Built within a reserve full of shady native trees, Homestead Park in Thornlie has a fun playground with a mix nature play and traditional equipment. There’s sure to be something all the whole family will enjoy.
On arrival, Miss 9 was excited to explore the playground. This is made up of mainly wood. The main part being a wooden fort with a rope ladder and a slide. There is also a wooden ladder and a climbing wall to get up. The base has a small shop window built in for imaginative play.
Adjacent to the fort, there is a climbing frame, a birds nest swing and an A frame climbing wall. Miss 9 loved the swing and spent ages hanging out there.
In addition to the birds nest swing, there is a pair of regular swings at the far end on the playground.
Surrounding the playground’s fort, there are balancing logs and wooden crates nestled in the sand. The crates are labeled “olives” in a nod to the park’s farming heritage. The parkland was formerly part of an estate owned by Walter Padbury, who left it to his niece Amy James when he passed. She and her husband named the estate “Thornlie” after an estate owned by her husband’s grandfather in India, and that is then how the suburb has received it’s name.
Hopping over a retaining wall, the play area is a nature play style section with a wood chip base. There are more wooden balancing logs, a rope bridge to balance across and carved wooden animals. These appear to be pigs, perhaps in another nod to the James family who once successfully ran a piggery on the estate.
Adjacent to the playground, there is a great picnic and barbeque area. There is a barbeque with two hot plates and two large tables. There’s also a covered wooden bench where you can sit and watch the kids play. We also found a water fountain, so you refill your water bottle or grab a quick drink.
This barbeque area would be perfect for a family get together or a casual birthday party.
Walking up the grass behind the picnic area, we found two flying foxes. Miss 9 LOVES a flying fox. Consequently we spent quite a bit of time with her going between the two, deciding which was her favourite. Another family visited these while walking through the park, and Miss 9 was happy to take turns with the other children.
With so much soft green grass in this area, this would also be a great space to throw a frisbee or kick a football around. It would also be a comfy spot to sit and have a picnic. 
Between the Park and the Community Centre there is a basketball court. There is a second one on the other side of the Community Centre. This is great for older kids who might feel they are too cool now for playgrounds. There is also exercise equipment dotted around the park. We found some pull up bars for example. So at least the whole family can get outside and play together somehow.
Beyond the playground, there area sealed pathways for bikes, scooters and prams. These were popular with people out walking and exercising their dogs. The path follows the river, where the City and community groups have worked to replant the river foreshore.
As previously mentioned, Homestead Park is located on the site of the old Thornlie Estate. With that in mind, we found ruins of the old homestead building. In 1974, a fire decimated the old homestead building and left the walls in danger of collapse. So, for safety reasons, the walls were pushed into the cellar level and the remains were filled in with sand. We found a knee high amount of wall left above ground and a plaque commemorating the location on the other side of the Civic Centre. You can read more about this area’s history here on the State Heritage Office website.
We visited Homestead Park on a very warm day. Thanks to the shade sails and large trees, and lots of grassed area, it was cooler here. Something we really appreciated. We’d still recommend bringing hats and sunscreen, but the shade definitely helps.
In conclusion, while we don’t live in the area, we could happily stop in here for a play again. There’s plenty to do to keep energetic kids busy for quite a while.
Homestead Park, Thornlie
Located at 1821 Glenbrook Road, Thornlie, next door to the Thornlie Community Centre.
Toilets are located at the rear of the Community Centre.
Parking is available on Glenbrook Road, at the front of the Community Centre.
Location
Member Reviews
Place Categories: Nature, Fitness Equipment, Playgrounds, With Shade, and With Toilets
