Find it at: Watahuna Avenue, Hawthorndene
This park is a beautiful leafy, shady spot and great for kids of all ages really. Heaps of space to spread out, play ball games and run around AND it’s fully fenced! Yahoo!
The playground features areas for the little people, and the bigger kids with swings, slides, firemans pole, monkey bars, flying fox, see saw and a cute little pretend ‘shop’ area where the kids made pretend icecreams.
The space also has an undercover electric BBQ area and other shaded picnic areas, it would be a top spot for a birthday party, or Sunday family BBQ (I’d get in early though to grab a spot).
And there is also a nearby tennis court and BMX track, which is ideal for the bigger kids.
If you visit this park, make sure you come armed with lots of outdoor games, because this really is a top spot for balls, bubbles, kites and bikes (at the track)
There is also a big oval across the road so if you need more space for kicking practice you can head over there.
Clean public toilets with disabled access are also available.
Our favourite local:
Joan’s Pantry
A mere 1 minute walk from the park. A great spot to grab a coffee, or pre play breakfast, or post play ice cream!
Check out our feature here
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Newly renovated, Joan’s Pantry is an icon for those who have grown up in the lower foothills around the Blackwood area, with the Hawthorndene cafe serving the community for what seems like forever. Reading through their history and they have indeed been here forever, since the 1920s to be exact! Located in the ideal spot for families, across the road from the Hawthorndene Oval and right next to Apex Park (Fully fenced slice of paradise right here!), Joan’s offers a beautiful setting for families to grab a coffee as they head to the playground, or to sit in for a meal. Primarily a brunch/lunch cafe, it is also fully licensed and open for dinner on Friday nights and offers relaxing seating options indoors and out. For us, eating out with a toddler, we sat inside and found it to be actually genuinely relaxing, with our boys sitting on the bench looking out at the view through the fabulous new bifold windows and reading the selection of kids books on offer. Spacious and decorated with plenty of nods to the history of the cafe and the area, they have done very well to offer family friendly options to eat inside and…
