I have never been to this park when there has been less than 10 other people here. This playground…read moreis always busy...busier than I would have thought to tell you the truth. Even though the playground isn't the biggest or the best, it certainly does a good job of entertaining the little ones. If you are looking for a place for a birthday party, this would be it, at least people seem to think so. There are always children's birthday parties here and why not? There's a better-than-some playground with sheltered table/chair areas close to it. The toilet block is just a short walk away to the car park area and look at all that green grass! Worthy of a roll from even the biggest of kids, I think. I can't remember seeing a drinking fountain but I can't imagine this place without one. I'm sure there would be something near the BBQ. The playground has some shelter built into the design. It's not a lot but it's better than nothing. If you decided to come here for a party, I suggest you get in early! *Dogs allowed* *Sheltered table/chair areas* *Toilet block*

I would say that this is the quieter reserve, but then again I probably could also describe it as…read morethe larger one as well. Yet, I'm not entirely convinced that one could consider it a foreshore reserve, especially since there are now a number of apartments located between it and the beach. Yet, it does have some facilities, including restrooms, and it is also next to the marina as well. It is a shame however that they removed the replica ship.

Wigley Reserve at Glenelg must suffer from the most mis-pronounced name of any park or reserve in…read moreAdelaide. I don't know why but many people insist on calling it Wrigley Reserve. There's actually nothing wriggly about it! It was named after H.R. Wigley who was the Resident Magistrate of Adelaide and a resident of Glenelg back in the 1840's. Mis-pronunciations aside, visit Wigley Reserve any morning around 6 in the morning and you'll find the place a hive of activity. It's a favoured venue for 'bootcamp' training aka people who like to be flogged by a trainer early in the mornings. There's a collection of exercise equipment there that gets plenty of use at other times of the day as well. Located at the end of Anzac Highway and on the corner of Adelphi Terrace, the reserve is on the shore of the Patawalonga right near the river's mouth. The Pat as its known by locals can get a bit stinky at times but this doesn't seem to deter the hive of activity that takes place on the reserve. Over the years its been the venue for events like the start of the Walk to Cure Diabetes, Lance Armstrong's Twitter Ride, and a gathering place for car enthusiasts to name but a few. It is after all a big space and is open for hire to all sorts of people for all sorts of community events.

All aboard the Crozier Train!!…read more There's something for all ages here. The train is obviously designed for younger children and the other play equipment is used mostly by older children, only for the fact that there's a lot of climbing things. There aren't even steps up to the slide. The elderly gentleman in the photos wanted the children in his care to be "Super Stars" hehehe. That's the only reason why I've included the photo of them on the swings. He was quite insistent that I take the photo. Sweet man :-) There is some tree shade here but don't rely on that. Depending on what time of day you visit, there may be no shade over any of the equipment. The playground area is fully fenced. No dogs allowed. *No dogs allowed*

I have no hesitation rating this playground five stars. The playground is engaging and fun for a…read morewide range of age groups AND it's fully fenced! There's even a circuit of gym equipment for adults just outside of the fenced playground. I would LOVE to come back here and explore further with my daughter. It looks like a lot of fun. There are also toilets, a BBQ and table/chair area in relatively close proximity to the playground. Don't forget to bring a basketball, there's a hoop too! There's plenty of room if you'd prefer to spread out a blanket and picnic away your time here. The whole playground area is rubber floored and you all know how much I love that! The only thing I'm unsure of is if there is a drinking fountain, but I'm sure this palyground won't let me down. Ahhhhh! I can't wait to go there again with my daughter. At least the I have an excuse to try the equipment! lol *Dogs allowed (not in fenced playground)* *Drinking fountain (probably)* *Sheltered table/chair area* *BBQ* *Electronic toilets*

Since the fitness equipment has been installed this reserve is my #1…read more I can take the grandies to play in the playground, shoot hoops or play hopscotch while I do a workout and they can also join me on the equipment if they still have energy. After a swim we can use the barbeque to cook lunch/dinner. Public toilets are very welcome too. Thank you City of Holdfast Bay.

This is quite a good set up. There's a decent playground, plus BBQs, plus sheltered table/chairs,…read moreplus a drinking fountain (unheard of for Mitcham Council!), plus table/chairs in the open under the trees, plus toilets, plus a skate park! And yet, I haven't given it a five star review? Other five star review playgrounds have had more equipment, and this one is just a little lacking, but still good. Some shade sails over the equipment would have definitely got it five stars. Great place! *Dogs allowed (on leash)*

Karinya Reserve is tucked behind shady trees amidst a greenery haven. Nestled along Shepherds Hill…read moreRoad, this is a fantastic and large playground for the whole family! You'll find your usual suspects here, swings, slides, a little action tower with a pirate telescope and large roller Tic Tac Toe game. They are only better though, with long slides to glide down and lots of climbing bars for the kids to have hours of fun. Large area to kick a ball or chase the kids. My favourite bit is there is a short bushwalk trail within the playground compund, take the kids and spot termites and ants hills, and look out for chirping birds. This is a perfect place to host your child's birthday party as there is an electric barbeque facility, a shade seating area and plenty of benches. Parking is plentiful, so no worries there! Next to the playground is a skateboard ramp and a soccer field. Put this one in your 'Favourite Playgrounds' folder.

