What an amazing toddler playground! This is such a sweet place to come for a play. It's fully…read morefenced and seeing as I turned up just before Christmas, someone had decorated the fence with tinsel. It was so pretty. Obviously this community likes its playground, and so they should. The equipment here is extremely new, bright, colourful and engaging. I would love to bring my daughter here. The entire play area is rubber floored and is designed for children 5 years and younger. It looks like such a fun place to be. There's a really large lawn area within the park, great for frisbee throwing or kicking a ball. The playground does get some shade from the trees around it. There's a bike track that runs behind this pretty little park. This is where you will find a drinking fountain and some seating so if you're riding with your family, this could be a good place to stop for you. *Dogs allowed (on leash)* *Drinking fountain (outside fenced park, a bit of a walk)*

The playground is sparkly new! And it's Shaded!…read more This is a great kid friendly park. The play equipment is bright and up to date. My only concern is its on a lake so the little kids need constant supervision as the playground is missing a gate, but the plus of this is the duckies, swans and other native birds. With toilets, bbq, plenty of picnic tables it's a great relaxing free destination.

I wish I could give extra stars for colourful and pretty playgrounds....not that this one would get…read moreany but it sure would make visiting them that bit more exciting for me ;-) This playground (despite its age and dull colour) really has a lot to offer. The playground would suit a variety of age groups although there isn't a great deal for the teenagers. The entire playground is fenced with a bark chip floor. Close at hand yet out of the fenced playground is a table/chair area (shaded by trees), a BBQ and a drink fountain. There are also electronic toilets not too far away. What this area is lacking is some shade. My goodness I felt hot and uncomfortable just looking at the place. I would recommend adults to check the equipment before little ones get their hands onto equipment that is too hot. There is also a very pretty area to feed the ducks and tennis courts to work on your back hand. *Dogs allowed (not in fenced playground)* *Drinking fountain* *Electronic toilets* *Table/chair area* *BBQ* *Tennis Courts*

It is actaully surrounded by Allchurch Avenue, Talbot Avenue and Park Terrace. Five stars is a BIG…read morecall but this playground is Reserve is better than most free outdoor area's and is about the best of its kind until you get to the much bigger Parks like Jubilee Park or St Kilda. Best of all and what it makes it 5 star worthy, it really does have all the age groups covered. Plus it's a place you can organise a whole day out becuase it has toilets! And GREAT toilets. So good I have done a separate review just on the toilet as it is so worthy!!!! You have to go read about the toilet http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/public-toilet-north-plympton There is a large open grassed area. There is a sign that says no hard ball play on the area though so cricket is out but with tennis balls it would be okay. They also have a basketball area and tennis court. On top of that there isa fantastic playground with heaps of different area's and activites as well as a Liberty Swing. It is a fully fenced swing made with wheelchair access. It's the most fantastic thing I have ever seen at a playground. It's so good to see children with disabilities being included with a special swing even they can use as well as disabled toilet facilities. They have BBQ's, plenty of seating in the shade of the trees and some more seating under a shelter in the centre of the park. Drinking fountains work! Rubbish bins on site as well. Only minor confusion about this park is that there is a doggy bag dispenser in it, I have seen heaps of people walking through here with dogs and there is a sign at the park itself that says dogs not allowed within 2 metres of playground. Yet when I look up the Council's website it says dogs are prohibited on this Reserve. Then why contradict yourselves with doggy bags and signs??????

This playground has a lot to offer a LOT of people. The actual play equipment is a little dated and…read moreit's not the most extensive range you can find but the Reserve, as a whole offers a great day out. There's tennis courts, a basket ball hoop, a drinking fountain, shelter for spectators at the tennis courts, sheltered table closer to the playground, BBQs, toilets and a mechanical swing for those children in wheel chairs. Not to mention the large lawn area where you could spread out a picnic rug or set up a friendly game of footy. This is certainly an area where you could spend many hours with friends and family but make sure you pack other things for the children to play with....I'm not sure if the playground would amuse them for the whole time. *Dogs allowed (not in playground area) *Drinking fountain* *Shelter* *BBQ's* *Tennis Courts* *Basketball Hoop* *Toilets*

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.

