Located:
At the front of the Alamanda Estate, this playground is fairly well hidden from sight. As you drive along Sneydes Road, all you see are the wetlands, where a multitude of bird species spend their time. At the corner of the wetlands and Alamanda Boulevard, you have Alamanda Cafe, an all-important stop in the morning for Mummy’s coffee fix. As you wander along the pathways, it’s always a tough choice – to turn off to see the ducks, or continue straight to head to the playground?
This playground is the one that we most frequent, and it’s also one, that I have avoided taking photos and writing up. Most weekend mornings you will see us here, happily watching the birds, and then having a play at the playground. During daylight savings, I’d walk down from home and Jack would point at the birds, and quack at the ducks. Since he’s been walking, I was always happy to have him run along the boardwalk, frightening the seagulls. We’ve even been fortunate enough to watch the parent swans sit on their eggs in their nest, and watch the cygnets hatch and grow- they are losing their baby feathers, and are almost as dark as their parents now!
Equipment:
- Fenced boardwalks through the wetlands, allowing close interaction with the wildlife
- 2 sets of playground equipment, one area for the smaller toddlers, the other for the bigger kids
- BBQ facilities, sheltered seating
- Cafe facilities and Soho shops close by
Smaller Equipment
- wooden playground, with rubber pathways, tanbark filled
- slide – open and twisty
- musical steps on the ramp leading to the slide
- 2 swings, one with toddler restraint
- clock, steering wheel
- rope climbing ladder
- tunnels
- spring motorcycle
- noughts and crosses
Larger Equipment
- chain bridges
- spinpoint maypole
- twisty enclosed slide
- balance disc walk
- rockwalls to climb
- poles to slide down
- spider web climber
- 4 other swings
Jack liked:
Walking down to see the ducks. Normally the seagulls line up along the fences, and he runs along with his hands out behind him chasing them away. This whole area always keeps him busy. He likes being able to climb around the playground. He very rarely ventures into the bigger play area, as his legs just aren’t long enough to navigate the paths, ropes and bridges to get up onto the equipment. He loves going for a swing, will happily sit on the motorcycle rocker for a little bit as well. His latest fascination is putting tanbark into the footholes on the side of the equipment. Not sure why he thinks the holes need to be filled up, but I constantly find him there attempting to do this every time.
