The number of all-abilities playgrounds is growing in the Melbourne area, which means wherever you are, there will usually be an inclusive playground not too far away. Designed for children with various disabilities and sensory issues, they allow children to engage with others, let off steam, and possibly get creative with sand or water play.
We’ve compiled a list of new and established favourites in Melbourne. So, check out the list and head to your nearest all-abilities playground for a fun day out!
City of Bayside
Thomas Street South Reserve Playground
This recently all-abilities playground ticks nearly all the boxes, except for a fenced area. It has a variety of slides and swings, including a nest swing and one with a large plastic seat and high back. There’s a flying fox, and water and sand play. The play DJ table is wheelchair accessible and there’s a Changing Place too.
City of Boroondara
Hays Paddock Playground
This family favourite features an accessible timber structure with bridges and ramps, activity panels, and big and small slides, with play opportunities underneath. There is plenty of shade, and accessible park benches. The playground also features a water and sand sensory play area.
City of Brimbank
Alice’s Playspace, Errington Reserve
The theme of this fenced playground is a dry river bed, with a boat in the middle! There are lots of gentle slides, including a dual one. There’s an in-ground trampoline divided into four sections, an accessible carousel with handles, an adult-sized swing with a seat belt and side handles, and a giant frog for water play. If your child likes to make music, there’s a music board and tyre drums.
Brimbank Park Playspace
This lush, green playground connects children with nature, with tactile circular paths and animal sculptures for children to explore. Signage is available in Braille and Auslan throughout the park. The playground has supported swings with harnesses, catering for younger and older children, an accessible sand pit, interactive colourful murals, and so much more for families to enjoy together.
Cardinia Shire
Deep Creek Eco Playground
This fenced all-abilities playspace is in a bush setting with plenty of parking and a Changing Places toilet and cafe nearby. The playground has a beautiful dragonfly structure whose head and slides can be accessed via a curvy gravel path. Although there are a lot of gravel paths, they are quite wheel-friendly. There’s a Liberty swing, a nest swing, and a wheelchair slalom course. The sand and water play table is wheelchair-accessible.
City of Casey
Casey Fields Playground
Situated in Cranbourne East, this all-abilities playground is a great spot and one of few playgrounds with sand and soft fall paths instead of bark mulch. It’s not fenced and is only partly shaded, but has a fenced Liberty Swing, and four other swings including a nest swing. There are various slides including a long, curvy tube slide and a cute wooden boat that’s very accessible.
Livvi’s Place Edgebrook Playground
This fully-fenced all-abilities playground is divided into four unique play areas, so there really is something for everyone. There are sealed surfaces throughout, including to the top of the slides, and a flying fox with a 4-point harness. This playground has been specially designed for children with autism, and features sensory-rich play activities, including water play and chimes.
Livvi’s Place Lyndhurst
This fenced all-abilities playground has wide paths, ramps, a grassed area, and shade sails. There are two flying foxes with harness seats, several accessible swing seats, and a wide slide reached via a gentle incline. There are also musical instruments, a sand pit, and water play. Added interest comes from metal bird sculptures, igniting children’s imaginations. The toilet is accessible with a large metal changing table.
Livvi’s Place Minta Fantasy Playground
Have you always wished you could step inside a storybook? Well now is your chance! This magical playground brings fairy tales to life, for all children. There is an accessible sand play area, and two supported swings with harnesses, with sealed surfaces throughout. For those who love to climb, there is a three-story castle with multiple slides and activities.
Livvi’s Place Silo Park Clyde North
This new playground is fully fenced, with a huge replica silo tower with giant slides. There are also plenty of wheelchair-accessible paths and open grassy spaces. Children can enjoy an in-ground trampoline, nest swings, and a giant sandpit. An undercover BBQ area and toilets with change tables make it a great place to spend a family day out.
City of Frankston
Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve
This new playground never feels crowded, with plenty to explore in the two separate play areas. There’s a great dual slide and a sand play area with buckets, diggers, and pulleys. The water play area is tricky to access but the nest swing and in-ground trampoline are surrounded by soft fall. There are new toilet facilities and free parking nearby.
