionally, the park caters to sports enthusiasts with basketball courts, soccer goalposts, a bouldering wall, a sprint track, and an outdoor fitness station, while families can enjoy scenic walking trails.
Location: Cavenagh Blvd, Mulgrave
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Booran Reserve
Booran Reserve, situated in Glen Huntly, is an award-winning playground with a rich history, repurposing over 95% of the original site materials from the old Caulfield Water Service Reservoir. This impressive playground features a 10m high double dome rope climbing net, complete with an exciting slide, a giant bird’s nest swing, a dual flying fox, a 5-way swing, in-ground trampolines, a large mouse wheel, a two-tiered sandpit, and a water play area with an engaging rock-lined stream. Adjacent to the playground, you’ll find amenities like basketball and netball courts, a hit-up wall, and reservable picnic shelters.
Peter Scullin Reserve (new 2023)
The eagerly awaited upgrade of Peter Scullin Reserve‘s playground in Mordialloc has finally arrived, and it’s worth the wait. With a focus on accessibility, it features equipment suitable for children of all abilities. Kids can tackle climbing structures with ropes, multi-level play areas and a large running wheel are lots of fun. There are also the classic swings, slides and for hot days, there’s a water play feature.
Location: Beach Road, Mordialloc
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Frankston Regional Foreshore Playground
The award-winning Frankston Regional Foreshore Playground is situated along Pier Promenade. The playground features towering castles connected by netted walkways, slides, a small climbing wall, swings, tunnels and shaded sand pits for endless fun. A Liberty Swing ensures inclusivity for children with disabilities. BBQs, picnic tables and toilets.
Location: 7N Pier Promenade, Frankston
Ballam Park Play Spaces
At Ballam Park, you’ll find two unique playgrounds at either end of the park. On the Eastern side, there’s a wooden play area that features climbing walls, slides, musical bells, and tunnels perfect for small kids. The Western side of the park offers an adventure-filled playground complete with a humpy skate park, a basketball court, mini trampolines, a flying fox, climbing bars, swings, tunnels, a tennis wall, and slides.
Location: Cranbourne Road, Frankston
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Find the Best Playgrounds in Melbourne West
Fontier Park
Frontier Park is situated within the Aintree Recreation Reserve. This vibrant playground features two play towers connected by netting, complete with towering spiral slides for adventurous youngsters. In the heart of the park, a sandy oasis with a water pump, a net swing, an accessible carousel, and a small nature rope course. Facilities also include toilets, BBQ spots, tables for picnics, a skate park and a basketball court.
Location: Frontier Avenue, Aintree
Find the Best Playgrounds in Melbourne CBD
Ron Barassi Senior Park
Ron Barassi Senior Park, situated along Docklands Drive, offers stunning views of Melbourne’s skyscrapers and the iconic Bolte Bridge. Named in honour of Melbourne Football Club legend Ron Barassi Senior, this playground features two rocket ship slides and an adventurous rope bridge within its wooden structure. Kids can swing on the giant tyre swing, or play in the sandpit, complete with a digger and sand pulleys. There is also a water play area with water pumps.
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Find the Best Playgrounds in Melbourne North and Melbourne North East
Verdant Park Playground
Verdant Park Playground is situated in Tullamore Estate, Doncaster. Its centrepiece is a remarkable tree house resembling a bird’s nest, accompanied by two massive tunnel slides. The playground also offers a net swing, two flying foxes, an adventurous rope bridge, and picnic and BBQ facilities.
Location: Verdant Cres, Doncaster
Community Bank® Adventure Playground
The Community Bank® Adventure Playground is situated within Hadfield Park, this playground has a magnificent 5-storey tower that houses three large slides. It also features an array of challenges with varying climbing routes, numerous cubby spaces above and below, a 25m double flying fox with an inclusive seat, a spinning carousel, interactive tractor play, multi-directional nest swings, and a sand play area complete with scoops and sensory activities. For added convenience, covered BBQ areas and accessible change room facilities are available. In the summertime, kids can also enjoy the fully accessible water splash park.
Location: High Street, Wallan
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Gumnut Park and Adventure Playground
Gumnut Park and Adventure Playground draw inspiration from the beloved Australian author May Gibbs’ Snugglepot & Cuddlepie stories. Situated amidst native river red gums, this imaginative playground showcases two enchanting gumnut towers interconnected by netted walkways, massive slides, ground trampolines, and two thrilling flying foxes. There’s a wooden climbing frame for young adventurers to explore. Picnic shelters, BBQ areas, toilets, a nature play zone, a toddler area complete with a slippery dip, a cute gumnut cubby house, a half-court basketball, and skate/BMX ramps.
Location: 1025 Donnybrook Road, Donnybrook
Warburton Water World
Warburton Water World is a FREE aquatic adventure the kids are sure to love. It features a small waterslide, water guns, palm trees showering water, and a suspenseful dumping bucket. The big kids’ playground boasts two massive slides and a challenging climbing course, while little ones have their own playground with swings and climbing equipment. The water park generally opens from September until April each year.
Location: 20 Woods Point Road, Warburton
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Lincoln Square Playground
The newly opened Lincoln Square playground in Carlton is designed around the site’s 150-year-old Moreton Bay Fig trees, offering a play space that caters to children of all ages. Features include rope bridges, play towers, swings, slides, and timber play structures made from salvaged City of Melbourne trees, along with standing chimes, speaker tubes, bird baths, and habitat boxes. Elevated decking beneath the trees, a clatter bridge, and new feature lighting add to the space’s unique character.
Find the Best Playgrounds in Mornington Peninsula
Rosebud Foreshore Playground
Rosebud Foreshore Playground is situated in the Jetty Road Foreshore area in Rosebud. This fantastic playground offers a wide range of activities, including rope climbing, a multi-level play space, a tunnel, a flying fox, swings, and massive slides. Its prime location next to the beach makes it the perfect destination for family fun and relaxation.
Location: 2 Jetty Road, Rosebud
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Plan your next family day out with this guide to the best playgrounds in Melbourne. Whether you are looking for an accessible park, a beachside playground, or an epic adventure tower, Melbourne’s outdoor play spaces have something for every child.
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We try our best to provide accurate information on kid-friendly events around Victoria but do recommend parents check details directly to confirm dates, times, prices as some details may be subject to change.
