Discover some of our favourite nature play playgrounds in Brisbane that have some sort of nature-play area incorporated in their design.
It is no secret that nature-play plays an important and vital part in the development of our children. Not only does it encourage more curious and imaginative play in children, where there are no limitations or set ways of playing, it also helps them connect further with their natural environment and foster exploration of the natural world they live in.
Funderwood Hollow, Underwood Park, Underwood
Funderwood Hollow has been designed for children aged 5 to 16 years and features a fairytale feel with castle-themed towers high above the ground. The design has been based on children’s drawing depicting their own ideas for a fantasy playground brought to life.
A range of challenging equipment has been created from durable and natural materials for kids to explore, including climbing nets, rope bridges and a climbing wall. The towers are up to five metres high and nestled amongst the trees.
The nature play section includes a water pump, tree stump styled sculptures for climbing and hiding and wooden stumps, beams and chain obstacles. There is a rocky creek bed with bridges and stepping stones through the many established trees in this part of the playground to allow your Brisbane Kids of all ages to adventure, balance, play and explore their natural environment.
Nature Play Features
- Water pump
- Tree stump and log climbing structures
- Natural rock seating
- Dry creek bed
Facilities
- Disabled toilet facilities
- Several unfenced playgrounds on a sand base
- Forts
- Rope bridges
- Climbing walls
- Towers
- Shadesail over some play equipment
- Climbing nets
- Slides
- Swings
- Pedal-powered monorail track
- Flying fox
- BMX track
- Basketball half-court
- Netball courts
- Bike path
- Several wood and electric BBQs
- 6 shelters with tables near the playground
- Shade trees
- Grassy open space
- Dog off-leash area
- Generous carpark
Karawatha Forest Park, Karawatha
Karawatha Forest Park is not only an important wildlife haven but home to a fascinating Discovery Centre, numerous walking tracks, two picnic areas and an awesome nature play space.The architecturally designed Discovery Centre sits at the top of the picnic lawn with covered tables and toilets off to the side. Down the hill, a little from the picnic lawn is the nature play space where you will find a water play feature with a single water pump that flows down a sandy streamlined with beautiful bronze animal sculptures.
From here you can follow the paths, or hop across the wood stumps, to the climbing sections with large tree trunks to balance on and artificial rocks and tree stumps to climb. If you follow the paths past the nature play area you will pass more toilets to another picnic area and the start of some of the walking tracks.
Nature Play Features
- Water pump and rocky stream water play
- Rocks and tree stumps climbing area
Facilities
- Shade trees
- Soft fall base around the climbing play area
- Picnic lawn
- Sheltered tables
- Unsheltered tables
- Barbeques
- Discovery Centre
- Network of bushwalking tracks
- Toilets – 2 blocks with accessible toilets
- Large car park with 4 disabled spaces
New Farm Park, New Farm
To call New Farm Park a ‘park’ is a slight understatement, considering it occupies approximately 37ha of land and sees over 15000 visitors and Brisbane Kids each weekend. The New Farm playground consists of an impressive fort-like tree-house with an expansive bridge walk that winds like a hobbit trail through the ageing fig trees that define this park.
It is a climber’s paradise, with a good cover of mulch to protect the inevitable tumbles. The huge wooden treehouse and boardwalk that are built around and through the fig trees provide a great stage for lots of imaginative games for children.
Nature Play Features
- Giant fig trees to wind through and explore
- Wooden treehouse
Facilities
- Swings
- Rockers
- Fort style playground
- Playground equipment for a variety of ages over a soft-fall, bark, gravel and sand base
- Giant rope climbing frame
- Music stations
- Open grassy spaces
- Gardens
- Croquet lawns
- Electric BBQs
- Accessible toilet facilities
- Water fountain
- Bike and walking paths
- Onsite cafe for coffee and plenty of cafes nearby
- Carparking in the park and in surrounding streets (disabled parking available). Just to note, parking is probably the biggest drawback of New Farm Park, not because there isn’t plenty, but because it is such a popular park). There is both on and off-street car parking available (check signage for costs).
