Mitcham Reserve Playground | Review

Mitcham Reserve Nature Playground is a much loved, beautiful nature play space in Adelaide’s South.

The Mitcham Reserve was thoughtfully upgraded back in 2018 with a strong focus on nature play, following community consultation by the City of Mitcham. Local families overwhelmingly supported a playground concept that leaned into natural elements and imaginative adventure play rather than relying solely on traditional equipment, and the result is a really lovely space that blends beautifully into the reserve surroundings.

A nature playground designed for adventure and a great choice for families of varying ages, the reserve features a mix of nature play, adventure play and more conventional playground equipment, creating a space that feels both exciting and relaxed for families.

There are plenty of cute details throughout the playground, including a charming little troll bridge that kids are going to adore. The play equipment has a lovely natural feel, encouraging climbing, balancing, exploring and imaginative play rather than just standard slides and swings. 

We visited on a Sunday morning with two girls aged five and seven and not only was Mitcham Reserve a hit with our family, it was a thriving community hub enjoyed by families of all ages. What is fantastic about this reserve is the sheer size of it means that multiple families can enjoy it and you don’t feel like you are on top of each other. There is ample grass space for the kids to run, plenty of chairs and a playground on one side of the bridge with the other side featuring swings, balancing logs and a climbable rock stack. 

My daughters particularly loved the elf tower and slippery slide. We recently watched The Magical Faraway Tree so this whole playground gave nods to this classic tale and had us feeling like we had stepped into our own little fairytale land. To access this part of the playground there is a ramp that leads to a double slide which is perfect for smaller children. Bigger kids can then cross the wooden bridge (with nets underneath) and make their way to the elf house which features a little window with views of the nearby swing and access to the winding slippery dip. At the bottom of the elf house is a little hut for make believe play and if you follow the wooden stepping stone path you are lead to a wooden horse and cart.

Visiting with kids five and up was perfect to enjoy all that this playground had to offer. We did see a few families with younger kids struggle to climb the bridge and their reluctant parents had to carry them up carefully which can be a bit of a challenge. 

The whole space feels thoughtfully designed to fit into the historic reserve setting, with lots of timber, natural textures and open green space. Even though the playground can attract a crowd the beautiful nature setting makes it feel calm and serene and a little reprieve from the busyness of life.

One of the standout features of Mitcham Reserve is the beautiful little creek running through the reserve. Brownhill Creek winds gently alongside the playground area, adding to the peaceful atmosphere and making it feel more like a nature escape than a suburban playground.

Kids will love spotting the water, exploring nearby nature areas and crossing the cute bridge, while parents can enjoy the shady surroundings and relaxed picnic vibe.

During our visit we saw lots of children getting close to the water and families spread out with picnic rugs too. Families with young children will need to be extra careful as there is no fence surrounding the creek or from the road. So this element is something to note when planning a visit.

The reserve is easy to access and convenient for a casual playdate, weekend picnic or after-school visit.

Park facilities include:

• Onsite parking
• Public toilets
• Electric BBQs
• Picnic seating
• Large shady trees
• Open grassy spaces
• Creek access
• Playground equipment for a range of ages

A Few Things to Know Before You Go

While the reserve itself feels peaceful and leafy, there is a fairly busy road nearby, so younger children will still need close supervision, particularly around parking and path areas. If visiting on a weekend the small carpark provided can get quite full but off street parking is available on Evans Avenue.

The combination of nature play, creekside scenery and cute playground features makes this one of the sweetest playgrounds in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

Mitcham Reserve is a favourite local spot for picnics and community events, and the playground makes it even more appealing for families. The reserve is also less than five minutes away from Mitcham Shopping Centre, which is convenient for coffee, a bite to eat or supermarket visit before or after a play! So if you find yourself close to the Mitcham area with kids, this reserve is absolutely worth a stop! 

Location:

Mitcham Reserve is located between Old Belair Rd, Norman Walk & Evans Ave, Old Belair Road, Mitcham

For more information and all enquiries please visit the City of Mitcham website or the City of Mitcham Facebook page.

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go.

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