Wadanggari Park

We discovered Wadanggari Park in St Leonards while visiting the nearby medical precinct and have been returning regularly ever since — it has become one of our go-to playgrounds on the Lower North Shore. This is Australia's first adventure playground built on a bridge over a railway line, a striking piece of urban engineering that creates 4,750 square metres of elevated open space directly opposite St Leonards train station. That proximity makes it arguably the most public-transport-accessible destination playground in all of Sydney.

The construction story is remarkable. Thirty-one precast Super-T girders weighing 60 tonnes each were lifted into place from the Pacific Highway using one of the largest cranes in the world, which had to be booked a full 12 months in advance. The result is a 3,000-square-metre connected bridge that you would never guess was suspended above an active railway line once you are up there playing. The name "Wadanggari" means banksia in the Cammeraygal language, and the entire play space was designed by Arcadia Landscape Architecture to represent the life stages of the iconic native banksia flower — a beautiful design concept that won a Gold Award at the Sydney Design Awards in 2024.

The playground features twin tunnel slides at either end of the park that our children raced between repeatedly, trying to beat each other's times. Climbing towers with observation decks provide height and panoramic views across the Lower North Shore skyline, while net towers offer scrambling challenges for primary-school-aged children who love to climb. Pod climbers, steppers, balance elements, bridges connecting different levels, and textured play logs create a varied circuit of physical challenges spread across the space. Viewing decks overlooking the railway below are a huge hit with train-enthusiast children — watching trains pass underneath through specially designed viewing panels adds a novelty factor that no other Sydney playground can match. For the youngest visitors, infant pods with gentle mini slides provide age-appropriate play options at ground level.

The elevated setting provides interesting urban views and a sense of openness unusual for a playground in such a dense area. The park includes a grassed performance area suitable for community events, landscaped gardens with native plantings including banksias and other local species, and an array of comfortable seating for parents and carers positioned at strategic vantage points throughout the space. It feels like a genuine community hub rather than just a playground, with families, workers on lunch breaks, and elderly residents all sharing the space harmoniously.

The playground is not fenced — it has an open design that flows naturally into the surrounding elevated parkland. The elevated position means there are railings and barriers at the edges for safety, but active supervision is still recommended for younger children around the play structures. Pram and wheelchair access is excellent throughout, with a lift providing direct access from street level up to the elevated park via the upgraded Pacific Highway pedestrian underpass, which features improved lighting and safety measures.

Free two-hour parking is available in the 300-space Mall 88 basement car park, accessible via Christie Lane and Lithgow Street — incredibly convenient and rarely full during typical playground visiting hours. Mall 88 is directly adjacent and seamlessly connected to the park, offering cafes including Cafe by Kai, sushi restaurants, noodle bars, chargrill chicken, and other casual dining options that make it effortless to combine a playground visit with lunch or a snack. The new St Leonards Library is also accessible from the same precinct, and public toilets are provided on site within the park.

Wadanggari Park is particularly well suited to before or after-appointment visits given its proximity to Royal North Shore Hospital and the surrounding medical specialist rooms. Many families discover it while visiting the area for appointments and return specifically for the playground. It is open daily, free to enter, and the combination of quality equipment, train-watching novelty, excellent transport access, and adjacent dining makes it one of the most unique and convenient destination playgrounds on the Lower North Shore.