My equal fave nature place in the Northern burbs is Queen's Park. It's frequented by families,…read morechildren, the elderly and fitness fans who take advantage of the many perks about this tranquil park. There are two playgrounds either side of the lake, walking and bike tracks, a gorgeous pergola/gazebo complete with white turret roof. Situated right on the lake, this magnificent area is perfect for wedding photos and is quite often used as a place to get married or to have wedding pics taken. When the giant water feature display comes on in the background the beauty of the scene it creates, particularly from the pergola with ferns and lush greenery in the background, truly takes your breath away. The Queen's Lake Cafe is situated on the opposite side of the gazebo next to one of the two playgrounds. They serve up delicious, homely and oh-so-worth-not-packing-a-picnic sort of food. Fresh rolls, focaccia and hot food, as well as perfecto tea and coffee, this is one playground you won't mind taking the kids to! Even though it gets busy here and not as big as Coburg Lake it's always seemed to be more serene and peaceful each time I've been. Seating a plenty, picnic tables, swimming complex, cafe, playgrounds, free BBQ facilities, walking and biking tracks, peace, wildlife, romantic.... The list goes on and on. The best thing to do is come and experience it for yourself, particularly if you live on this side of Melbs.

Ive been going to Queens Park for over 30 years! I used to go there as a little kid with my parents…read moreand now Im still going there as a parent with my little kids now! Queens Park is a beautiful park and is more of a "botanical gardens" than a regular or wooded park. It contains a beautiful lake with 3 man-made islands and a large water fountain in the lake. Many different species of bird live on the islands including ducks, coots, black swans and others. Turtles can also be spotted. The walk around the lake can be done in 10 minutes but its nicer to amble slowly! There are 2 playgrounds in the park - on either side of the lake and have different equipment to each other - meaning that the kids get 2 playground experiences rather than one generic one. Parking is also remarkably easy around the perimeter of the park and it is quite normal to see joggers running through the park or newly weds having their wedding photos taken in the lush setting. The park borders a swimming pool (open in summer) and the Moonee Ponds bowling club and contains a small cafe near the western side playground. The park is perfect for a romantic walk around the lake at twilight with your lover (it is well lit with lamp posts and is not dangerous at night) yet is also a perfect place for taking the kids to burn off some of their excess energy in the daytime and is also a great place for a jog or exercise session!

Coburg Lake Reserve is a city oasis not ten minutes drive of the CBD. I didn't even know such a…read morehaven existed until the start of this year. With two kids and a need to free my mind with fresh air whilst they play, there simply is no better place than here. Three playgrounds with every thing a kid could want to play with, and good walking distance between all three so mummy gets the refreshment she needs! Wildlife is a plenty off the shore of the lake and it's delightful to see the hoards of families with their bright, colourful blankets out picnicking on sunny weekends, kids squealing with a mix of joy and fear as they throw bread to the energetic and sometimes intimidating ducks and swans. I love it for all the walking tracks, each one ultimately leading to some monument or imposing statue, playground or viewing platform. The tranquility of watching the streams of the lake, listening to the water amidst the parklands brings such serenity. History abounds with bluestone hedging along some of the trails. Complete with amphitheatre and lake side gazebo, huge free BBQ facilities, plenty of seating including wooden, patio like seats with direct frontage overlooking the lake, and shaded areas; to me it's magical, heaven within a tram ride away to the city.

Finally there is a break in the weather and I can go for a bicycle ride around the Coburg Lake…read moreReserve. This former quarry for the bluestone granite that built the old Pentridge Prison was made into a lake with extensive parkland around it about a hundred years ago. There is so much in this large park with lots of lawns and trees. On my ride I pass a few sculptures in the park, a couple of playgrounds (one with the largest twister game board in the world), BBQs, picnic tables, a band stand, bicycle trails, seats, picnic tables and of course, a couple of toilet blocks. I stop and rest at a new beautifully designed lookout point with a view over the valley. I rode around the lake. There are ducks and a swan and cygnets on the lake and on the lawns a couple of galahs are foraging for food. And there are many people, like myself, picnicking the park and the good weather but the park is so large that it doesn't feel crowded, except right down by the lake. I leave the park and follow the bicycle trail south along the Merri Creek but that's another story.

This place is sooo fun. The play ground was huge, the slides were really fun to go on, and the food…read moreis amazing! This is a perfect way to spend a birthday party, and a rainy day. This is highly recommended to me. And now I recommend this place to you. Trust me, it is so fun, time will fly past in an instant.

My kids loved it. So did there dad big kid. Customer service was excellent friendly helpful. Great…read moreway to spend hot or rainy day.

I walked past this place one day a few years ago and as soon as I saw the old steam train parked…read moreout the front all the memories of my childhood came flooding back. I still remember coming down here around Christmas time for picnics with the extended family and spending our time climbing all over the train. Much has changed since then as all of the train has been fenced off with the exception of the drivers cabin. They have also built a modern playground, but they still have the lake (which unfortunately they discourage you from swimming in, drinking from, fishing in, and duck shooting in: in fact I don't think you can do anything with the lake except look at it, and I'm pretty sure they will not appreciate you attempting to waterski in it, not that I would recommend it considering that it is pretty shallow). However, despite the lack of water activities, this place is still a great place for a picnic, and who knows, one day you may wander down here and discover an African choir singing in the ampitheatre (I did).

The Oak Park Swimming Pool is the ultimate place for outdoor fun in the sun in this beautiful…read moresuburb! On any day in summer above 27 degrees, you'll see girls, boys and families walking for a couple of kilometres down Pascoe Vale Road and surrounding streets, all heading to the pool for a day of refreshing enjoyment! My husband and I love taking our two young children down to the pool for the afternoon. We're lucky enough to live within walking distance so by the time we get there, we're all ready to jump in and splash around. And the outdoor complex has something there for each of us to enjoy. My one year old and five year old love splashing around together in the toddler play pool; the great pink elephant is a big hit with my daughter, particularly when it starts spurting water! And the pool is shallow enough in some areas that I'm confident to sit there with my baby son and enjoy my time without fear of him drowning. My biggest baby (aka my husband!) just loves the giant water slide, and the learner pool for youngsters is perfect for my daughter who is just getting up the confidence to swim on her own. And you really can enjoy it for the day with the large lawn and shaded areas; I love packing a picnic and spending the entire afternoon there remembering just how fun the warm summer days are. Makes me excited about November 1!