Nature Play is challenging the traditional playground equipment for a diverse playground experience. Nature Play Playgrounds feature running water, sand, logs, natural landscapes, trees to climb and may even feature a creek. They encourage creative play, spark imagination and we LOVE them!
We are so lucky that Adelaide has embraced the Nature Play trend & you can now find tons of natural play areas all across Adelaide & South Australia. Have a look below for some of the fantastic nature playgrounds to choose from.
Maybe the Leckie Playground in Mount Torrens up in the Adelaide Hills is your go-to? If you live down south, be sure to check out the newly developed Wilfred Taylor Reserve in Morphett Vale for lots of nature play fun. If you’re heading into regional South Australia, stop in at the Hermit Street Nature Play Space in Roxby Downs. Whether you are north, south, east, or west of Adelaide, you’ll find some cracking nature play areas nearby.
Find it at: Fern Avenue, Fullarton The 2019 upgrade to Fern Ave Reserve in Fullarton has made this lovely, fully-fenced playground even better. The new playspace has a nature play feel with lots of natural elements, sandpit, jumping logs and more. There are a number of climbing areas for kids from toddler to middle primary ages, plus a little slide with cubby above. Kids (& adults!) of all ages love the best swing and I’ll admit I love to...
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Find it at: Rugby Street, Malvern Tucked away is this cute Elephant themed nature play space, complete with sandpit, wooden and metal musical instruments to play and a whole lot more to explore! (Can’t ruin all the surprises can we). There is a lot of climbing equipment which the kid will love, slides, balancing equipment and don’t forget the basketball too with courts here as well. (located at the school, so after hours use only)....
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Find it at: Rueben Richardson Road, Greenwith This nice little spot in Greenwith is such a peaceful spot, which has also just been upgraded with some nature play to accompany the existing playground equipment. It isn’t huge, but sometimes that is just what the Doctor ordered! A bench and some shade is just about With lovely shade from the trees covering the playground, allowing the kids to play (and not get burnt!) with swings,...
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Find it at: Belair National Park, SA Located within Belair National Park and surrounded by 800 hectares of beautiful bush this playground is an oldie, but a goodie! These photos bring back so many memories for us. Can anyone else remember school excursions here in the 80s and eating massive bush biscuits? Sitting in the huge concrete tunnels and then scurrying away trying to hide from your friends. Belair National Park sells itself. An iconic...
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Find it at: Majors Road, O’Halloran Hill A great spot for a family walk, bike ride, picnic or even better just a good old fashioned ADVENTURE. While there are no formal walking tracks, it’s very easy to follow the numerous fire access tracks located in the park. Please be aware that these tracks are shared with bikes, horses, dogs (on leash) and walkers so make sure your kids know to stay aware and look up! There’s lots of...
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Find it at: Bowman Park Road, Crystal Brook The incredible new nature play space at Bowman Park Crystal Brook is now open! The photos below just look incredible and we can’t wait to head up and have a look on our next road trip. Designed and built by the uber talented folks at Climbing Tree Consultancy (Simon has been promising to show us his shed…which we expect will be EPIC!), built in only 9 weeks (meanwhile painting a toy box...
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Find it at: Hermit Street, Roxby Downs The Hermit Street Nature Play Space in Roxby Downs opened to the public on Thursday 7 May 2020 and doesn’t it look fantastic! The aim of the redevelopment was to provide a recreational space that encourages the community of Roxby Downs to embrace the Roxby Downs environment and for children to utilise their imagination to enjoy a range of outdoor developmental activities. It was also...
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Find it at: Two Wells A brand new $1million dollar playground has just opened in Two Wells! Near the Eden Residential Estate, the new playground is another nature play themed play space and made from all natural materials. The park itself is quite small but there’s lots of balancing logs and beams, climbing nets, a nest swing, and a great hill slide that little sliders will love. There’s an undercover picnic area with BBQ, making...
