We headed down to the Jo Wheatley All Abilities Play Space in Dalkeith on a very cool summers day. The playground, located on the Esplanade, is right on the river front but is fully fenced with child safe gates at all access points. There are plenty of parking bays including ACROD bays and there is also off road parking for overflow. A Changing Places toilet block is located inside the playground with another toilet block immediately outside the gates. There are picnic benches and barbecues.
We arrived early at 9.30 and managed to get some shots of most of the play equipment before there were too many kids around. There are plenty of grassed areas to picnic on as well as large tables scattered through out the playground. When we visited there was a coffee van parked outside for most of the day and he sold icecreams as well.
The playground is designed for all abilities so there are plenty of opportunities to play with your kids on equipment big enough for adults to use. There are swings which cater for adults and kids together and these were extremely popular. The playground is fully wheelchair accessible.
There is a big climbing frame and a flying fox.
There are nature, water and sand play areas and a sensory garden. I loved the dual height monkey bars in the nature play area ....one for tall kids, one for short kids. There is a triangolo impossibile and if you don't know what that is you will have to come and find out!
There is a dedicated Seniors Play Space designed to get seniors moving and playing. The kids loved it too! There was also a peephole through to the river.
There are basketball hoops and table tennis tables but you will need to bring your own bats and balls. If you forget you can race each other on the ocean themed obstacle course.
If the kids have had enough of the Jo Wheatley Play Space you can venture across the car park and up the path on the slope behind the Tawarri Reception Centre and you will come out on top of the hill at the Birdwood Nature Playground, a smaller natural play area. This playground is adjacent to the derelict Sunset Precinct which is another area you can explore. See the Birdwood Nature Playground and Sunset blog.
Being intrepid explorers on the day we visited Jo Wheatley Play Space we ventured up river and walked to Crawley discovering various interesting things along the way. This walk took about 40 minutes one way. We then walked from there to Mason Gardens Turtle Pond, another 40 minute walk and from there walked back down through the Sunset Precinct and Birdwood Nature Playground back to Jo Wheatley. All up the loop took 3 hours with about 30 minutes spent watching the turtles at the turtle pond. This is quite a tall order but if you are up for about 30 minutes walk each way Crawley is within reach or you could head up to Masons' Gardens and return. Refer to the Birdwood Nature Playground and Sunset Precinct or Dalkeith Turtle Adventure blogs. You may also want to look at the Karda Bidi Trail.
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In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.