During most of lockdown, we kept our distance from playgrounds, especially those we knew would be busy like the recently revamped playground at Burnum Burnum Sanctuary.
When restrictions eased, however, we took the first opportunity to check out the extensive playground overhaul.
We parked in the large car park directly beside the grounds and the kids raced onto the playground.
The difficulty was deciding where to play first as there are multiple playground structures at the park.
The senior features two tall tube slides that kids under four may be reluctant to try. It also includes a climbing net, rock climbing wall, mini-games, musical wall and a rope bridge. Thankfully, a shade sail has also been included to provide comfort during the summer!
The junior structure features a short slide, rope poles, chain bridge and climbing wall.
There are several different swings including a large basket swing, hammock swing, standard swing, baby swing and even a swing where baby and preschooler can swing together to save you pushing two swings at once!
You’ll also find a mini, climbable cubby house, in-ground trampolines, balance beams, flying fox, large climbing net, xylophone, puzzle wall and carousel.
The range of play equipment is among the best we’ve seen at any Sutherland Shire playground.
There are amenities galore here including plenty of picnic seating and shelters suitable for parties. Individual cubicle toilets, BBQs, water refill station, cycle path, bike racks, boat ramp and trailer parking are all available on the grounds. The only thing we found a bit of an effort was that the only bins provided are quite far away from where the kids will be spending most of their time playing, so you’ll need to hang on to your rubbish and put it in the bins as you are leaving.
One of the best things about Burnum Burnum Sanctuary is the bush immediately behind the playground equipment. Our kids loved climbing all over the rocks and we decided to go for a short bushwalk while we were there too.
The easy entrance to the bushwalk is to the right side of the flying fox when facing the bush. It is all an upward climb from this direction so just keep that in mind when deciding how far up to go. If you go all the way to the top you can enjoy some beautiful views and do the Upper or Lower Track (or both) before heading back down. It’s a pretty well-marked track and you won’t lose phone reception even if you do get lost. You can find more on that and other family-friendly bushwalks in the Shire here.
While we loved this park for its large range of play equipment and easy access to the bush, it is an expansive, open space with bush on one side and a car park and water on the other, with multiple play structures to try and see around and no gates in sight, so if you have young children prone to running off or hiding from you, we would not recommend beginning with this playground! If those kiddy-concerns are fairly well behind you, your kids will likely love this playground and all it has to offer.
We are certain this new upgrade will entice many families to hold picnics, BBQs and birthday parties here for years to come.
Looking for another adventure? Head to the Mums of the Shire Blog for more playground reviews and family-friendly ways to spend your days with kids in the Sutherland Shire.
