This post is all about new Waitara Park Playground, the inclusive enclosed playground on Sydney’s north shore. It’s so good to see so many playgrounds that are being improved to make them accessible and enjoyable for kids of all abilities.
The most exciting thing about this playground, aside from its accessibility has to be the 7m tall structure for climbing with slides coming down off the side. There are also Diabolo multi-play, swings, Trampolines, Carousels, Sensory Flowers and soft surfaces to keep everyone from jarring falls.
The Waitara Park Playground is part of a bigger development in the Mark Taylor Oval with tennis courts and a new PCYC.
Waitara Park Playground
Where is the Playground
Location
This playground is within the bigger Mark Taylor Oval.
The playground itself is located next to the tennis courts, on the northern end of Mark Taylor Oval.
Address
The official address for Waitara Park Playground is 22 Waitara Avenue, Waitara NSW 2077.
The best intersection to aim for is Edgeworth David Avenue and Waitara Avenue.
You can also put in the following intersections:
- Park Lane and Park Avenue
- Park Avenue and Edgeworth David Avenue
- Waitara Avenue and Park Lane
The Mark Taylor Oval is bordered by all of these streets. But the PCYC is closest to Park Lane andthe playground is closest to Edgeworth David and Waitara Avenue.
Parking and Public Transport Options
There is some parking on Waitara Ave, near Edgeworth David Ave but just take note that it’s limited to thee hours.
Train
Getting there by train isn’t hard. There are two stops to chose from on the North Shore line:
- 400m walk from Waitara train station or
- 1km walk from Horsnby station.
The walk from Horsnby will take you through Hornsby Westfield. You could pick up some lunch on the way through.
Features of the new Waitara Park Playground
A massive play structure, lots of swings, in ground trampolines, soft fall surfacing, fully enclosed. It ticks a lot of boxes.
This is a big playground space in an even bigger community space. When those trees grow and the gardens mature you’re going to spend all day at the Oval just moving between areas. Play a game of tennis, have a picnic in the garden and then head to the playground.
Everyone can play
The new playground has been designed around the three principles of the Everyone can play programme.
Each of the new NSW playgrounds features the three considerations of the Everyone Can Play:
- Can I get there? This ensures that the location, layout, signage and accessibility means that everyone can find their way to, in and around the playground. So you’ll see with this playground that there is enough space for everyone to get to equipment that they can have fun with.
- Can I Play? This aspect is whether the equipment and surfacing, allows everyone to experience a variety of challenging and engaging play opportunities in a way that suits them. The new waitara park playground has something for each child to be engaged by and hopefully challenged.
- Can I stay? Is there was is needed to make sure that kids can stay and play for as long as they like. There are bathrooms so you don’t need to leave, BBQ and picnic facilities. Plenty!
Playground Equipment
There are so many all inclusive aspects to this playground. Just by looking at a selection of the playground equipment: the swings, the roundabouts and the pretend car.
There is also so much space to move between all the playground equipment that if you have a little one in a wheelchair, you should be able to get to everything.
For the big kids
You can’t miss the massive structure in the middle of the playground. To me it looks like a massive rocket launcher but apparently its an “Amazon Tower”.
From this structure there are two slides, one smaller plastic one (good for pre-schoolers and maybe toddlers but not babies) and then one enclosed big metal one.
My daughter’s favourite would have to be the Rocking Hip Hop Spinner.
For the smaller little ones
The playground has spaces for the little people set off from the bigger playground equipment.
These include a toddler slide, little cubby houses and a “multi-play unit”. The latter is one of those little play structures that the kids can run or walk through, climb up. Even this structure has been carefully thought out as it has a ramp, not stairs to climb up so it’s accessible for all kids!
You can’t forget swings!! My daughter is obsessed with swings. Swings can’t be excluded so there is a two bay toddler swing and a pod swing.
There is also a smaller carousel for little kids so that two can sit side by side facing different directions and have a go.
If you look closely in between all the different active areas you’ll see that there are lots of sensory elements. There is a little amazonian man with red inserts you can look through, I’ve included a picture of him up above so you can see what I mean. There are also spinning discs on the flowers, dials to turn and telescopes to look through.
Bike, Scooter, Pram and Wheelchair Space
I love it when there is a lot of space in between the play equipment and there is plenty here.
This also means that there is sufficient space for wheelchairs and prams for kids who are unable to move about as freely.
There are wide open space that is paved which are also perfect for little bikes and scooters – little kids, not big boisterous kids.
Shade
There is lots of shade cover in the form of big sails and some of the picnic tables and spaces have their own coverings too.
While there are also trees, these are still in the infancy so they won’t provide much shade just yet.
TOP TIP: If you’re visiting in Summer make sure your kids have hats and sunblock because the areas in between the play spaces aren’t covered.
Waitara Park Playground Facilities
Seating
There are picnic tables and those wide flat tables that double as benches. These are inside the fenced playground area. But there are also little walls with beautiful bright artwork on them that you can sit on too.
There are also smaller grassy spaces where you could lay a picnic blanket on.
Bathrooms
Yes there are bathrooms, accessible bathrooms close by. How fantastic. Well done to the council and the State Government for thinking this through properly!
Food
Currently there is a cafe operating inside the PCYC on the other side of the Oval.
There is a BBQ and covered seating. These are outside of the playground area.
You’ve got to remember that just up the road is Hornsby Westfield with a million eateries.
Age Suitability
For those of you who follow the blog, you will notice that this is a new category and purely because my son has started complaining about certain places we visit not being challenging enough for him. It’s an interesting age this!!
So from now on, I will be indicating which age groups would get the best out of each playground.
Age Suitability of this playground
I would say that this playground is best for children up to the age of 7 or 8 but it’s also perfect for pre-schoolers.
Disclaimer
Not all children have the same abilities. Not all children who look to have the same physical abilities do. The above age suitability is purely a guideline and should be considered in light of your own child’s ability.
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Other great all inclusive playgrounds
Here is a list of just a few of the other all inclusive playgrounds that we love:
