Playgrounds

Canning Street, Carlton

A small, friendly local playground for toddlers and young children, right near cosmopolitan Carlton.

Playground features:

• play panel
• cubby house
• some disabled access.

Rathdowne Street, Carlton

Kids can have fun all day on this large play structure, based on the concept of a 19th century maze. Here, you'll find everything that opens and shuts, swings, hangs or stands!

Playground features:

• multi-level platform structures 
• musical elements 
• slides
• a climbing wall
• a cubby
• swings
• track glide
• sandpit 
• climbing frame 
• spring seesaw 
• some shade
• disabled access
• public toilet
• basketball court.

138-142 Bouverie Street, Carlton

The creation of a brand new playground was completed in 2021. Nestled in among the giant Moreton Bay figs are two towers joined by a rope bridge. Other play elements are nestled among a host of ferns and rainforest plants.

The new playground features:

• high towers connected by a rope bridge
• swings
• slides
• rainforest floor walk
• timber balance beams
• speaking tubes
• giant music chimes
• water play
• lots of shade
• picnic tables
• barbecues
• public toilet.

Bowen Crescent, Carlton

A small playground surrounded by open grassy areas suitable for ball games and large shady trees.

Playground features:

• rockers
• swings
• a seesaw.

Bowen Crescent, Carlton

A large playground surrounded by open grassy areas suitable for ball games and large shady trees.

Playground features:

• a spinning disc 
• a five-way swing
• a double infant swing
• sandplay area with cubbies 
• a multi-level platform structure for older kids
• a slide
• a basket swing 
• barbecues
• picnic settings
• public toilet 
• seats.

894-910 Collins Street, Docklands

This shaded playground is aimed at younger children. Enjoy the two small combination units and the water play area.

Playground features:

• small combination units with steps, slides and lookouts
• musical foot chimes
• water play
• cat statues
• large grassed area for ball games
• shade
• seats
• toilets in the adjacent library.

Harbour Esplanade, Docklands

This colourful playground offers a range of activities – including rolling down the adjacent grassy mound!

Playground features:

• spinning poles
• a slide 
• a spinning carousel
• a five-way swing and a sandpit
• toilets
• picnic tables 
• barbecues.

Point Park Crescent, Docklands

This musical playground sits right beside the Yarra and is perfect for smaller children. Once you’re done with all the unusual play equipment you can play ball games on the large grassy area.

Playground features:

• a small swing
• slides 
• a spinning carousel
• musical elements modelled on native flowers
• a small water play element including a pump, ephemeral creek bed and sandpit
• barbecues 
• shaded picnic tables
• public toilet.

Docklands Drive, Docklands

This new playground complete with challenging rocket ship slide, is located at the end of Docklands Drive under the Bolte Bridge.

Playground features:

• an extensive sandpit with a large digger
• sandplay items 
• a rope bridge 
• a tall tyre swing and tyre spring spinners 
• water play area, including a water pump and water channel along the bluestone paving
• barbecues
• seats
• picnic settings
• a sports field
• public toilet with change table 
• car parking.

Import Lane, Docklands

A small playground perfect for littlies. It sits near green space that’s ideal for kicking a ball around.

Playground features:

• a sandpit
• a slide
• climbing frames
• a sandplay toy.

South Wharf Drive, Docklands

This playground has been designed for older children and features plenty of climbing opportunities.

Playground features:

• climbing, swinging and balancing elements suspended from timber poles
• a barbecue
• picnic settings
• drinking fountain 
• seats.

Clarendon Street, East Melbourne

Let their imagination run wild at this creature-filled playground. Slide down the dragon’s tail, swing on the giraffe’s ears and see the dragon glowing in the dark!

Playground features:

• dragon slide
• giraffe swing
• sandpit 
• sandplay wheel
• public toilet
• plenty of shade.

Albert and Grey streets, East Melbourne

A timber playground with excellent creative play opportunities. Rubber and asphalt paths provide great accessibility.

Playground features:

• a multi-level platform structure 
• a fort tower
• tic-tac-toe
• warped mirror
• chalkboard
• four-way spring rocker
• swings 
• slides
• squeeze bars
• abacus
• a sandpit
• picnic tables
• some shade
• a barbecue
• public toilet
• disabled access 
• a basketball half court.

Bayswater Road, Kensington

A fun, fenced playground with equipment for all ages. Rubber pathways are designed especially for wheelchair access. There is also a large grassed area suitable for ballgames.