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Find it at: Two Wells Road, Willaston Nothern suburbs residents love this new nature playspace opened in February 2020 and designed to be integrated with the recently completed BMX Pump Track on Gawler River Road, Willaston. Equipment includes basket swing, natural cubby building area, climbing ropes and nets, tunnels and lots of rocks and logs for balancing on. There is also an accessible slide which is great to see. There’s a picnic...
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Find it at: Brownhill Creek Road, Brown HIll Creek Test out an afternoon with nature at Brownhill Creek. Enjoy a quiet adventure with the family here year round. In summer there’s usually just enough water to be fun for the littler kids without the faster flowing water you’ll find here in Autumn and winter. We have spent a number of wonderful afternoons down at Brownhill Creek armed with nothing more than some bathers, towel,...
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Find it at: Shamrock Road, Hallett Cove Nestled amongst the neighbourhood of Hallett Cove and located right next to the Hallett Cove train station and tennis courts this playground has just had an upgrade and it looks fabulous. With a mixture of a few pieces of equipment, water and nature play this is a great spot for the local kids to hang out for the school holidays. The long tube green tunnel slide is the first thing you see as you arrive to...
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Find it at: Wallace Street, Balaklava A magical music theme nature playground has officially OPENED in the community of Balaklava located North of Adelaide. Known as “Sounds from the Ground” this play space will offer a blend of nature inspired musical play allowing kids to express themselves from music and play. Aimed at the under 5 age bracket the project was designed around providing a learning based play area for the younger...
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Find it at: Bradley Grove, Mitchel Park Using the existing trees for shade and consisting of a lovely combination of play equipment and nature play this play concept is an awesome addition and enhancement to the Mitchell Park Oval and Sports facilities. The Marion council contributed $235 000 to this upgrade for the community, a major enhancement to the existing facilities the oval currently offers. The playground features an embankment slide...
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Find it at Burkett Drive, Strathalbyn Forrest nature Reserve Playspace features a large expanse of grass perfect for ball games, although there is no fencing between the park and the quiet suburban streets. There is a fantastic twin flying fox that will keep the kids amused for hours! The playground features one covered and one uncovered slide, a large wooden boat, and a pair of swings. Large boulders and a large log and tree have been turned...
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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...
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Find it at: Oaklands Road, Oaklands Park A lovely balance between new equipment and nature play this upgraded play area is magic. The City of Marion spent $825,000 on this upgrade in 2019 completing the 12-hectare Oaklands Recreation Precinct which contains a wetland, skate park, education centre and rotunda as well as two kms of paths and this great new nature play area. A large climbing rope frame is the hero of the playground and is awesome...
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Find it at: Langman Grove, Felixston The Felixstow Reserve redevelopment has just finished and this lovely community area opened in February 2019. The new park has been fully redeveloped and, while it doesn’t have a huge set of ‘play equipment’ it does have wide open spaces, wetlands, cultural and a fitness trail. A great new wetlands system, which provides a home for birds and animals while capturing, treating and storing...
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Find it at: Piccadilly Road, Crafers Crafers Primary School received a $150,000 “Fund My Neighbourhood” grant at the end of 2017 to help build a brand new nature playground for both the school and the wider community to enjoy. This playground is a work in progress, but it’s still definitely worth a visit to check out the new play areas that have been built, as well as play on the older existing equipment that I assume will...
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Find it at: The Esplanade, Point Turton The playground section of the park includes nature themed play equipment including: Hill slide Toddler slides Timber frame swings Nest swing Lots of wooden climbing and balancing logs and structures Wooden play “kitchen” Water pump Sand play Another great feature of this park is the bike track built into the hill above the park. Kids will love cutting laps around this track, and you can then...
