Bridgewater Lions Playground, Bridgewater

If you’re heading into the Adelaide Hills and need somewhere to let the kids stretch their legs, this is a lovely little stop. Bridgewater Lions Playground sits beside Cox Creek, surrounded by big trees, rocks and grassy hills, so it feels much more like a Hills adventure than a quick playground pit stop. There’s a flying fox for the bigger kids, climbing and swinging, a smaller play area for little ones and plenty of space to run around. And if the kids are still keen to explore, the creek and nearby walking trails add another layer of adventure — just keep little ones close around the water.

Find it at: 395 Mount Barker Road, Bridgewater.

Good for: Toddlers through to primary-aged kids, with a mix of simpler equipment for little kids and more adventurous options for older children.

Best for: Flying fox fun, climbing, swings, slides, balancing and exploring around the creek. There’s also a path around the playground that works well for bikes and scooters.

Toilets: Yes. Public toilets are available a short walk from the playground, near the Bridgewater Mill and Bridgewater Oval.

Shade: No however the playground is surrounded by established trees, and there is a sheltered picnic area beside the creek.

Fenced: Partly. The playground is fenced from the road and car park, but the creek and surrounding reserve are open, so extra care is needed with younger children.

Accessible: Limited. The playground has bark and natural surfaces and isn’t fully wheelchair accessible.

Parking: Yes. There is convenient parking right beside the playground.

Cafe or food nearby: Yes. You’re right near the Bridgewater Mill precinct, with food and drink options nearby. There are also picnic tables and a sheltered area if you’d rather bring your own lunch.

This stunning playground is just about everything we love about a day out in our beautiful Adelaide Hills. Coffee, stunning scenery and a fab playground for all ages. Located just below the Bridgewater Mill, the playground is fenced along the road and edges but NOT on the creek bed, which in my opinion is great because it allows kids to take there shoes off and go for a good explore in the creek bed. When we were there it was only about ankle deep with some deeper sections under the bridge, so you’ll need to use your discretion based on your kids abilities and what’s happening in the creek the day you visit. During winter and after a big rain, the creek can get quite deep and fast, so it will change during the year.

We had a great time crossing the stone path, splashing in the water and saying hello to the resident ducks.

The playground itself is not shaded, but there are lots of little nooks and crannies to sit under the shade of either the trees that surround the park or the undercover area. There is also a BBQ area that overlooks the playground with more shady spots to throw down a picnic rug.

Without doubt the #1 highlight of this park for us was the flying fox. Easy enough for my 4 year old to manage herself, we also saw older kids having a ball and younger kids having a try with the help of their parents. Pretty sure Winnie had close to one billion turns on it before she decided she’d like to check out the rest of the park.

Other playground equipment includes a substantial rope climbing frame, swings, rockers and a slide, plus a whole load of serenity.

PLEASE supervise your kids at this park, as I mentioned there is a small creek at the bottom of the play area that is very accessible. It’s a great splashy place to play but you need to keep your eyes on your kids.

What we loved about this park:

• The flying fox
• The equipment – diverse range for young and older kids
• The creek and natural play spaces – splashing, climbing, running, chasing butterflies, cartwheels on the grass – all that good stuff.
• BBQ Area – great spot for a kids birthday party
• Public Toilets
• The location – Adelaide Hills = beautiful!
• The temperature in summer – on a hot day it’s always a few degrees cooler up here and lots of shady spots to sit on a picnic rug
• Parking easy to find
• Bridgewater shops over the road if you need a snack, drink, ice cream

For those wanting to enjoy some local food and drinks (including some lovely wines), consider a stop in at Bridgewater Inn a few hundred meters walk.