8 family-friendly parks and playgrounds around Charlestown
Kahibah Park Playground
Address: 40 Hexham Street, Kahibah 2290
Tucked between Hexham and Frith streets, Kahibah Memorial Park’s playground packs in more than its size suggests.
This small neighbourhood playground caters to all ages, with a flying fox, climbing nets, slides, a rock climbing wall, a nest swing, a toddler swing and a couple of activity panels, including a Connect Four game. Toddlers also get their own dedicated space with a secure climbing fort and slide.
Meanwhile, picnic tables and plenty of shade make it a comfy spot for you to rest as your little ones play.
You’ll also find local village shops right across the road, including a café and a chippie, which are always welcome when small people suddenly announce they’re starving!
St. John’s Memorial Park
Address: 68A Violet Town Road, Tingira Heights NSW
Sitting right next to the Fire and Rescue NSW station, St John’s Memorial Park makes a simple playground visit feel like an exciting adventure.
Little ones might catch a glimpse of a real fire truck rolling in or out of the engine bay, and can brave the play structure’s firefighter’s pole to copy the neighbours next door.
This modern playground also has heaps of other equipment to enjoy, including a double slide, regular and baby swings, a rope climbing wall, a climbing ladder, balancing pods, a seesaw and even a xylophone for mini musicians who like to make some noise.
Softfall and bark chips cover the ground, and sandstone blocks and picnic benches around the perimeter give parents a comfortable place to sit.
Note that the nearest public toilet facilities and water fountains are about a three-minute drive away at Lake Macquarie Square.
Sylvia Grozdanovskia Park Playground
Address: 91A Cadaga Road, Gateshead 2290
Revamped by Lake Macquarie City Council in December 2022, Sylvia Grozdanovski Park is a great spot for ankle biters right through to school-age kids.
The main structure weaves together a slide, climbing tunnel and small rock climbing wall, giving children plenty to discover in one place. Next to it, a set of rope climbing nets is perfect for kids who want to push themselves a little further.
Toddlers are well looked after too, with colourful sensory panels to touch and spin, baby and regular swings, and a roundabout.
A covered picnic shelter provides shade for parents who want to sit and watch the fun unfold.
Blackbutt Reserve
Address: 40 Hexham Street, Kahibah 2290
Located between Charlestown and Newcastle, Blackbutt Reserve is one of the Hunter region’s best free family days out.
The Carnley Avenue section is home to koalas, kangaroos, emus, wombats, wallabies, possums, reptiles and a wonderful variety of native birds. Seeing these animals without the cost or crowds of a zoo feels pretty special, especially for young children experiencing it for the first time. Boardwalks wind between each animal enclosure, making the whole area easy to navigate with a pram.
The Bower Bird Playground at Carnley Reserve is designed for children aged 2 to 10. It’s well shaded, with a large climbing structure, roundabout, seesaw, group swing, two slides and musical instruments to keep kids happily occupied.
This play area is close to the amenities block (complete with a baby changing room and private breastfeeding space) and café, so top-ups of coffee and snacks are never far away.
Richley Reserve is the quieter, more wooded second half of Blackbutt, 800 metres on foot from Carnley or a short drive with its own parking area. Picnic shelters, barbecues and walking trails make it a wonderful spot to slow down.
The 60-metre adventure playground is the star attraction here, with rope courses, climbing towers, a sandpit with a water tap and proper bush surroundings. It’s the better fit for kids who’ve outgrown the standard stuff and want a real challenge.
If your family has the energy after all of that, the 1.5km Rainforest Walk and the 1.6km Forest Way Walk are both well worth it!
Tallowood Circuit Park Playground
Address: 35 Tallowood Circuit, Charlestown 2290
Tallowood Circuit Park is a leafy, fully fenced neighbourhood playground tucked into the reserve on the corner of Tallowood Circuit and Timbercrest Chase in Charlestown.
It catches good sun throughout the day, making it the perfect place for a morning play date or an after-school run-around!
The equipment itself covers the essentials well: a slide, climbing wall, climbing frame, swings and a bouncy. With the fence doing its job, you can relax and unwind while the kids explore freely.
Harold Wesley Knight Park Playground
Address: 65 Lonus Avenue, Whitebridge 2290
Harold Wesley Knight Park, also known as Whitebridge Park, is one of the best playgrounds near Charlestown.
A crowd-pleaser for kids of all ages, this fully-fenced playground has two distinct play zones. The newer structure suits older kids, with two slides, a fireman’s pole, rope climbing bridges and ladders, a roundabout and a nest swing to keep them busy.
The original playground is better suited to younger children, with a much-loved curly red slide, a musical pipe feature, a cubby house, wobbly stepping stones and a pelican spring rider.
In between these two zones sits a generous grassed area, shaded by large gum trees, that’s perfect for kicking a ball around or spreading out a picnic rug.
Public toilets are in the car park, and there’s a water fountain tucked into the back corner near the car park, too. It’s easy to walk straight past, so keep an eye out for it.
To top it off, there’s a handful of cafes within easy walking distance, making the whole outing feel very manageable.
Reay Park Playground
Address: 15A Ocean Street, Dudley 2290
Reay Park is one of those places you stumble across and immediately want to tell other parents about. Nestled in a quiet bushland pocket on the corner of Ocean and Tumut streets in Dudley, it’s shaded, peaceful and fenced to the road on three sides.
Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers alike, it has two swings, a platform with twin slides and a fireman’s pole, and a softfall hopscotch. Keep an eye on everyone from the sheltered picnic tables and free barbecues close by.
Plus, a 2021 upgrade to the wider park brought a multicourt with a half basketball court, half tennis court and rebound wall, which gives older kids something fun to do while the tiny tots play.
The flat adjoining field is ideal for a kick of the ball, and if you wander to the far edge, bush tracks lead into Glenrock Reserve, with a longer route out to Glenrock Lookout for families who fancy stretching the day a little further.
If you’d rather stay in the park, convenient amenities include accessible toilets and a water fountain.
Attunga Park Playground
Address: 17 Frederick Street, Charlestown 2290
Attunga Park is perched on a corner behind Charlestown Public School. It’s a welcome stop after a trip to Charlestown Square, giving kids the chance to shake off any leftover energy before the drive home while you take a breather under the trees.
An in-ground mini trampoline, a lookout tower with a play shop underneath, and a larger enclosed slide reached via a rock climbing wall or rope climb give older kids plenty to play through.
For younger children, the flying fox is a firm favourite, with a satisfying bump at the end that they’ll want to experience again and again. A group swing, regular swing and seesaw round things out nicely.
There’s also a tap behind the public toilets, which is handy for rinsing sticky hands!
Discover a play-based early learning centre in Gateshead
Charlestown and its surrounding suburbs are home to some wonderful parks and playgrounds, from the adventure trails of Blackbutt Reserve to the fully fenced neighbourhood spots that make life a little easier with small children in tow. Whatever your family needs from a day out, there’s something on this list for you.
When you need help with childcare near Charlestown, Juniors Journey is just a stone’s throw away. Our early learning centre in Gateshead welcomes children from 6 weeks to 6 years old.
With long daycare and a government-approved preschool program running Monday to Friday, 6 am to 6 pm, we’re a convenient choice for families in Lake Macquarie.
Our qualified early childhood educators embrace play-based learning, supporting every child to learn and grow at their own pace.
Book a tour, enrol your child or speak with our team to find out more.