Marshmallow Park / Pityarilla Activity Hub

Marshmallow Park on Glen Osmond Road, in the Adelaide Parklands is a firm favourite with our families from the 2 year old to the 10 year old.

With its huge new renovation, there is now heaps more to explore at this site – also known as Pelzer Park or Pityarilla Activity Hub! The renovation includes some brilliant new nature play features, alongside more traditional swings, slides and climbing frames. There is a great water feature hill that flows into a giant sandpit and some awesome equipment that is designed to be accessible from a wheelchair. A new giant slide, super cool jellyfish and witchetty grub sculptures, and huge wooden climbing frame complete the fully fenced ‘junior’ area.

We are so lucky in Adelaide to have a city surrounded by the gorgeous Parklands that offer such high quality playgrounds. Marshmallow Park Playspace is one of these superb playgrounds that offer younger children hours of entertainment whilst still having some equipment that will keep the older ones happy as well.

This playground offers a perfect mix of traditional play equipment and nature play, which should offer opportunities for social interaction and motor skill development.

Outside the fenced area there is plenty more, with another great climbing frame sitting across the gorgeous bridge that spans the fully redeveloped waterway area. With a centrepiece of a giant teepee, heaps of climbing rocks, natural landscapes and open grassy areas (and another 2 free electric bbqs) this area is great for older kids, nature play or family get togethers on the lawns (which also include a grassy mound for rolling down!). Please take care outside the fenced area as there is often water in the waterway.

Keep exploring and you’ll note the area has extended its paved bikeways and has added bike racks to deal with the anticipated higher numbers of bike riders. The tennis/basketball courts have had new, free, push button lighting added so you can keep the family active longer as the days get shorter.

New toilets, water fountains and additional seating, shelters and free BBQs finish this brilliant playspace off perfectly. Still as shady as ever with the gorgeous trees, Marshmallow Park is going straight to the top of our Adelaide playground favourites and we are sure you’ll love it there too!

Located in the parklands off Glen Osmond Road, the fully fenced Marshmallow Park Playspace is shaded by an enormous Morton Bay Fig Tree, fantastic for those sunny days.

You can park on Glen Osmond Road between 10am and 3pm or alternatively ride your bikes along the Parklands trail. Marshmallow is very close to Glover South Playground on South Terrace, Kurranga BMX tracks across Unley Rd, and the Himeji Gardens across the road – making ‘park hopping’ easy.

What we love:

• The integration of Nature play elements alongside the more traditional swings, slides and climbing frames.
• The nice wide slide that can fit multiple kids on at once, and the well spaced wood and stone steps to get up there.
• The fantastic water play area that includes a huge waterplay hill plus a number of water pumps and tables to play with – some of which can be accessed from wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Take note though – the pumps on the hill require kids to be pretty close to activate – you push down on the tall mushroom button and the water comes out of the top of the mushroom. This means that kids are almost certain to get wet when activating the water pumps!
• For older kids the existing big climbing frame has remained after the renovation, with a variety of attractions. Our 11 year old niece still enjoys it which is rare for a playground these days. (Beware: our 2 & 4 year olds also want to go on it and it’s not designed for safe use by younger kids).
• The park is large and the main fenced play area has a lot of shade, sometimes even too much on a cold winter day. But in summer it’s lovely under the trees, and in winter you can get some sun in the other areas of this large park.
• We love that they kept the multi-seated swing with spots for mum, dad, and a few kids to all go on at once (or a bunch of kids!)
• The new metal jellyfish are super cool for climbing under and exploring.
• Drinking fountain available.
• Plenty of tables and seating for families.
• There are new toilets located onsite. One is the all access, self flushing kind – BUT they outside the fenced area so you may need to take all your kids if you’re there on your own. Luckily the large one can fit the whole family!
• Carefully cross Glen Osmond Road and keep walking straight ahead about 80m and you’ll find the beautiful Japanese Himeji Gardens – an absolute oasis in the middle of Adelaide.
• There are 3 new FREE electric BBQs – two in the fenced area and one over near the wooden climbing frame on the other side of the bridge. One of the main ones caters for wheelchair users.
• A tennis/basketball court, which is open for community use, just outside the fence. It now includes lighting for evening games which is great!
• The playground is surrounded by the open green spaces Adelaide Parklands offer.
• A short ride (maybe 500m) across the parklands to the South West and across Unley Road is the awesome BMX tracks of Kurranga BMX tracks so bring the bikes along and you could seriously spend the day in the local area.

Things to consider:

• Make sure you bring a complete change of clothes for the water play area. There is a LOT of water play options and the way its set up, kids are very likely to get wet shoes and clothes in this new park!
• The huge Moreton Bay fig in the middle of the park can block out a lot of sun in the colder months and does drop seeds that babies love to put in their mouth!
• Parallel parking is on the busy Glen Osmond Road – so you might want the kids to all enter/exit the car from the passenger side.
• If you dont know it’s there it can be easily missed. Check out the map below and look out for the silver curb-side public toilet on the left of Glen Osmond Road about 200m before the intersection of Pulteney St.

Marshmallow Park
Where: Glen Osmond Rd, Adelaide