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We were heading to Sea World that day, and just before we got there a stretch of impossibly blue sea stopped us in our tracks. We turned off on a whim and walked into a little world called Peninsula Playground, as if we’d stumbled onto a hidden Easter egg.
It’s less a playground and more a sea-watching base for kids
This isn’t an ordinary playground. It’s like a “sea-watching base” built just for kids. The kids swing facing the ocean, the wind brushing their faces, the sound of the sea right in their ears. In my photo, two of them are swinging one behind the other, with the water and a lone casuarina behind them. I stood off to one side and watched them laughing like two bubbles blown loose by the wind, soft and shining.
Why I’m giving it five stars
The view is incredible. The sea is right alongside, and the sunshine, the sand and the sea breeze all arrive straight in front of the kids’ eyes.
It’s an adventure that feels safe. The equipment looks hardcore at first glance, but almost every part is enclosed in steel mesh, so I could relax while the kids climbed up and down. The tower in my photos has a red and blue spiral around it, a netted tunnel stretching out sideways from the upper level, and a black stainless steel slide coming out of the bottom.
There are two mini trampolines hidden away in a corner, and they’re a happiness magnet. The kids bounce and bounce.
There are thoughtful details. The stainless steel slide has lots of small see-through windows, so children don’t dive into a dark “tunnel”, and nervous kids can still have a go.
The parking is easy. You can find a space right by the road, so the parking anxiety that comes with taking kids out never showed up.
The small things that didn’t work
The toilets are a bit far. If your child is toilet training, it’ll test your sprinting speed as a parent. I’ve tried it, and it wasn’t fun.
The safety netting has some minor damage. It doesn’t affect play, but I hope the council fixes it soon.
The slide entrance is a bit narrow. When it’s busy, the little ones wait with their feet stamping.
A playground that grew up in the sea wind
Overall, this is a playground that grew up in the sea breeze. The wind carries the kids’ laughter, and jumping is what freedom looks like.
Who it suits, and a tip before you go
The best age is two and a half and up, and older kids will get even more out of it. My tip is to go to the toilet before you arrive and bring snacks and drinks, because you really won’t want to leave.
What else is worth knowing
The address is Marine Parade, Southport QLD 4215, at the intersection of Marine Parade and Smith Street in the northern part of Broadwater Parklands. The playground officially opened on 20 August 2022 as part of the City of Gold Coast’s Broadwater Parklands Masterplan. The main tower is 18 metres tall and has four levels of play, and the designers, AECOM, shaped it like a giant seashell crowned with a lighthouse-style beacon programmed to follow the local tides. That fits the red and blue rings you can see in my photos, and the green seaweed poles, concrete pipes and speckled giant eggs around the base all play on the same sea theme.
One point for parents is that the playground itself is unfenced, so with a toddler who bolts, stay close, even though the equipment is netted and the water is only a short walk away. The playground is also described as well shaded, with shelters and BBQs nearby.
Would we go back?
Yes, for the swings facing the water alone. If you’re building a Gold Coast day around playgrounds, check the Queensland school holiday dates before you go, since a playground this scenic fills up when school is out.
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