Find it at: Just off Wonambi Road

What happens when 3 local Mums decide that it’s about time their kids had a brand new playground…? They just go and get one built (with some help)! Enter the Naracoorte Caves Fossil Hunters Nature Playground!

With the help of the local community and backing of the local CWA Limestone Ladies group, 3 Naracoorte Mums raised enough votes to WIN a $150,000 State Government Fund My Neighbourhood Grant to create an amazing Nature Playground at the Naracoorte Caves National Park. They came up with the idea, campaigned for votes, won, and project managed the entire project from start to finish! What a top effort.

The playground is a unique, interactive playground for all young visitors to the national park, complementing the other existing activities at the Naracoorte caves. The theme reflects the world heritage fossils and magical caverns below, incorporating the indigenous Wonambi ‘rainbow snake’ and Southern Bent Wing bats, as well as a teaching circle for learning and understanding.

The park features a maze of tunnels and dig pits. There’s a slide big enough for three people, a basket swing, cubby frames, balance logs and limestone boulders. Older kids will love the log scramble and rope net and we love the learning circle and story-telling chair which will be a special space for sharing knowledge and history of the area.

One of the major elements wanted was for the play space to be as inclusive as possible. And even with limited budget there is a 360-degree access path, a wheelchair accessible fossil and sand play table, and a series of redgum picnic tables designed to allow wheelchair clearance underneath. The slide also has wheel up access top and bottom. They’ve done a great job.

Find it at the Naracoorte Caves and if you’re considering a trip to the area, be sure to check out our Limestone Coast for Kids posts here for heaps of other cool tips: https://kidsinadelaide.com.au/limestone-coast-for-kids/

You might also be interested in

  • Find it at: Main Street in Myponga Myponga Nature Playground opened in mid 2018 and was a very welcome addition to the local area. This is another nature themed playground from the folks at Nature Play Landscaping who are behind some of our other favourite playgrounds including the new one at Point Turton The park has lots of wooden and rope climbing features, swings, wooden monkey bars/climbing ladder and a nice big sandpit. A beautiful spot to stop for a play and it's located on the main street of Myponga right between a bakery and take away shop, cant go wrong with that! It's fully fenced, there's a BBQ and the large shady trees surrounding the park make up for no shade sail (trees are way better anyway) There's also no toilets on site, but there are public toilets across the road, maybe 400m walk away. Check out the Myponga markets across the road open 9:30 am until 4:00pm Saturdays, Sundays and most Public Holidays and it's also not far to the Myponga Reservoir Reserve. Lots to do in the area so make a day of it! Image credit: Nature Play Landscaping

  • Find it at: The Springlake development at Mount BarkerYou'll find this playground within the Springlake development in Mount Barker. This is a small park with a slide, a few different swings, climbing logs and a great flying fox. It's a really nice quiet peaceful spot, great for kids who aren't keen on big noisy play spaces. No toilets and no shade but some nice big gum trees surrounding the park There's a great cafe called Pallet about 50m away....one of the finalists in our 2019 Adelaide's Best Babyccino competition!

  • Find it at: Trimmy Terrace, Unley The City of Unley consulted with the "playground experts" to help them upgrade the Unley Oval playground. During community consultation with local residents, the City of Unley specifically sought suggestions from children in the area about what they would like to see incorporated into the improved playground, atop the northern mound at Unley Oval, known as the ‘Hilltop Playground’. 93 children from local schools and kindergartens offered their suggestions with most popular ideas including an aeroplane, haunted house, castle, pirate ship, nature play and incorporating animal designs such as elephants, spiders, cats and unicorns. (YES! playgrounds DEFINITELY need more unicorns we say!) The kids love the new multi-story structure with giant 3m tube slide, a toddler slide, climbing wall and a bird's eye view across the whole oval. There is also a great 'balanced swing/see-saw' that both kids and adults can enjoy at the same time.