It may be easy to overlook inner-city parks when wanting to explore Sydney with children, but we’ve been very impressed with Redfern Park. A recent makeover combines excellent design, creativity and function, making this public space a great place to visit.
Only three kilometres from Sydney centre, Redfern Park and its sportsground is a lovely green space with many fun ways for kids to play. The playing field is recessed into the ground, providing natural seating around its periphery and keeping the large expanse from dominating the landscape.
Patterns are painted on the concrete which serves as a basketball court and a skateboarding area.
To one side, tall poles are studded with climbing grips.
Climbing up these is not so much of a challenge as just pure fun for adventurous children.
In 1888, local resident John Baptist gave money to the council for the creation of the park, and his gift is memorialised in a Victorian fountain.
An average, older playground sits at the northern end of the block. Yes, it's fun, but it's not exceptional.
We enjoy the opportunity to get to know local parents. Cindy, Shawn and Mohammed were supervising Matilda's play when we met them this afternoon.
One of the reasons our girls love this park is because they find so many feathers kindly left by visiting ibis birds.
The park is under the approach to Mascot Airport, and our girls like watching the planes flying overhead.
This park is well-frequented. Concrete benches are placed in strategic locations around the park and provide seats for the picnickers, dog-walkers, commuters and families who visit. If you’re looking for something to eat, there’s a café in the grandstand building, and a supermarket sits just across the road.
A second playground designed by Indigenous artist Fiona Foley sits on the western side of park.
This climbing structure reminds me of a rocket, but its form is inspired by natural forms like seed pods.
A rope hangs under the "rocket".
Aisha balances on the top of the sphere which also has an opening for children to climb in.
Climbing down is easy with all the grips for little hands and feet.
Although this small eruption is supposed to be the stalk on a seed pod, it reminds me of the volcanic planet in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry.
Another interesting structure, this metal hidey hole is formed like a yam seed.
Isn't this bouncer a beautiful shape? Why can't all children's playgrounds be this inspirational? Do we have to stick with cartoon characters and primary colours?
Huge red letters spell out the Aboriginal's name for their Creator God.
Lotus stalks decorate an in-ground water feature.
Water pops out of the floortiles at irregular intervals.
A boy squeezes himself between the stalks, getting covered in a fine mist from the water feature.
Care is taken with the design and form of each individual stalk.
Redfern Oval is used for football practice during the week, but at other times it's accessible to the public.
The concrete steps in the grandstand provide a great climbing structure for our girls.
If we like, we can go through the gates to play on the level field.
This sports oval is the home of the South Sydney Rabbitohs who use it for training.
The fence that surrounds Redfern Oval is usually folded open, and the gates are fun to swing back and forth. They're play equipment in their own right.
Aisha is delighted to find a wrapped piece of bubble gum fallen from someone's pocket. After she chews most of the flavour from it, she shares it with Brioni.
The crane isn't working when we visit the park, but during the week it would provide additional interest to Redfern Park visitors.
To Aisha's chagrin, there are no moving parts left on this WWII 40mm anti-aircraft gun.
One of the park's best features is the number of huge, mature trees that provide shade and interest. This old gum tree is a great natural climbing structure.
We like visiting parks that offer more than just the standard McPlayground. I think it’s important for our children to be exposed to excellent design, such as we have seen at Redfern Park. The completely unique play equipment found here ensures that our children will remember this special place for a long time. The fact that it’s within an easy walking distance from my dad’s and where we’ve parked our truck is just a bonus. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by — we count it as one of our favourite playgrounds!
1 · Nikki · 8 January 2012, 01:11
what a cool place! i hope to take my son there someday!
2 · Anita Ann · 8 January 2012, 11:42
What an amazing park.
3 · Erin · 8 January 2012, 21:57
I have loved the ‘review’s you do of parks. I don’t have kids of my own so rarely have reason to visit kids parks but like to have a bunch of cool ones to take kids to that I babysit or recomend to parents at work. I agree that parks should be individual, not the usual cookie cutter climbing equipment.
If you are ever a bit more west two nice ones I know of are Putney park http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Recreation/Parks+and+Sportsgrounds/Find+a+Park+or+Sportsground/Putney+Park they have a cool water play area and Bicentenial park http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/whats_on/parks/bicentennial_park which has a range of different areas to explore.
4 · Sarah · 12 January 2012, 09:14
I also wish all parks had such lovely creative places to play. I was just moaning about it the other day when we walked past yet another primary colored plastic thing. I miss the parks that had wooden ships and mazes and castles and all kind of other fun things to imagine in and explore.
5 · LoriM · 20 January 2012, 07:01
What a neat park! Wow, Aisha looks like she’s really getting tall!
6 · saffron · 26 March 2012, 12:10
I’ve been here with my sister! we had so much fun.