Harbour Playground Secret Harbour

Harbour Playground in Secret Harbour is an award‑winning, fully fenced and inclusive play space set right on the Secret Harbour foreshore, alongside the Secret Harbour Surf Life Saving Club. Also known as Palermo Cove Reserve, this bright ocean‑themed park has been thoughtfully designed so families of all ages and abilities can play together, with accessible equipment, soft‑fall throughout and multiple quiet corners to retreat to.

The standout feature of Harbour Playground is the huge underwater cave structure crowned by a giant octopus. Kids can climb the brightly coloured tentacles, scramble over the tunnel or tackle different climbing routes to reach the upper level.

Inside the “underwater cave” you’ll find seaweed climbing ropes, slides and a giant whirlpool net that offers a fast, challenging way to get up and down. All areas of the cave are designed to be as accessible as possible, encouraging kids to choose their own level of adventure.

The Playground is divided into several zones to suit different ages and stages. The parent and baby area is a safe, shaded spot for the youngest visitors, with seating for carers and soft‑fall play pieces that support little ones who are just starting to crawl, pull to stand or toddle. This makes it easy to stay close and keep an eye on older siblings, while babies still have interesting things to touch, climb and explore at their own pace.

Younger children are also well catered for in the junior area. Here, there’s a sand and water play table that has been designed with wheelchair access in mind, so everyone can get close enough to scoop, pour and build together. Sand play continues in front of the giant octopus with extra sand play equipment and accessible sand tables linked by soft‑fall matting, making it easy to roll prams or wheelchairs right up to the action.

For bigger kids and thrill‑seekers, the adventure play area steps things up. This zone includes a cruise line swing, a variety of slides with different gradients and lengths, the giant whirlpool net, monkey bars and climbing ropes, and a wheelchair‑accessible roundabout that is popular with children of all abilities.

The inclusive flying fox is another favourite – children can move themselves along with their feet or ask for a push, and the design allows a wide range of kids to enjoy the ride together.

Throughout the Playground there are lots of little details that encourage imaginative play. While exploring, keep an eye out for interpretive signage that introduces some of the ocean creatures hidden around the park. These signs are also written in braille, adding another inclusive element for children and adults with vision impairment. Kids can also “dress up” as Miriam Mermaid or Diver Dan using themed elements on the upper level, adding to the sense of being under the sea.

Access across Harbour Playground is made easier by extensive soft‑fall surfacing and a gently sloping, wheel‑friendly ramp that leads to the upper level. There are many ways to reach the top – climbing the tentacles, pulling up the hill on the ropes, tackling the whirlpool net – so siblings and friends can each choose a route that suits their confidence and ability. From the top, there’s a great view over the whole Playground, making it easier for kids to spot their friends or for adults to keep track of everyone.

The entire Playground is enclosed by a 1.2m‑high fence with self‑closing, child‑proof gates positioned at several points around the perimeter. This is a huge bonus for families with runners or multiple small children, providing peace of mind while kids roam between the different play zones. Around the fence line and throughout the Playground there is plenty of seating so carers can sit and watch, or take a breather between pushes on the swing.

Facilities are excellent, making it easy to stay a while. There are two undercover BBQs, including one that is wheelchair accessible, plus sheltered tables and additional bench seating. Public toilets are located on the outside of the Secret Harbour Surf Life Saving Club building, just a short walk from the Playground. A café/kiosk nearby (Secrets Surf Kiosk) offers coffee and snacks during its opening hours, perfect for grabbing a drink while the kids play. On the foreshore side, large grassed areas shaded by tall palms provide space for picnics, ball games and pram‑friendly strolls, with new plantings promising even better shade as they mature.

Harbour Playground is also home to the City of Rockingham’s first Chat Board – a communication board designed to help non‑verbal children, those with speech delays or language differences, and their families to express what they want to do and how they’re feeling. The City has made downloadable copies of the Chat Board available online, so families can print or save them to a device and use them anywhere within the play space. This is another lovely example of inclusion being built into the design from the start, rather than added later.

With its creative underwater theme, clear play zones for babies, juniors and older adventurers, accessible equipment, braille interpretive signage, Chat Board, secure fencing and excellent foreshore location, Harbour Playground is a brilliant day‑out destination. Add in toilets, BBQs, shelters, nearby parking and a café, and it’s very easy to see why this park is award‑winning and so popular with local and visiting families alike.

The Harbour Playground, Secret Harbour

Address: Palisades Boulevard, Secret Harbour, WA 6173 (also known as Palermo Cove Reserve, on the Secret Harbour Foreshore)

Official website: The Harbour Playground – City of Rockingham

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