The best playgrounds in Melbourne's eastern suburbs

Forget the stuffy indoor play centres — the outdoor playgrounds in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs are where the real magic happens. Here’s our guide to some of the best places to have some fun and use up some energy this summer.

Ringwood Lake Park, Ringwood

Ringwood Lake Park is a nature lover's dream, with play trails weaving through towering trees. Kids can unleash their inner Tarzan on rope courses or get their hands dirty in the sand and water play areas. Just don't be surprised if they come home looking like dirty swamp creatures. With a 1.1-kilometre walking circuit and surrounding bushland, it's perfect for a day out.

Tim Neville Arboretum, Ferntree Gully

Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully brings fairytales to life. The fully fenced playground features a castle fort, dragon-themed water play, and a brand new drawbridge. Thrill-seeking little ones (or big ones) will love the flying fox, while the quad-bay swing set caters to multiple kids, easing the inevitable barrage of “hurry up it’s my turn” allegations. With wheelchair-accessible ramps and a liberty swing, it's a playground for all abilities.

Marie Wallace Bayswater Park, Bayswater

All aboard at Bayswater Park, where a life-sized red steam engine steals the show. Little conductors can punch tickets, drive the train, and generally boss around invisible passengers to their heart's content. 

The real star here, though, is the bike training area — a full-on mini road network complete with road signs and even working traffic lights. So make sure to pack the bikes and scooters (or Heelys if your kid is really cool).

Lillydale Lake Playground, Lilydale

Lillydale Lake Playground is surrounded by a 28-hectare recreational wonderland. The all-abilities playground features a splash pad for water play, a sensory creek bed with mushroom structures, and animal-themed climbing sculptures. 

Kids who enjoy flying through the air (so, all of them) will love the giant basket swing, expression swing, and double flying fox — there’s even a liberty swing ensuring wheelchair users can join the fun.

Valley Reserve, Mount Waverley

In October 2016, Valley Reserve won the Parks and Leisure Australia Award of Excellence for the best playspace in Australia. Sure, some time has passed, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer fun.

Nestled in bushland, it strikes a perfect balance between traditional equipment like swings and slides with more adventurous elements like rope courses and even a treehouse. The surrounding bushwalking trails provide an extra dose of nature exploration.

Yabbie Hill Playscape at Jells Park, Wheelers Hill

Jells Park's Yabbie Hill Playscape is a nature-based masterpiece, thanks to a $3 million investment from Parks Victoria. The design cleverly uses the hillside to create different themed zones, each celebrating local native animals. The centrepiece is a massive yabbie climbing structure, accompanied by a flying fox and extensive play areas kids can easily lose hours enjoying.

Wattle Park Playground, Burwood

Wattle Park Playground in Burwood blends history with modern play, with its two vintage trams offering a unique exploration experience. The adventure playground also boasts rope bridges, climbing structures, iron cubbies, a water play pump, and a sand pit. The surrounding bush play areas add a fun touch of nature to the mix.

Waverley Park Playground, Mulgrave

Waverley Park Playground in Mulgrave showcases modern, inclusive, and, most importantly, fun design. It features a giant slide, climbing towers, and a separate toddler area so they don’t get accidentally knocked around by their older counterparts. 

There are two flying foxes (one with a disk seat, one with a harness) that cater to different abilities, a water play area, a huge bird's nest swing, an adjacent Multi-Sports Area with a skate park, sports facilities, and even a rock climbing wall round out the offerings.

Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Playground, Blackburn

Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Playground continues the theme of playgrounds that double as serene nature escapes. The star is a giant climbable turtle sculpture, but kids will also love the in-ground merry-go-round, the various swings, and forest-themed musical instruments. Oh, and you can ride a grasshopper, which is always fun. After playtime, explore the sanctuary's lake and wetland trails for a full nature escape.