Adventure playgrounds. Mega playgrounds. Monster playgrounds. Whatever you call them, playgrounds are growing and targeting a wider range of ages — and abilities — than ever before.
To assemble these lists, I asked whether the average tween would be happy to roam and explore for more than five minutes after arrival. Bring something to ride, kick, or throw, plus some food and some friends, and you might be able to make each of these playgrounds last for a couple of hours. Several will even appeal to teenagers!
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Australian Capital Territory
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in New South Wales
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Northern Territory
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Queensland
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in South Australia
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Tasmania
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Victoria
Best Playgrounds for Older Kids in Western Australia
ACT
Boundless – Kings Park, Wendouree Dr, Parkes ACT 2600
Fadden Pines / Fadden Hills – Bugden Avenue, Fadden ACT 2904
John Knight Memorial Park – Townsend Place, off Aikman Drive, Belconnen Way, Canberra ACT 2617
Moncrieff Community Recreation Park – Gungahlin – Bon Scott Cres, Moncrieff ACT 2914
Pod Playground at the National Arboretum – Forest Dr, Molonglo Valley ACT 2611
Tidbinbilla Nature Discovery – Tidbinbilla Reserve Rd, Paddys River ACT 2620
NSW
Birriwa Reserve Outdoor Youth Space – Mount Annan – Waterworth Dr, Narellan Vale NSW 2567
Blaxland Riverside Park – Jamieson St, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
Brelsford Park Adventure Playground – 6 Earl St, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Bungarribee Park – Doonside Rd & Holbeche Road, Bungarribee NSW 2767
Pasterfield Playground – Pasterfield Sports Complex – Lake Macquarie – 18C Horizon Ave, Cameron Park NSW 2285
Carss Bush Park – Carwar Ave, Carss Park NSW 2221
Casula Parklands Adventure Playground – Powerhouse Rd, Casula NSW 2170
Darling Quarter Kids Playground – 1-25 Harbour St, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000
Domain Creek Playground – Parramatta Park – Park Ave & Park Parade, Westmead NSW 2145
Fairfield Adventure Park – Vine Street, Fairfield NSW 2165
Hilltop Park at Altrove Estate – Schofields – 5 Osprey Terrace, Bella Vista NSW 2153
Holroyd Gardens – Pitt St & Walpole St, Merrylands NSW 2160
Jubilee Park Adventure Playground – 2b Boundary Rd, Mortdale NSW 2223
Little Park – Wollongong St, Shellharbour NSW 2529
Lizard Log – Western Sydney Parklands – The Horsley Dr &, Cowpasture Rd, Abbotsbury NSW 2176
Plough & Harrow – Western Sydney Parklands – Elizabeth Dr, Abbotsbury NSW 2176
Putney Park – Pellisier Rd, Putney NSW 2112
Riverside Park – Burrell Rd, Spring Farm NSW 2570
South Stockton Active Hub & Playground – near Newcastle – 3 Hunter St, Stockton NSW 2295
Speers Point Park – Park Rd, Speers Point NSW 2284
Strathfield Park Playground – Chalmers & Homebush Rd, Strathfield NSW 2135
Sydney Park Playground – 416 Sydney Park Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015
Tamworth Regional Playground, Bicentennial Park – 89 Kable Ave, Tamworth NSW 2340
Victoria Regional Adventure Park – 130 Verner St, Goulburn NSW 2580
West Epping Park – Dent St, Epping NSW 2121
Wulaba Park – Amelia St, Waterloo NSW 2017
NT
Bicentennial Park Play Space – Esplanade, Darwin City NT 0800
Bloodwood Park – Zuccoli Aspire Estate Park – 62 Bloodwood St, Zuccoli NT 0832
QLD
Alf Larson Park – Gladstone – 4 Station St, Miriam Vale QLD 4677
Aura Treehouse Playground – Sunshine Coast – Lukin Tce, Bells Creek QLD 4551
Birdwing Park – Bluewattle Rasmussen – Townsville – 34 Bluewattle Bvd, Rasmussen QLD 4815
Bob Gamble Park – 2 Blackall St, Ipswich QLD 4305
Brooking Parkland’s Ecco Ripley – near Ipswich – Brooking Rise, Ripley QLD 4306
Calamvale District Park – 31 Formby St, Calamvale QLD 4116
Darlington Parklands – Logan – Yarrabilba QLD 4207