Playground features:

• swings
• rockers
• a slide
• play units with mirror panel, abacus, shop front, clock and steering wheel
• a barbecue
• a picnic table
• shade
• disabled access.

Bellair Street, Kensington

Drop into this new partly-fenced playground near the Macaulay Road shopping centre.

Playground features:

• a play car
• swings
• multi-level platform structures
• slides 
• a picnic table
• a barbecue.

The Crescent, Kensington

This reserve features a large grassed area perfect for ballgames, as well as a half basketball court.

Kensington Road, Kensington

Extreme sports more your thing? This playground is the perfect place to bring along your bikes, skates and skateboards.

Playground features:

• BMX track
• skate bowl ramps
• grinding rails
• public toilet
• seats.

Altona Street, Kensington

This large playground was refurbished in mid-2021. Colourful play towers, a rope climbing dome, swings and slides have been landscaped in a naturalistic way to provide a fun and challenging experience. There are good picnic and park facilities, including a toilet. The basketball half-court has been upgraded.

Playground features:

• a space net
• monkey bars 
• multi-level platform towers
• slides
• double cableway
• swings 
• bouncing mats
• slacklining poles
• sandpit
• lots of shade
• public toilet
• barbecues 
• picnic tables.

85 Kensington Road, Kensington

The Kensington Adventure Playground is a staffed playground providing supervised play facilities, educational programs and early intervention initiatives for children aged 5 to 16 years. It is a space primarily for children and young people to undertake self-directed and risk taking play.

It was designed for and with children living in the Kensington public housing estate and surrounding areas.

Opening hours​​

School term: Tuesday to Friday 3.30pm to 5.30pm, Saturday 1pm to 5pm
School holidays: Tuesday to Saturday 1pm to 5pm
Closed: Sunday, Monday and public holidays.​​​

More information at The VennyOpens in new tab.

Bellair Street, Kensington

The reserve at Kensington Town Hall has a large grassy space surrounded by trees. In the shade of the trees there is a small playground featuring swings.

Liddy Street, Kensington

An open grassy area suitable for ball games adjacent to a small playground.

Playground features:

• a multilevel play structure
• a climber
• a slide
• swings
• rockers.

Mercantile Parade, Kensington

A small playground in Kensington Banks where you can hunt for brightly coloured toadstools in the long feathery grass.

Playground features:

• a slide
• double rocker
• multi-level play structure
• a sandpit
• a small swing.

Mercantile Parade, Kensington

A medium sized playground in a grassy area of Kensington Banks, perfect on a hot day.

Playground features:

• swing
• see saw
• small tower
• shade structure
• balancing balls
• stockyard style fencing.

Parsons Street, Kensington

A small grassy reserve with a playground perfect for younger kids.

Playground features:

• multi-level platform structures
• rockers
• swings
• a slide.

Robertson Street, Kensington

A small partly fenced playground with a large play structure.

Playground features:

• a multi-level platform structure
• a play car
• a carousel 
• swings.

Clifford Terrace, Kensington

This playground is a large timber platform built around an oak tree.

Playground features:

• steps
• a slide
• tunnels
• climber
• a spring rocker
• a barbecue
• picnic settings
• a drinking fountain 
• seats.

Birrarung Marr, Melbourne

A colourful and modern play space with plenty of creative and fun things to do. Why not visit ArtPlay and the Federation Bells as well? <LINK>

Playground features:

• rock and rope climbing features
• a space net
• slides
• a swinging hammock
• liberty swing for wheelchairs
• quiet areas and active play areas
• public toilet
• picnic table
• some shade 
• disabled access.

Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne

This challenging skate parkOpens in new tab features grinding rails, steel and concrete ramps and is staffed all year round.

Haines Street, North Melbourne

A new playground for all ages with a cute insect theme. Look for the mummy spider, her babies and their spider web climbing structure.

There are also multi-level platform structures, bridges, slides and ladders. Test your balance on the pile of logs. Kids will be challenged and have fun for hours!

Playground features:

• multi-level play structure
• a slide
• rockers
• swings
• a barbecue
• picnic table
• some shade.

Buncle Street, North Melbourne

Small, shaded playground near the North Melbourne Community Centre.

Playground features:

• a basket swing
• a double swing
• multilevel play structures/climbers
• a spinner 
• a slide 
• barbecue
• seats
• a rotunda 
• netball/basketball half courts 
• a mini soccer pitch.

