95 Wilding Street, Karrinyup, Western Australia

Jackson Wilding Reserve, Karrinyup

If you’re looking for somewhere a little different to play, why not check out Jackson Wilding Reserve in Karrinyup? With a nature playground and a traditional playground, it’s sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

The nature play at Jackson Wilding Reserve in Karrinyup is not your average playground! Built adjacent to Newborough Primary School, its far from the typical sanitised play areas most kids are used to. This playground is made up of recycled timber and tree branches, some painted in vibrant colours. It offers children a real chance to climb, explore and get dirty.

The main attraction is the wooden maze. Kids will love trying to find the centre and get back out again. It’s low enough that you can’t lose anyone and children won’t be distressed that they can’t see you.

In addition to the maze, there are wooden balancing logs, wooden stepping stones and a fort-like structure for climbing or hiding. We found this was a great spot for hiding some painted rocks. It was a joy seeing other kids find them as they explored this area.

Miss 4 was very taken with the wooden bridge, returning several times to climb across. It’s logs are uneven and will test kids balance.

Other favourites were a rope bridge and balancing ropes. Miss 4 spent ages climbing and swinging on both.

Smaller children will enjoy the balancing logs and the colourful stepping stones. Carved logs located around the playground are great seats. Built around a tree, there is also a bench seat. A good spot to sit and rest.

As well as the nature area, there is a more traditional style playground around 50 metres away. This has a sand base, and features two slides, a small flying fox, monkey bars and ladders to climb.

Miss 4 enjoyed hanging off the monkey bars and playing shops with other kids in the bottom.

There’s also a pair of swings, a toddler swing and a regular swing.

Surrounded by loads of grass, there are paths perfect for riding bikes and scooters. It also seems a popular spot for locals walking their dogs. We spotted a water fountain nearby suited to both people and their pets.

There’s also a barbecue area with a covered picnic table and a number of park benches. This would be great for a family barbecue or hosting a casual kids party.

Overall, Jackson Wilding Reserve seems to have something for all ages. Miss 4 loved exploring and came home with dirty feet. We saw kids of all ages, toddlers to teens, enjoying the space during our visit.

The park isn’t fenced off from the road. The nature play as this is close to the road, so little runners need to be watched. The traditional play area is further away from the street, so less chance of runners getting in trouble.

As the playground is made of recycled wood and old trees, there is the risk of scrapes, scratches and splinters. So please bear that in mind when you go to play. I worried about splinters or wood chips hurting her feet, but Miss 4 seemed to relish the opportunity to take risks.

The nature play section is fairly shady, depending on the time of day, thanks to the large trees surrounding this area. The traditional playground has minimal shade, so we’ve suggest packing hats and sunscreen.

The only thing this park doesn’t have is toilets. The closest public toilet would be at a nearby cafe.