Frankston Waterfront Reserve
Families love this seaside park. There are separate toddler and senior-level play areas, accessible picnic tables and grassy picnic areas for families. A Liberty Swing is also available. For those wanting to venture onto the beach, there are also free beach wheelchairs available from the Council, and beach matting available from the Frankston Yacht Club. Find out more about beach access here.
City of Greater Dandenong
Ross Reserve Playground
There are two playgrounds here, but the one near the Community Centre is fantastic. It’s fully fenced with four in-ground trampolines, a Liberty Swing, nest swings, and a dual flying fox, with a supportive seat. The sandpit digger and the central playground structure are both wheelchair accessible. There’s also a Changing Places toilet facility.
City of Hume
Livvi’s Place Craigieburn
This is a small all-abilities playground with plenty of choice. There is a swing with a supported back, a Liberty Swing and a small, separately fenced water play area with a multi-level play table. A xylophone, a cubby house, and a soft mountain structure with a tunnel give lots of options for creative play.
City of Knox
Tim Neville Arboretum Playground
This fully fenced play space is surrounded by trees. There’s a flying fox, low-set balancing disks, and a castle-themed sandpit with a half-submerged crocodile. For children who are blind or have low vision, there’s a sensory bench with carved curly tracks for little fingers to follow. There’s also a trail of alphabet signs with sign language weaving through the playground. There are wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities too.
City of Manningham
Wombat Bend Templestowe
This fenced playground has play equipment for various ages and abilities. There’s a bat-wing carousel with hanging seats and a double-flying fox with supportive seats. There’s also a maze with distorting mirrors and buttons that make noises when pressed. The mix of soft fall, gravel, and concrete paths amongst the bark mulch also helps those on wheels.
City of Melton
Hannah Watts Park
This is newly upgraded all-abilities play space located in Melton town centre. While it’s not fenced, it has a large grassed area, a flying fox, nest and expression swings, and a wheelchair-accessible carousel. There are also accessible parking spaces nearby.
Hazelwood Park
This new park in Aintree is sure to be a favourite. There are wheelchair-accessible entry points and ramps throughout, textured surfaces, quiet sensory zones and plenty of shelter and shade. There are large play pods for children to adventure into, with slides and climbing nets, and a billabong-inspired water play area.
City of Monash
Westerfield Drive Sensory Playspace
This award winning playground provides great opportunities for children develop their sensory skills by interacting with musical instruments such as the 8-key Marimba and the sound bouncers or sensory trails. The Council has also provided an access key, social story and on-site communication board to help all families access the space.
Shire of Nillumbik
Eltham North Reserve Playground
This cleverly designed play space has sand and water play, two flying foxes (one with a harness swing), and a Liberty Swing. There’s also an accessible sunken tractor and small wooden shops for creative play. Parking includes two wheelchair-accessible spaces.
City of Stonnington
Central Park Playground
A recently upgraded playground that’s about nature as well as play. You’ll find magical creatures hiding in discovery nodes and signs encouraging you to touch, smell, and look at the plants. The playground is fully fenced with two wooden structures for different ages and abilities. There’s a sandpit, cubbies, a spinner, swings, a trampoline, water misters, and a play table. There are both hard and soft surfaces, and a new accessible public toilet.
Sir Zelman Cowen All Abilities Playground
This recently upgraded playground includes an accessible sand play area, wheelchair accessible spinner, and a sensory garden. There is something for everyone, including slides, swings, net scrambles, and plenty of shaded areas. The play area is also fully fenced, and there is a Changing Places facility on site.
City of Whitehorse
Wattle Park Playground
This all-abilities playground is set in bushland, meaning there is plenty of shade and shelter. Children will love this tram-themed playground featuring swings, spinners, water play, a sensory garden, and a double-story tram fort.
City of Whittlesea
Mill Park All Abilities Playspace
This playground rarely feels crowded, even during school holidays. The fenced area has a large green space and there are lots of swings, including two nest swings and an expression swing. There’s an accessible rocker, a trampoline with handrails, sand and water play, and a Changing Place.
City of Wyndham
Wyndham Park Playground
This playground is worth visiting if your child is safe near water, as it sits along the Werribee River and is unfenced. Equipment and activities include a small skate park, a nature play area, and an adventure playground. There are also accessible water and sand play areas.
Useful links
Inclusive playgrounds in regional Victoria
Accessible outing with Changing Places
Read more Playgrounds