Inclusive playgrounds: Making play accessible for kids with disability

The best inclusive playgrounds go beyond just accessibility. They are also fun and engaging. Here’s our guide to the most inclusive spaces designed to include kids with disability. 

In this guide:

• Accessible playgrounds in NSW
• Accessible playgrounds in VIC
• Accessible playgrounds in QLD
• Accessible playgrounds in WA
• Accessible playgrounds in SA
• Accessible playgrounds in Tasmania, ACT and NT.

New South Wales 

Timbrell Park Playground, Henley Marine Drive, Five Dock

• Livvi’s Place playground (part of a network of inclusive playgrounds) with a variety of play equipment 
• The big drawcard is the all-access carousel which has seats, as well as wheelchair clips
• Accessible toilet with change table (MLAK key), accessible parking, picnic tables and BBQs.

Mollymook Beach Playground, Ocean Street, Mollymook 

• Beautiful beachside location on the South Coast 
• Has a liberty swing, accessible boat, carousel and tunnels 
• No-step slides, sensory chimes, mirrors and lie-down swings are also included
• Accessible toilets including a ‘Changing Places’ bathroom with table and hoist (MLAK) and accessible parking.

Ollie Webb Reserve Playground, Glebe Street, Parramatta 

• 6 slides, 2 water play areas, 5 different types of swings, a sit-in train, sand pit, level trampolines, accessible tunnels and more
• Accessible toilet with change table (MLAK), accessible parking and drop-off area, picnic tables and BBQs.

Yamble Reserve Playground, Quarry Road, Ryde

• 2 great flying foxes, one with a full harness seat and the other with a button seat 
• A ‘quiet area’ with pole artworks is also provided
• Accessible toilets with both child and adult change tables, accessible parking, BBQs and picnic areas.

Other inclusive playgrounds to explore

• Collaroy Beach Playground (Collaroy Beach, NSW)
• Cootamundra Livvi’s Place (18 Bourke St, Cootamundra, NSW)
• Tweed Heads Livvi’s Place (60 Boundary St, Tweed Heads, NSW) 
• Glenfield Variety Livvi’s Place (22 Bougainville Rd, Glenfield, NSW)
• Port Macquarie Livvi’s Place (Park St, Port Macquarie, NSW).

Victoria

Ballarat Livvi’s Place, Oak Avenue, Newington

• Wheelchair accessible and a variety of play experiences on offer 
• Swings (standard and basket swings), water play, instruments, treehouses, a double flying fox and more
• Accessible toilets with changing facilities, BBQ and picnic areas.

Royal Park Nature Play, Flemington Road and Gatehouse Street, Parkville

• Award-winning nature-based playground near the Royal Children’s Hospital 
• Multiple play spaces 
• All kids, in particular those with sensory needs, will love the water play
• Public toilets (plus more accessible toilets inside the Royal Children’s Hospital)
• Accessible parking at the multi-storey car park, BBQs and picnic areas. 

Brimbank Park Playground, located off Keilor Park Dr, Keilor East 

• Huge with accessible pathways and bike tracks 
• Also includes the Brimbank Park Playscape, designed to include wheelchairs-users and those with vision impairments
• Accessible parking, BBQ and picnic areas.

For children with autism, Parks Victoria has some useful resources to prepare (and excite!) them for their Brimbank Park visit.

Casey Livvi’s Place, Boland Dr, Lyndhurst

• Water play area, acoustic instrument space and a teepee chill out zone 
• A basketball court
• Accessible toilets with changing facilities, accessible parking, BBQs and picnic tables.

Other inclusive playgrounds to explore 

• Kids Town Adventure playground (Midland Highway, Shepparton, VIC)
• Craigieburn Livvi’s Place (Anzac park, Craigieburn, VIC)
• Edgebrook Livvi’s Place (Corner Pattersons Rd and Merribrook Boulevard, VIC).

Queensland

Pratten Park All Abilities Playground, Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach

• Two great playgrounds. The northern end has a huge hill slide, flying fox and a swing set (which includes a fully-harnessed supportive seat). At the southern end kids will find a pedal-powered monorail and pirate ship
• Accessible toilets with a change table (MLACK), accessible parking, BBQ and picnic area.

The Hills All Abilities Playground, 135 Olearia St, Arana Hills

• A sensory garden, Braille signage, wheelchair -friendly carousel, musical instruments, sand play area and more
• Toilet facilities with user-friendly automated lock and unlock touch buttons, accessible picnic areas.

Other inclusive playgrounds to explore

• Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre All Abilities Playground (150 Rowley Rd, Burpengary, QLD)
• Livvi’s Place, Elliot Springs (Elliot Springs Boulevard, Townsville, QLD).

Western Australia

Shipwreck Park, Sienna Wood, Cnr Weatherly Way and Forrest Rd, Hilbert

• This Livvi’s Place playground has a 30 metre ship with ramps, stairs, ropes and even an elevator will thrill every child 
• Features a rock climbing wall, in-ground trampolines and water play
• Accessible toilet, accessible parking and BBQ area.

Pia’s Place, Whiteman Park (off Drumpellier Drive), Whiteman

• Nature-themed playground with quiet nooks, cosy corners and perch points for those who need it before venturing into the fun 
• Includes a flying fox with a harness swing, a sway-fun rocker, tunnel, nest and basket swings
• Accessible toilet block with a ‘Changing Places’ room, accessible tram station stop, parking and picnic area.

Other inclusive playgrounds to explore

• Bibra Lake Regional Playground (Progress Drive, Bibra Lake, WA)
• The Adventure Park, Calista (Walgreen Crescent, Calista, WA.

South Australia

Thorndon Park Playground, Thorndon Park Reserve, Paradise

• Inspired by the local bird life 
• Has a liberty swing, a table tennis table for the vision-impaired 
• Auslan signage, an all-access carousel
• Wheelchair-accessible trampolines 
• Water play area
• Accessible toilet with an adult-sized change table (MLAK), accessible parking, BBQs and picnic area.

Other inclusive playgrounds to explore

Hendrie Street Reserve Inclusive Playground – Livvi’s Place (120B Hendrie St, Park Holme, SA).

Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory 

Tasmania

• Riverbend Parkland (Lindsay Street, Invermay, TAS)
• Kingston Park Playground (Goshawk Way, Kingston, TAS).

ACT

• Boundless Playground, Kings Park (Wendouree Dr, Parkes, ACT).

Northern Territory

• Jingili Water Gardens (Trower Rd &, Freshwater Rd, Jingili, NT)
• Anula Regional Playground (59 Yanyula Dr, Anula, NT).

We hope you find this guide to accessible playgrounds useful. You can book an independent support worker on Mable or post a job ad to help your family experience any of these fantastic playgrounds.