Russell Street Park, Morley

Russell Street Park in Morley is a brilliant choice for families with energetic older kids and teens who love a challenge. Tucked between Bunnings and Morley Bus Station, this long, narrow park has been transformed from a closed-off drainage site into a nature-inspired ninja warrior style obstacle course.

Running the length of the park is a hard-packed gravel path that links a series of around ten different stations. The course has a strong “ninja” feel, with plenty of opportunities to run, jump, swing and climb from one end to the other.

Kids can test themselves on climbing walls, balance beams and timber logs, a rotating balance beam, a slack line style rope and a cliffhanger wall.

There are also a couple of sets of monkey bars in different styles, and a fun double flying fox bar set-up that lets kids race each other as they soar across the park.

In between the equipment, huge logs and rocks are scattered throughout the space. These double as both extra balance challenges and casual seating spots for kids and carers. The planting is predominantly native trees and shrubs, giving the park a more natural, bushy feel than a traditional suburban Playground.

Russell Street Park is definitely geared to confident older kids, roughly 10 years and up, as well as active teens and adults. Little ones can enjoy clambering on the rocks and logs and trying a couple of the easier elements, but there’s not much in the way of low-level, toddler-friendly play. The equipment is designed more for agility, strength and coordination than for gentle, imaginative play, so adventurous kids and parkour fans will get the most out of it.

One of the nicest aspects of the park is how it encourages movement. Families can set time trials around the course, challenging each other to complete all the stations without touching the ground, or seeing who can finish the circuit the fastest. When we visited, there were also young adults making the most of the space, using it like an outdoor fitness trail and running timed laps.

Practical touches make the park more usable after school and into the evening. Solar lighting is installed along the length of the park, so the course can still be used safely as the light fades. Seating is informal, made up mainly of the large logs and rocks dotted around, so it feels quite relaxed and natural rather than like a traditional picnic area.

Being a place that encourages active transport and getting moving, parking immediately beside Russell Street Park is limited unless you use nearby Bunnings. However, it’s extremely convenient by public transport, as it sits directly opposite Morley Bus Station, making it easy for older kids and teens to get to. There’s also a bike rack in the park, which is handy for families riding over from nearby suburbs.

There are no toilets on site, but families can make use of the public toilets at Bunnings or in the nearby Galleria Shopping Centre across the road. With shops and food options close by, it’s easy to combine a quick shop or lunch with a session at the park.

Russell Street Park is a great option for families looking for something different from a standard Playground – a free, outdoor obstacle course where kids, teens and adults alike can build strength, balance and confidence while having a lot of fun.

Russell Street Park

Address: 113 Russell Street, Morley, WA – next to Bunnings and opposite Morley Bus Station

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