HOT: Wombat Bend, Templestowe

Wombat Bend isn’t one of the best playgrounds we’ve visited in terms of play equipment, but it is a large fenced play area built around a charming bushland setting and a great location for a kid’s birthday party or picnic (as we witnessed on our visit).

It’s the kind of place where kids can roam and run free while the adults set up home base by the free undercover picnic benches and barbecues.

As we enter Wombat Bend park the first area you encounter is a wooden maze decorated with artwork tiles, funny distorting mirrors and other sensory games. Great for easy games of hide and seek along with the bushland pathways twisting around the whole area.

As you explore Wombat Bend play space further (crossing a bridge with the musical scale embedded in the wooden planks, like a walkable xylophone) you’ll find swings (including a disabled swing), slides and a seesaw as well as two in-demand low level flying foxes and a 3 seater swing carousel.

We also see lots of kids bring their own bucket and spades to enjoy the sandpit area.


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Lady AB loves the short slides particularly as she can climb up the slope and slide down easily by herself but she seems a bit freaked out by the carousel and flying fox so we looked but didn’t touch.

Mostly I like Wombat Bend playspace due to the native bushland setting, encouraging lots of independent exploration.

It’s also convenient – there’s lots of parking straight outside the gate and Finns Reserve is also accessible via the Main Yarra Trail cycling and walking path.

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About Joyce Watts

Joyce Watts is a former intellectual property, IT and media lawyer turned serial entrepreneur.

As well as being the founder of TOT: HOT OR NOT she helps businesses with their SEO, email marketing & social media as BrightSmart.com.au; she owns an online bike store CycleStyle.com.au and develops and produces creative experiences for families via WheelieGoodFun.com. She used to publish another popular lifestyle and food blog called MEL: HOT OR NOT The decisive guide to Melbourne.

She lives in inner-city Melbourne with her husband, two children and seven bikes.

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