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Find it at: 120B Hendrie St, Park Holme Livvi’s Place has been specially designed in close consultation with the community to ensure no-one is left out, including those with disabilities, and is located at Hendrie Street Reserve, behind the Marion Outdoor Pool. Built on a beautiful tree-lined reserve, the playground features a wheelchair accessible carousel, swings, slides, a nature play creek, play tables, an accessible cubby house and water...
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This is a newly renovated (July 2018) park for all ages. 4 swings (2 little kids and 2 older kids), balancing, climbing nets and climbing wall, monkey bars, firemans pole and flying fox.There’s also exercise equipment for big kids and adults. Nature play elements including hard and loose surface paths and a water play area including a water gate, water pumps, channel, sand sieve and wooden bridge that will be great fun in...
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Situated on Linear Park amongst the walking track this playground has a lovely local vibe and is an awesome spot for the kids to explore and play. The play area includes equipment and nature play and has a nice balance of the two blended together. It includes water and sand play along with a small flowing creek with rocks and logs which allows the kids to get in to nature play. There’s also lots of natural shade. The playground also...
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Situated on the grassed area behind the Karawatha Community Hall this new Nature play space at Baden Terrace has literally JUST opened. When we visited a week or so ago the fence and bunting were still up. Today the bunting is still up but the fence has been removed and playground is OPEN to use. Featuring a lovely combination of nature play and equipment this play space is all about being back to nature. It has large rocks for the kids to jump...
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Find it at: Alexandra Street, Prospect This is a little hidden gem nestled in the quiet suburb of Prospect .This playground is fabulous spot for kids to get lost amongst nature. Surrounded by big beautiful trees and shrubs this park allows kids to utilise the play equipment and encourages imaginative play amongst the nature which includes a pebble dry creek and art bridge. Amongst the nature and play equipment you will also find with some...
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Find it at: Falcon Ave, Mile End This little park nestled in the quiet suburb of Mile end is located on the sight of the former Thebarton Neighbourhood House and is a peaceful little local nature play area. As soon as you arrive at the park you are greeted by a large tortoise and wombat nestled in the sand play area which straight away brings a smile to the kids faces. Huge steel sculptures along with wooden posts are also amongst the mix that...
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Find it at: Sixth Ave, Ascot Park Just in time for school holidays we managed a sneak peek of this newly developed nature playground.The Marion council have done a great job of this space which sits adjacent to the Scouts Association. The nature based area is a fabulous spot for toddlers and young kids to run around and be creative with this awesome little sensory play area. Featuring a sand play and water play area along with natural logs and...
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Find it at: Windebanks Road, Aberfoyle Park Its Aberfoyle Park’s turn for a new Nature themed playground! There’s been some controversy around the newly re-vamped Thalassa Park Playground in Aberfoyle Park. Many residents to the area haven’t been impressed by the new nature themed playground, feeling that a lot has been missed in the $320,000 improvements. Being locals we had to go and check it out for ourselves and here’s our findings....
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Gorgeous leafy playground located in Prospect suitable for all ages. This playground has a lovely vibe about it with some great play equipment in a “magical” garden theme. This playground allows the children to play on the equipment, explore the garden and nature areas, build sandcastles in the sandpit, splash in the small water play area, kick a ball on the lawn or just relax on a blanket. The playground is fully fenced but also offers lots of...
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There are many things we love about Clonlea Park on Murray Road in Gawler. Since its revamp in 2015 there is something for everyone. The new skate park is a major hit with a lot of kids both young and old. There is also a small playground near there to keep the little ones happy while the big ones skate. The main playground is so much fun, complete with rope climbing tower. Clonlea Park is full of different walking trails, perfect to get in...
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Find it at: Trevor Terrace, Blackwood One of three new playgrounds from Mitcham Council is now open at Ossie Goldsworthy Reserve in Blackwood We’ll be getting there asap to check it out for ourselves but what we know so far is the park has a big adventure and nature play theme with undercover picnic area, benches and seating Timber parkour challenge including monkey bars and platform slide Tactile pole with fairy door Sandpit with water...
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