South Village in Kirrawee has been open for some time now, offering new shops and eateries to the suburb. Over the past months, I’ve caught glimpses of the work in progress in the outdoor area, at the highly anticipated and long-teased park.
For weeks I watched the workers as they completed each stage of construction, counting down the days until I would have a new park just a short walk from home. Flat surfaces/paths suitable for the pram which housed my newborn and a park big enough that would occupy my toddler. Thankfully, in early November it finally opened.
The outdoor area comprises of a large grass oval with a footpath/bike track circling it and a fully-fenced playground to the side. The playground offers shade, seating and play equipment for infants, tweens and teens.
The playground can be fairly busy, especially on those warm & sunny days, with mums, dads, grandparents and kids benefiting from the new attraction. It doesn’t, however, ever feel too packed and the well-used facilities add a great sense of energy and community. Another plus this playground boasts is the number of swings on offer. With five in total, the wait for your little one’s turn will thankfully be brief.
With a host of equipment that is evenly spaced out, it suits a wide range of interests & ages.
Features Include:
- Infant swings
- Balancing beams
- Toddler play equipment with climbing, pole, 2 slides
- 3 toddler/child swings (with funky safety bar that they can hold onto)
- Flying fox
- Climbing frame
- Ping-pong/table tennis tables
- Ball court & hoop.
An additional benefit of South Village (maybe its biggest benefit) is the ‘one-stop, shop’ nature of the complex. The grass, bike path, indoor playground & activities make extending the morning play till nap time far easier. Did I mention the shops and coffee??
The indoor playground is simple with the toilets/amenities conveniently located adjacent to this area (these amenities include one of the nicer parent rooms I’ve come across!). It also sits opposite the arcade which can be a little distracting, however, I frequently see parents (myself included) letting the kids ‘play’ on the arcade games without actually needing to put any coins in. No complaining about free entertainment!
There’s a large open area further into the centre which is multi-purpose and always includes some quiet games for children (large Checkers, Jenga etc.). This area also houses the centre’s pop ups including market stalls, jumping castles & the Mums & Co weekly activities.
We often visit South Village in the morning and can easily spend 1-2 hours across the different spaces available. For those driving, the free short-term parking is plentiful and you can double the park trip as a shopping stop as well, with multiple shops in the centre and Oak Road’s local businesses just a short walk away.
