Parks are plentiful in Brisbane, with more popping up each month as councils delegate new land areas, but how many are specifically designed with children of all abilities in mind? Bespoke Lifestyles is here to share the best all-ability parks in Brisbane, which include sensory-rich experiences, mobility friendly accesses and many more special needs considerate design aspects.
Arthur Davies Park
This park is a crowd favourite for many reasons. Located next to the water, Arthur Davies Park is a magical park which allows children to play happily in the great outdoors in Sandgate. The shady, beachside playground is home to a variety of play equipment, including cognitive game panels, traditional play equipment like slides and swings and a bunch of other areas for clambering and scaling. Access is made easy to the park via concrete paths, as well as an inground merry-go-round for wheelchair friendly fun. The toilets are also wheelchair friendly, making this park a great spot to spend a morning or afternoon during summer or winter!
Buxton Park in Yarrabilba
Set in the residential area of Logan, Buxton Park is an excellent playground with many fun factors for children of all capabilities and ages. With the park design incorporating special needs factors throughout, it is an inviting and exciting park to spend time playing. Digitally interactive obstacle courses, magnetic bells, rolling wave-like green fields, two sandpit areas and a giant caterpillar climbing tower mean this park provides a safe and fantastic journey for children to experience.
Mulbeam Park in Boondall
Named after the two roads which form the boundary of this beautiful park, Muller Road and Beams Road. Providing two large play areas, both of which resemble forts, there are interactive maps which refer to nearby roads with movable cars. Special needs swings are present, as well as sensory-rich play areas like the music maker, which allows children to make their own music with various tools. Allowing children to take advantage of their imagination is a great way to set them free and let their minds wander, which Mulbeam Park is perfect for.
Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre
When education meets fun, you get the C.R.E.E.C; an exciting venue spread over 18 hectares, which is perfect for entertaining children and educating them about the environment. The park exhibits an ‘All Abilities’ playground, which is a fully fenced area designed for enriching experiences through movement. A series of concrete paths are great for those learning to ride to find their feet (or wheels), and the flying foxes make for non-stop fun. The flying foxes are all abilities too, so no child misses out on experiencing the fun. With several areas to sit, it is a great space to let the children run free, and the open space makes it easy to keep an eye on the little ones.
Grahame Stewart Park at Currimundi – Sunshine Coast
A little further north, Grahame Stewart Park at Currimundi is the perfect spot to relax when you need a break from the beach. With walking tracks, a calm lake and an all-abilities playground, this park is definitely one to check out when you’re on the Sunshine Coast. A big emphasis was placed on special needs children when the design of this park took place, with flat paths connecting the various playground areas and high-backed disability-friendly swings. Sensory experiences are thorough, and motor-skills are challenged with a bucket and pulley system, which means children are learning without even realising. A recent update to the junior park means that special needs children can now play alongside their friends, making this park a great place to let the kids tire themselves out.
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