This reserve on the beachfront at Somerton has finally had a much needed upgrade: When my children…read morewere young there was only one swing and a sorry looking climbing frame which was pretty woeful for a park in a relatively wealthy suburb. But now, just when my girls are too old for playgrounds, they have created a veritable entertainment epicentre complete with exercise equipment, a basketball court and a very big playground. Though I must say, there is something for everyone, even I have tried out the exercise equipment which was lots of fun and uses your body weight for resistance, hence I had a really hard work out. The other great thing about this park is that it is right on the Esplanade with fantastic sea views. There is lots of seating and BBQ areas and it will look good when the plants eventually grow, although its a little unfortunate that they couldn't plant more mature plants and trees. One of the things that intrigues me is that they knocked over a block of toilets with about five cubicles and a urinal and have replace it with one electric toilet so make sure you plan your toilet breaks as I think there will be queues in the height of summer. There is some parking close by but again in summer you might be in for a long walk. Talking to some friends who have taken young children here, they did express a concern that the swings had a tendency to tip and that there is an extra space at the top of the slide where children could fall out.

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.

I am definitely a fan of this playground but something held me back from giving it five stars…read more Perhaps it was the dated equipment, perhaps it was the lack of equipment designed for the much older children, perhaps it's the lack of shade over the playground, or perhaps it was the long distance to the toilets, I'm not sure but let me tell you what's great about this place. This playground is fully fenced and the entire space has a rubber flooring. There is a drinking fountain, tap, table/chair and BBQ all within close proximity to the playground. Unfortunately there isn't any shelter/shade over the table but with the massive gum trees in the park, there is some shade depending on the time you visit. This is a great place to come but for me, it slightly falls short of my 'destination' playground status. Maybe I'm having a bad day lol. There's PLENTY of space to kick a ball or throw a frisbee outside of the fenced playground area. *Dogs allowed* *Drinking fountain and tap* *Table/chair area (not sheltered)* *BBQ* *Toilets (walking distance)*

Finally! A park with toilets. I think I'd give a park three stars simply for having a toilet, and…read moreeverything else on top of that is a bonus. My kind of park is one that has a great moat of green protecting a toilet right in the middle. Nothing else actually matter. And a drinking fountain too? Benissimo! There's a wide area and plenty of space to play with balls. There's your usual playground. There's a barbecue. And that's about it. But there's nothing more you need. Of course, there could, perhaps, be a little more shade. We're in Australia, after all, not Siberia. But, regardless, this is a nice park. If it's your local park, it's worth being proud of.

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 ;)

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.

Harold my 8 month old puppy and I just love heading to this dog park! Generally friendly pooches…read morewith owners who don't mind a chat. Doggy poop bags are readily available from all entrances however that doesn't mean that people always use them so keep an eye out as you walk around. There is a cafe truck that usually rocks up in the late afternoon on Wednesday and Saturdays, a great way to warm the hands in the cold winter months. The downside to this park is the lack of lighting at night. In winter it's a struggle for the 9-5 workers to get home, pick up their pooches and then get to the park before darkness kicks in. Overall a nice dog park with lots of space for your four legged friend!

Bring the four legged members of your family here. The more the merrier, I say! On the corner of…read moreHazelmere Rd and Oaklands Rd there's a fantastic oval which turns into a dog park when sport isn't being played. It was so lovely to watch all the four-footed family members running around, enjoying the sun. One mother (of children and dogs) was walking the dog around the while the children played on the playground. The two areas are fenced off from each other but there's easy access from one to the other via child-proof gates. The playground obviously is a hit as you can tell from the photos. While it looks like the playground is more suited for younger children, there is a large climbing frame and a rubber hammock that proves to be a nice place to 'hang out' with your friends and chat....as older children do ;-) There are sheltered table/chair areas, a BBQ, and a drinking fountain but these are a little distance from the playground area. I was quite baffled by this. I would have thought there would be some shaded seating closer to the playground. Electronic toilets are closer to the playground than seating! hehehe The playground itself doesn't get a lot of shade so make sure you Slip, Slop, Slap. *Dogs allowed in dog park* *Working drinking fountains in both the oval and playground areas* *Sheltered table/chair areas* *BBQ* *Electronic toilets*