Whites Hill Reserve

Whites Hill Reserve in Camp Hill is a 171-hectare nature and sports recreation reserve with walking tracks, lookouts, playing fields, picnic areas and a very impressive playground.

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At Whites Hill Reserve there’s a chance to spot koalas, explore an incredible fenced park and take in spectacular views of the city.

Welcome to Whites Hill Reserve

Whites Hill Reserve is nestled in between South Brisbane suburbs Coorparoo and Carina. It’s hard to believe that only 15 minutes from the CBD your family can be amongst 151-hectares of walking trails, dry rainforest, sports fields, picnic areas and an enormous park with equipment for kids of all ages and abilities.

Whites Hill Reserve Hike

Start your adventure at the reserve walking up to the top of Whites Hill. To find the trailhead turn left at the park and drive until you reach the end of the street. From there the start of the trail is on your right near the sports fields.

Make sure the kids pop on sturdy shoes to traverse the initial part of the trail. It’s made of gravel and other natural materials.

The trail forks into two directions. If you’re with older children, make a morning of it and head right to check out the 1,675m return Sankey’s Trail. It will lead you through dry rainforest down a steep slope to Salvin Creek. Keep your eyes peeled for owls, echidnas, and even a koala or two!

Younger children will love the short (700m) walk to the top of the mountain. Turn left at the fork in the path and take the sealed (pram friendly) path up to the top of Whites Hill .

Whites Hill Reserve Park playground

The fully fenced ‘exploration’ playground at Whites Hill Reserve is enormous with a great layout that includes a wide variety of play equipment suitable for Brisbane Kids of all ages and abilities. Little explorers will enjoy digging in the sand on the stationery diggers or bouncy on the rockers and spinning in the bucket seat.

The sensory section will keep little hands busy as they twist, spin and bang on equipment including drums and two pipe instruments. Two small slides built into a hill provide climbing and sliding opportunities for those too small to scale the climbing net.

The swing set has two standard seats, baby seat and support seat and there are separate birds nest and hammock swings.

For older children who love to fly through the air there is a 35m double flying fox where they can race their friends to the finish line. One of the most popular sections of the playground is the large angled rotating disk where children can spin 360°.

In the centre of the playground is the climbing net that leads up to a crow’s nest with a large slide to zoom down the other side. Next to the sensory area there is a small nature trail with stepping-stones to jump between.

The water play system has multi-level troughs, bowls and funnels but unfortunately there was no water connected when we were there. This didn’t stop children filling it with sand, twigs and leaves. The other two long troughs with water and sand in them looked a little murky and were mostly ignored by the children.

Scooters, bikes and trikes can be put to good use on the network of paths throughout the playground and there’s a cool bike run with speed bumps to roll over.

Covered picnic tables and barbeques make it a great location for lunch or a party, although you need to get there early to secure a spot. There are bench seats, low platforms and walls as well as grassy areas throughout the playground so there are plenty of places to rest or have a snack. It’s worth noting that the conveniently located café across the road makes good coffee.

Outside the playground there is a large open space known as ‘The Common’ where children can run, kick a ball or fly a kite. The separate exercise area near the playground is well equipped and there are several sports fields and a dog park within the reserve.

Imagination Factor

Brisbane Kids are spoilt for choice at Whites Hill Reserve with every section of the playground offering a different play experience. From scaling the climbing net like it’s a ship’s sail to reach to crow’s nest to keep a look out for pirates or flying across hot lava on the flying fox. Children can make mud pies in the water play ‘factory’ and dig for treasure in the sand pit. The nature trail is a great place to search for leaves and twigs and rocks to make nature inspired art.

Accessibility at Whites Hill Reserve

Whites Hill Reserve playground is all-inclusive with many options for people with a variety of abilities. There are pathways weaving in and around the playground providing wheelchair and pram access. The Sway Fun Glider is wheelchair accessible with room for two wheelchairs as well two large benches for other passengers. Your children will love rocking the glider back and forth gathering speed as they go. The swing set has a support seat and there is a bird’s nest swing plus a cool hammock swing to relax in.

All sensory equipment is at a low level allowing easy access. Most of the walking tracks throughout the reserve are suitable for wheelchairs. Two disabled parking spaces are provided next to the playground along with accessible toilets. White Hill Reserve also features an inclusive sign language billboard. This fantastic resource teaches children how to communicate their play experiences in sign language.

Whites Hill Reserve – The Facts

Fully-fenced playground, partly sheltered by shade sails
Soft fall, wood chip and sand base
Toilets, including accessible toilet and adult change facilities
3 slides
Double flying fox
Bouncy rockers
Sandpit
Stationary diggers
Crow’s nest
Climbing net
Spinning equipment
Swings, including support seat
Birds nest swing & hammock swing
Sway Fun Glider
Mini nature exploration trail
Sensory play with musical instruments
Water play equipment
Bike run with speed bumps
Shelters
Electric barbecues
Walking and bike tracks
Exercise equipment
Cricket field
Touch football field
Soccer field
Dog park
Car park

Other great nearby South Brisbane Playgrounds are Majestic Park in Coorparoo, or Glindemann Park in Holland Park.

Whites Hill Reserve is located on Boundary Road, Camp Hill.

End the Perfect Morning with a Piccolo Coffee & Kelly’s Candy Co

Just around the corner from Whites Hill Reserve is the adorable hole-in-the-wall Piccolo Coffee. Serving up biscoff biscuits, fresh juices and barista made coffees it’s the perfect place to grab a freshly made coffee and morning tea.

Treat the kids to one of Piccolo’s special babychinos topped up with marshmallows and lollies from Brisbane’s own Willy Wonka, Kelly’s Candy Co. Since 1981 this local chocolate shop has been handmaking a wide range of mouth watering marshmallows, chocolates and more.

With babychinos these good, we won’t blame the parents for getting one too.