Kids play: The South Coast’s best outdoor parks

When it comes to outdoor play spaces across the NSW South Coast, we’re spoilt for choice. From nature reserves, adventure playgrounds and beachside parks, here’s a list of some of our favourites.

Photography by Myles Tan

CORRIGANS BEACH

The Corrigans Beach Reserve Park and Accessible Playground (also known as the Variety Inclusive Playground) is a grassy, level park on the water’s edge. This inclusive playground is a perfect place for all ages and all abilities to enjoy and has liberty swings, balancing beam and lots of fun, brightly coloured and kid-friendly equipment. The playground is fenced, and the site has a paved shared cycle and walking path, making it accessible for those with limited mobility and prams. Here you’ll also find bench seating, barbeque facilities, picnic shelters, lots of grassy areas, parking, and a toilet.

EUROBODALLA REGIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN

This fantastic play space inside the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens is the perfect spot for children to have fun and get creative. The playground combines music, motion and adventure with unique and interactive play equipment including a mud brick cubby house and slippery dip surrounded by lush gardens and bushland. The gardens also offer free, all-weather barbeques with lots of tables and seating, as well as ample green space to spread out a picnic blanket and relax with friends and family.

KORNERS PARK

The playground at Korners Park is located on the north foreshore of the Clyde River in Batemans Bay. This colourful open plan park has an in-ground trampoline, play trails, hopping logs, swings, climbing equipment and large slides, which are sure to keep the kids entertained for hours. The area is accessible to children of all ages and abilities, with ground-level activities and softfall rubber installed in fall zones.

“Caters for everyone in the family, with separate play areas for toddlers, children, teens and adults.”

JBOONGAREE ROTARY NATURE PLAY PARK

The Boongaree Rotary Nature Play Park is a newly developed inclusive play space for all ages and abilities. This great precinct has so much to offer, including an early childhood space, youth zone, inclusive playground packed with nature and sensory play, a flying fox, bridges, tunnels, a cubby house, sand and water play areas, climbing nets, slides and other accessible play equipment. There’s even an exercise zone for adults, toilet facilities, a learn-to-ride facility, plenty of parking and a new pump track and skate park in the works.

NOWRA TREETOP ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

Come and rediscover nature at the Nowra Treetop Adventure Playground located inside Shoalhaven Zoo along the banks of the Shoalhaven River. This exhilarating site is Australia’s first cliff-edge adventure park that will have you zipping through the air and scrambling along the rocks. Children and adults can climb, swing, leap, bounce and fly around in the treetops, which is sure to guarantee a fun and memorable day out. There are guided rope courses with experienced instructors to help children build skills and confidence. Bookings are essential.

FORD PARK PLAYGROUND

Ford Park Playground in Merimbula is a popular spot for families and children to have a fun and adventurous day out. This lovely park sits close to the beach, a fish-and-chip shop and a cafe and is complete with lots of play and climbing equipment, including a roundabout and swings for all ages, even a large cradle swing that adults can try. The park also boasts some shady areas and barbeques so you can make a day of it, and there are restrooms nearby too.