drinking water tap

Located:

If you can get past the temptation of playing at one of the many playgrounds at Woodlea Estate in Rockbank, this playground is another great option, and located just an extra 5 minutes down the road. Thornhill Park is another new housing estate, located quite close to the freeway exit. The playground can be found on the main entrance road to the estate, and as it comes into view, you can see the top of the playground peeking at you. The anticipation builds as most of the playground is sheltered from the main thoroughfare. Once you climb to the top to check the view, you can see what the playground has to offer. The BBQ facilities and seating areas were also exceptionally clean.  

Equipment:

• large enticing rope climbing structure
• Rubber mounds underneath the play structure gives different textures to run over
• rubber bridge like structure, links to climbing structure
• 2 metal slides
• nest swing
• 2 swings
• 1 large rotating net structure
• see saw
• BBQ facilities, covered seating, drinking fountain
• gravel based play with stepping paths made of letters and numbers
• timber blocks to walk on and navigate through the gravel area
• 2 diggers
• large grassed area

Jack liked:

Playing in the gravel, digging with the diggers. I call it gravel by the way, but it’s probably a mix between gravel and coarse sand. He happily climbed up the steps to repeatedly go down the slides. We didn’t play here for very long, but only because we’d caught up with friends at Woodlea earlier in the morning and it was nearing lunch and nap time. We will be back – especially when he is a courageous climber as the net structure looked great to explore! 

Located:

This playground is located in the ever popular, Woodlea Estate, on the corner of Muster Drive and Arbourton Avenue (Head to the Woodlea Boulevard playground, turn right at the roundabout and follow that down, you will see the new park straight ahead). It’s the second playground space to open and the attention to detail, really shows! It’s a smaller playground to the impressive play-space, located on Woodlea Boulevard. The BBQ facilities and covered seating will make this a very popular place to visit. It’s only a short distance from the Go West Eatery, which means mums and dads are happy that they can get a coffee along the way!

Equipment:

• Multiple covered seating areas with separate BBQ facilities
• drinking water tap
• 1 large ‘bottle–shaped’ climbing structure, with soft rubber slide. Steel ladder and netting to get up to the top
• 1 wooden structure
  • slide
  • ladder
  • stairs
  • steering wheel
  • fireman pole
  • net climbing
  • cylindrical steel ladder
  • timber wall with footholds
• Obstacle course
  • climbing net elements
  • balance walk – wooden beams
  • Net bridges and balance walks
  • monkey bars
  • separated by rubber mounds
  • rubber stepping stones
• nest swing
• natural stone pathways to navigate and discover
• 4 swings, 2 toddler harnesses
• large timber poles with climbing holds
• soccer ground, with goals
• small adult outdoor gym (push ups, bench press, leg press)

Jack liked:

trying to do the biggest jumps he possibly could! He jumped between the rubber stepping stones and he tried jumping off all the rubber mounds as well. I had to remind him that jumping off the stone pathways was not a great idea! This playground is well thought out, and different zones highlight what the kids can do. Jack was too small for most of the obstacle course. He could hold my hand and walk along the timber balance beam, but was too short to hold the hand rails for all the net climbing.

Jack did climb up the large ladder, by himself, to get to the bottle shaped structure. I followed him up, and went down the rubber slide (already warm in the morning sun). He decided unfortunately, that he didn’t want to go down the slide with me, which meant a very awkward slow climb back down the large ladder! He was more than happy playing in the timber structure where the ‘normal’ slide is.  The swings were also a winner. I think that we will have to come and visit once Jack is older, taller and more able to climb by himself. The outdoor gym equipment I had to try, and Jack  attempted to follow what I was doing with the bench press and push ups.