Deception Bay Teen Playground – Bayview Terrace, Deception Bay, QLD 4508
Fitzroy Adventure Playground – Rockhampton QLD 4700
Flagstone Adventure Park – near Ipswich – Trailblazer Drive, Jimboomba QLD 4280
Frew Park – Roy Emerson Tennis Centre – Frew St, Milton QLD 4064
FUNderwood Hollow – Underwood Park – Logan – 982-1006 Underwood Rd, Priestdale QLD 4127
Hercules Street Park – 40 Remora Rd, Hamilton QLD 4007
Ken Fletcher Park – 167 King Arthur Terrace, Tennyson QLD 4105
Newport Waterside Park – 39 Lakeview Promenade, Newport QLD 4020
Pallara District Park – Gooderham Rd &, Brookbent Rd, Pallara QLD 4110
Pedal Park Aura Estate – Baringa Dr, Baringa QLD 4551
Pialba Adventure Playground – Hervey Bay – Esplanade, Pialba QLD 4655
Queens Park Playground – Goldsmith St, East Mackay QLD 4740
Redbank Plains Recreation Reserve – near Ipswich – Redbank Plains Rd., Redbank Plains QLD 4301
Riverside Green – South Bank – South Brisbane QLD 4101
Skippy Park – Landsborough Glasshouse Country – 321/335 Old Landsborough Rd, Landsborough QLD 4550
Splash ‘n’ Play Adventure Park – Providence Parade, Providence South Ripley
Super Sphere – Kershaw Gardens – Rockhampton – Moores Creek Rd, Park Avenue QLD 4701
Tucker Park – Brentwood Forest Estate – Crn Augusta Pkwy and, Columbia Dr, Bellbird Park QLD 4300
Westfield Helensvale Playground – 1-29 Millaroo Dr, Helensvale QLD 4212
Westfield North Lakes Playground – Cnr Anzac Ave &, N Lakes Dr, North Lakes QLD 4509
Whites Hill Reserve Playground – 205 Jones Rd, Camp Hill QLD 4151
SA
Barossa Adventure Station – Angaston
Bonython Park – Adelaide
Cobbler Creek – Salisbury East
Dunstan Adventure Playground
Eden Beach – Jindalee
Elizabeth Quay Playground
Harts Mill Playground – Port Adelaide
Jubilee Adventure Playground
Mega Adventure Aerial Park – Adelaide
Monash Adventure Park
Morialta Nature Playground – Woodforde
Pointe Malcolm Reserve Playground – Semaphore
Roy Marten Park – Taperoo
Shipwreck Park Sienna Wood – Hilbert
St Kilda Adventure Playground – Salisbury
Wigley Reserve
TAS
Bellerive Beach Park
VIC
Bayview Park – Point Cook
Buckingham Reserve – Sunshine West
Burden Park – Springvale South
Casey Fields Regional Playspace – Cranbourne East
Clarinda Estate Park
Cubbies Fitzroy Adventure Playground – Fitzroy
Frontier Park at Woodlea Estate – Rockbank
Golden Sun Moth Park at Highlands Estate – Craigieburn
Grange Reserve – Hoppers Crossing
Lake Wendoouree Adventure Playground – Ballarat
Little Growling Café – Tarneit
Mandrille Drive – Williams Landing
Murrumbeena Reserve
Parkville
Quarries Park – Clifton Hill
Ray Bastin Reserve – Narre Warren
Ron Barassi Senior Park – Docklands
Rosebud Foreshore
Rothesay Avenue – Derrimut
Rowville Adventure Playground
Royal Park Nature Play
Ruffey Lake Park – Doncaster East
Ryes Up
Skinners Park
St Kilda Adventure Playground
Thomas Street South Reserve – Hampton
Tullamore Estate Playspace
Victory Park – Ascot Vale
Volcano Park, Mount Aitken – Craigie Burn, Melb
Woodlea Estate Adventure Playground / Frontier Park Adventure Playground – Rockbank
Woolhouse Playground – Northcote
Yorkdale Central Park
WA
Adult Playground – Kattaning
Adventure Tower Park Calleja Estate – Banjup
Adventurescape – South Yunderup
Allure North Park Calleya Estate – Treeby
Apple Fun Park – Donnybrook
Austin Lakes Adventurescape Playground – South Yunderup
Aviary Creek Park – Aveley
Bibra Lake
Braithwaite Park
Bulrush Park XL – Wellard
Carnarvon
Catalina Beach – Mindarie
Cockburn ARC playground
Eglington
Enright Reserve – Hamilton Hill
Frasers Landing – Mandurah
Hales Park – Forestfield
Harbour Playground – Secret Harbour, Golden Bay
Heathcote Reserve – Applecross
Jungle Park – Whiteman Edge, Brabham
Kinkuna Adventure Playland – Eglinton
Kwinana Adventure Park – Calista
Mara Guthurra – Baynton West, Karratha
McDonalds – Ellenbrook
Meadow Springs Quarry – Mandurah
Pegasus Park – Bennett Springs
PitStop
Rivergums Adventure – Baldivis
Rotary Park – Wanneroo
Shepherds Bush Park – Kingsley
Synergy Parklands – Kings Park
Wellard Estate – Wellard, Perth
Big Kids Down Under 