I was a little dubious of this place when I saw on the gate a massive sign saying the entire place…read morewas under video surveillance. It's never a good sign for a playground, but I have to say I was quite surprised. This isn't a big area so the council has been able to fit a lot into a small package. The playground is pretty decent. It's probably targeting slightly older children than toddlers and the like. There's some hangy things and climby things and ropey things (I'm SUCH an expert lol) but they are also the type of things that younger children could find different uses for. It may even encourage them to give new things a try. There are of course public tennis courts here, and a BBQ and table/chair area under the shade of the toilet block (I know. Doesn't sound too attractive does it?) but I was quite impressed with how it all worked together. You may want to take some extra hand wipes or sanitiser :-) *Dogs allowed* *Toilet block* *BBQ* *Table/chair* *Tennis courts*

Very high quality and well maintained. Fully fenced so you can bring your dog, 2 BBQs with park…read morebenches. Slide is slippery. Well maintained toilet, cleaned regularly.

Every now and then I find a quiet suburban playground and hit 'kid' mode. I wish I had a playground…read morelike this in my neighbourhood. It may be a little old, but it's fun, engaging and challenging for some (you could probably add me to that list lol). When I was there, there were a couple of 13-14 year olds on the playground. They had ridden there scooters here and were obviously just looking for somewhere to chill out and have some fun. I can't say they would have been using all the equipment as it would be intended, but they put their spin on the equipment's uses. There is a sheltered table/chair area with a BBQ but it is a bit of a walk to the playground. You couldn't supervise little kids here and cook at the same time. The playground is fully fenced which is always nice to see. The City of Holdfast Bay don't have the tennis courts listed as public use courts. Perhaps that is because they are also used by the tennis club. When the club isn't using them, they are there for all of us. There's not a great deal of shade over the playground. Trees dotted throughout the park do provide some shade in some areas but apart from that the most shade is at the BBQ area. I couldn't see a drinking fountain but there should be a tap near the BBQ. I could be wrong....it happens occasionally ;-) *Dogs allowed* *BBQ* *Sheltered table/chair* *Fully fenced playground* *Tennis courts*

The tennis courts are the saving grace of this park, because it is uuuuugly…read more Call me shallow, but where's the green? Well, of course there's plenty, BUT, even the green isn't especially... pretty. And no kid wants to play in the dirt or the mud. No, wait, I've lied. Allow me to rephrase. No kid's parent wants their kid playing in the dirt or the mud. I didn't use the tennis courts, but know that I COULD made me feel as fuzzy inside as the outside of the tennis ball I didn't have. Although, t'be fair about the whole mud thing: the kids'll probably be on the playground. In fact, all of them were. You know why? Because there's mud and dirt everywhere else.

Somerton Beach is a hidden little gem. Situated in between the touristy Glenelg Beach and the…read moreequally as busy, Brighton Beach, it is usually a beach that only the locals and misplaced visitors go to soak up the sun. The beach itself is flat and not too sandy, with the sea in easy walking distance from the steps. There are often beautiful sandscapes as the water ebbs. This often forms little wading pools that are lovely and warm and great for the kids. If you venture off the beaten track to this beach, you will often see the locals just walking down from their houses and meeting their neighbours for a catch up. It has a nice lazy vibe and generally lots of space to spread out and not be bothered by anyone if that is your thing. The Somerton Surf Life Saving club is at the top of the strip and have safe areas to swim between flags on the weekends or in the summer holidays when it is patrolled. There is also a Somerton Sailing club that uses part of this beach on a Saturday. Parking has become a little more difficult since they widened the footpaths. Now you can only park on one side of the street or down the side streets which is still fairly convenient compared to other beaches.

I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that Somerton Beach is a hidden gem ... that's definitely…read moretrue. While the crowds pack Brighton, Seacliff and Glenelg, Somerton is relatively quiet. I work nearby, and there's one thing here that is a definite advantage - lots of bench seating along the Esplanade. Thank you, City of Holdfast Bay! While I'm not a beachy-type person (and hate summer!), I love to walk along the Esplanade and soaking up the fresh air and sea breeze. Grabbing a coffee from the nearby Kiosk at the Somerton Surf Life Saving Club, sitting on one of the benches and staring at the ocean for a while is my idea of a perfect lunch break ;)

What a surprising little package of playful fun this playground is....at least for the older…read morechildren anyway. There's a lot of hanging and climbing equipment. Probably the only thing the younger children could do is check out the sheep and llamas in the neighbours yard through the fence. I haven't seen equipment like this before. Usually once I say that the next three playgrounds have the same equipment, but I still haven't found the same hanging equipment as you will see here. Ten points for originality but no, that doesn't add stars to the rating :-) There's no shade at all near the playground but there is some room to kick a ball in some dappled shade at the other end of the park. There's a brightly painted yellow tap if you need water.

This is a nice little park for toddlers and young children but there isn't much here for the older…read morechildren besides the metal frame flying fox or basketball ball hoop. There are tennis courts at this park but they don't belong to the City of Marion so you will need to book and pay for the use of them. What I really liked about this park is all the tall trees. They cast such a cooling shade over the majority of the park. Unfortunately the playground doesn't seem like it would get much shade but the BBQ and the table/chairs would. It's a shame there isn't shelter here for those days when the weather can't make up its mind. The swings are separate from the other playground equipment but there's not a lot of room between the two areas. The park isn't fenced but the equipment is set back from the road a decent distance. Quite a nice place to be. It's quiet and green. *Dogs allowed (not in tennis area of course)* *No drinking fountain but tap available* *No shelter but some shade from trees*