Bunjil Way, Parkville

This quiet playground is adjacent to a large grassy area great for ballgames. There are two groups of exercise equipment nearby.

Playground features:

• a multi-level platform structure
• a sandpit
• swings
• slides
• spinning pole 
• a double spring rocker
• a barbecue
• picnic tables
• a drinking fountain
• seats 
• shade.

Flemington Road, Parkville

An attractive grassy setting for parents to relax while children have fun on the fort, slide and other play features. Good for social climbers.

Playground features:

• swings
• spinner
• fort
• slide 
• climbing features
• space net
• public toilet
• lots of shade.

Manningham Street​, Parkville

Let the kids play the traditional way, with timber equipment and grassed areas for other play opportunities. A favourite with all ages.

Playground features:

• wooden tower
• a slide
• a swing
• rockers
• stepping posts
• grassed areas.

Corner of Flemington Road and Gatehouse Street, Parkville

This accessible, nature-based play space features plants and play elements representing the seven Wurundjeri seasons, as a way to encourage discovery and understanding of Indigenous Melbourne.

Features of the surrounding parkland include open grassy lawns, natural vegetation and amenities including seating, drinking fountains, picnic tables and BBQs. Networks of paths invite visitors to explore further into Royal Park.

This new section of reinstated parkland at Royal Park has been created on the site of the former Royal Children’s Hospital, providing a new gateway to Royal Park.

Playground features:

• a climbing forest
• a rocky escarpment with slides, swings and water play 
• picnic tables
• barbecues 
• public toilet.

Kavanagh Street, Southbank​

An exciting new playground for younger children includes:

• swings
• crawl tunnels in a sandpit
• rock climbing slope
• slide
• double see-saw
• twirl bars
• carousel
• shade
• picnic tables
• seats
• barbecue
• drinking fountain.

Grant Street, Southbank

Set among the dry creek bed with native plants, bridges and meandering paths, there is also an open grassy area.

Playground features:

• a slide
• a sandpit
• a swing
• a cube climber
• a spinner 
• seats.

​Corner Southbank Boulevard and Kavanagh Street, Southbank

This exciting and challenging play space called ‘Rocks on Wheels’ was designed by Mike Hewson and was inspired by the Diane Arbus photograph with the same title. Huge rocks have been playfully placed on fixed trolleys and are joined by a variety of play components. Watch out for the ‘runaway rocks’ as you walk along Southbank Boulevard towards the play space.

Playground features:

• swings
• slides
• monkey bars
• ropes for climbing
• rocks for climbing
• sand pit
• partly fenced
• drinking fountain
• seats.

Park Place, South Yarra

Close to Toorak Road, this popular playground has plenty of climbing and balancing options.

Playground features:

• multi-level platforms
• slides
• parallel bars
• a balance beam
• a turnover bar
• a climbing net
• a track ride.

Pasley Street, South Yarra

This large playground is surrounded by open, green space and is popular with children of all ages.

Playground features:

• multi-level platforms/combination units
• swings
• slides
• rockers
• a sandpit
• a spider-net climber
• barbecues
• seats
• picnic settings 
• a basketball court.

Toorak Road, South Yarra

Situated beneath beautiful spreading shade trees and surrounded by open, green space, this playground is perfect for toddlers.

Playground features:

• sandpit
• musical steps
• shade
• concrete balls 
• a sensory garden. 

Chetwynd Street, West Melbourne​

Keeping fit is playing too! This local playground has a range of play equipment, as well as fitness equipment that‘s fun for parents and children.

The playground features:

• a multi-level platform structure
• a slide
• a double rocker
• a trackride
• climbing features
• lots of shade
• swings
• a basketball half court 
• some disabled access.

William Street, West Melbourne

City workers come here to relax, but juniors can monkey around on climbing bars, dig in the sandpit, or do the twist on the spiral slide. There‘s so much to do, why not make a day of it?

Playground features:

• multi-level platform structure with slides
• swings
• a 5-way swing
• a rope dome
• sandpit with diggers
• a periscope
• a double spring rocker
• a pony rocker
• public toilet
• a barbecue
• a picnic table
• shade.

​Hawke Street, West Melbourne

This playground has been expanded to cater for a wider age range of children. It’s now bigger, with level variations, new seating and new play equipment.

Playground features:

• a large sandpit with digger 
• a spinning disc
• swings 
• slides
• a barbecue
• a picnic setting
• seats 
• a drinking fountain.