Best playgrounds in Maroubra
Coral Sea Park is the Maroubra playground to start with, because it's an inclusive play space with a fence, shade, toilets, BBQs and free parking. Nearly every playground here is fenced, so choose by what surrounds the play area: the beach, a climbing fort, a walk track and gym for adults, or baby swings on softfall.
Quick picks
- All abilities: Coral Sea Park's playground became an inclusive play space in its 2022 upgrade.
- Beach day: Arthur Byrne Reserve has two ship play structures, with the sand a few steps from the grass.
- Mixed ages: Nagle Park puts a rock climbing set and monkey bars beside spring toys and a swing set.
- Babies and toddlers: Quarry Reserve has baby swings, a stand-on spinner and softfall underfoot.
Coral Sea Park for inclusive play and a whole family day
- Fully fenced
- Shade
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
- Accessible play
Coral Sea Park suits the widest range of kids in Maroubra, since its large playground was rebuilt in 2022 as an inclusive play space for children of different abilities. The play area is fenced and has a shade structure, plus seats, a drinking fountain and bike racks for the ride over. Toilets, BBQs and picnic areas are in the park, and the free car park is on site, so a long stay is easy. Organised matches and training fill the sports fields at times.
Best for: Kids of all abilities, and a whole family day
Arthur Byrne Reserve for ship play beside the beach
- Fully fenced
- Shade
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
Arthur Byrne Reserve is the playground for a beach day, built around a nautical theme with two large ship play structures at 3R Marine Parade. It's fenced, with shade structures overhead, and the grass leads straight onto Maroubra Beach. Barbecues and picnic shelters make lunch simple, public toilets line the promenade, and the surf lifesaving club house has showers and change rooms for sandy kids. The car park fills on weekends and at peak times, so arrive early. Older kids can try the Maroubra Skate Park in the same reserve.
Best for: Beach days, ship-loving kids and a picnic on the grass
Heffron Park for a climbing fort and covered picnic tables
- Fully fenced
- Shade
- Toilets
- Parking
Heffron Park suits kids who love to climb, with a climbing fort, monkey bars and swings in a fenced, partly shaded playground on Robey Street. Covered picnic tables and public toilets stand right beside it, and there's street and off-street parking close by. At 46.19 ha it's far larger than the other parks here, with Heffron Pedal Park and an outdoor criterium track for cycling in the same grounds. On Saturdays, Randwick Netball draws more than 10,000 people, so parking gets tight.
Best for: Kids who love to climb, and families who cycle
Snape Park for toddlers, with a walk track and gym for adults
- Fully fenced
- Shade
- Toilets
- Parking
Snape Park is the one for a toddler outing with some exercise for you as well: its fenced playground suits toddlers and younger children, and the same park has a 6-minute walk track with distance markings and a free outdoor gym for anyone over 14. The playground sits in the south-western corner, where Percival and Storey Streets meet, under a shade structure with softfall below. Toilets, water bubblers and a large free car park are on hand.
Best for: Toddlers, and parents who want a walk or a workout too
Nagle Park for siblings of different ages
- Fully fenced
- Toilets
Nagle Park works for a toddler and an older sibling together, because its fenced playground mixes spring toys and a swing set with a slippery dip, a rock climbing set and monkey bars. Public toilets are in the park, and the kiosk and change rooms open at match times. Cricket and rugby matches run on the lit fields, evening games included.
Best for: A toddler and an older sibling together
Quarry Reserve for babies and toddlers on softfall
- Fully fenced
- Shade
Quarry Reserve is built for the youngest, with baby and senior swings, a spinner they can stand on and a slide-and-pole play unit inside a small fence, all over softfall. A sail shades part of the play area. Outside the fence, a bike track and a shared path cross the reserve, and the large lawn has room for a ball or a kite, with picnic tables and park seats for a snack. Look out for pesticide signs and keep small children away from treated areas.
Best for: Babies and toddlers, and a kite on the lawn afterwards
How the playgrounds compare
By area
Every playground in and near Maroubra
Every playground in Maroubra has a row below for fencing, shade, toilets, BBQs and parking, and the closest playgrounds in neighbouring suburbs come last.
| Park | Fenced | Shade | Toilets | BBQ | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Coral Sea Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Arthur Byrne Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Heffron Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 4.Snape Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 5.Nagle Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | – |
| 6.Quarry Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 7.Muraborah Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 8.South Maroubra Village Green | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 9.Benvenue Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 10.Ocean View Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 11.Hereward Reserve | – | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 12.Walter Williamson Park | – | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Maroubra | |||||
| Munda Street Reserve · Randwick | – | – | ✓ | – | – |
| Rabaul Reserve · Matraville | – | – | – | – | – |
| Popplewell Park · South Coogee | – | – | – | – | – |
| Finucane Reserve · Matraville | – | – | – | – | – |
How we picked
A fence scored highest, then shade and toilets, then BBQs, parking, inclusive equipment, water play and a park of at least a hectare. Because most Maroubra playgrounds are fenced and shaded, toilets, BBQs and parking ended up setting the order. Playgrounds with fewer known details, such as Walter Williamson Park, sit in the table without a section. A dash marks a detail that isn't known, and it never pulls a park down.
Questions about playgrounds in Maroubra
Is there a fenced playground in Maroubra?
Yes, most Maroubra playgrounds are fenced, including Coral Sea Park, Arthur Byrne Reserve, Heffron Park and Snape Park. Ocean View Reserve on Broome Street is a small fenced one with a climbing rota-net.
Which Maroubra playground has tree shade?
Hereward Reserve is the Maroubra playground under trees, with established trees shading the play space and the seats. Its large climbing frame, swings and jungle gym sit on soft-fall flooring.
Where can kids ride scooters at a Maroubra playground?
Walter Williamson Park on Cooper Street is the Maroubra choice for scooters, since a junior bike track loops around the play equipment. Muraborah Reserve also has a kids' bike path, and it's roughly 150 metres from the beach.
Can I bring the dog when the kids go to a Maroubra playground?
Dogs are kept out of Maroubra's playgrounds, and at several, such as Snape Park and Quarry Reserve, they must stay at least 10 metres away. Coral Sea Park and Muraborah Reserve both have off-leash areas outside their fenced playgrounds, so the dog can still come along.