- Free council WiFi
- Accessible by public transport (ferry, bus or CityCat)
- Pet-friendly
Bradbury Park, Kedron
The new and improved Bradbury Park at Kedron is open for business. This sprawling green space is now home to a looped scooter track with heaps of fun and challenging obstacles and the much talked about mystical Magic Forest. There is also outdoor fitness equipment, a small playground and a fenced dog off-leash area, not to mention plenty of places to play with a ball, run around or have a picnic.
Enter the Magic Forest through the Magic Seahorse Window before exploring the rest of the woodland. This area is a wonderful nature play area suited to the younger children, utilising lots of logs, pebbles, sand and pre-existing trees to create a play space that is both inviting and surprising. At every twist and turn there is a little gem waiting to be discovered, and with the majority of these being low to the ground, they are perfect for children to uncover. There are animals etched into logs, rocks with faces, a piano carved into a log, and quite a few brass animals scattered around the forest.
Nature Play Features
- Logs, rocks, stumps to climb on and play with
- Animals etched into logs
- Rocks with faces
- A piano carved into a log
- Brass animals scattered around the forest.
- Magic Forest including The Village, Old Man Owl Bridge and the Trail of Friendly Snails
Facilities
- Playground (unfenced) covered by shade sails
- Swings (including a toddler swing)
- Slide
- Springers/rockers
- Bark base (rubber matting under the swings)
- Looped scooter track (approx. 200m long) with various obstacles
- Picnic tables and bench seating
- Water fountains
- Ample greenspace
- Outdoor fitness equipment
- Netball courts (not for public use on game days)
- Dog off-leash area
- On and off-street parking
Warril Parklands, Larapinta
Warril Parkland is a fantastic space with something for everyone! There’s a nature play focus here and the information about the First Nations People is a welcome addition to several of the discovery stops on the Warril Parkland Discovery Trail. There is also a large climbing fort with a tunnel slide, lakes and wetlands and a water play section.
Warril Parklands play space is arranged around 3 main areas – The Woodland, The Billabong and the Bush Camp. The Woodland features a sandy path through the trees with many different climbing, balancing and stepping structures for kids to explore, climb and test their balance. The Billabong is a water play section with several different pumps and a water play table that includes a map of Oxley Creek, a rain tree shower, and a sandy creek. The Bush Camp includes the large play climbing structure and slide, a basket swing and a dual flying fox, and this area also invites kids to build their own cubbies using fallen sticks and branches and provides examples of shelters that First Nations People would build.
Nature Play Features
- Sandy path
- Different climbing, balancing and stepping natural structures
- Water play with different pumps
- Water play table
- Rain Tree Shower
- Sandy creek
Facilities
- Playground
- Double flying fox
- Lake-edge boardwalk and pontoon
- Shaded picnic areas, barbecues and seating
- Onsite toilets
- Car parking – 56 car parks with two parks for people with a disability and two bus parking bays
- Birdwatching opportunities
- Home to Warril Parkland Discovery Trail and Oxley Creek Junior Ranger program.
Hanlon Park, Stones Corner
Hanlon Park at Stones Corner really captures the nature play theme both in the surroundings but also in the play space. Offering a large open green space, Hanlon Park is one of those rare places where concrete drains have been removed and natural waterways are brought back into the environment where they belong! With meandering walkways, floral artworks and lots and lots of plants and growing trees, this is a real investment in the community.
The playground itself features water play and sand play in addition to many playground features that encourage play without stifling the imagination or risk/reward factor. A wooden balancing beam, stepping logs and rock seating all play a part. There are also two forts, swings and wide pathways so the whole family is able to enjoy the space.
Nature Play features
- Native plantings everywhere
- Rock seating
- Balancing beams and stepping logs
- water play pump
- pebbled river canal
Facilities
- Accessible toilets
- Undercover seating
- BBQs
- Wide footpaths
We love all of these playgrounds and the nature-play areas they include for our kids. If you know of an awesome nature-play playground in Brisbane let us know and we will be sure to check it out and add it to our list!
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