Wulaba Park

We visited Wulaba Park in Waterloo on a Saturday morning and our kids were genuinely awestruck the moment they spotted the towering three-storey enclosed super slide rising above the playground. This award-winning 4,000-square-metre adventure playground in the heart of the Green Square precinct is unlike anything else in Sydney's inner south — bold, colourful, and designed to spark imagination at every turn.

The centrepiece slide is reached via climbing towers with multiple routes of varying difficulty, connected by observation decks where children can pause and survey the playground below. The slide itself delivers real speed and genuine excitement — our five-year-old wanted to ride it over and over, and even the adults were tempted. Surrounding the towers, climbing nets stretch between structures at different heights, creating aerial pathways that challenge balance and coordination as children traverse between play elements. A communal net swing fits four or five children at once and was an instant favourite with our group, while standard swings and toddler bucket seats sit nearby for younger visitors who are not quite ready for the bigger equipment.

At ground level, giant colourful sculptural blocks designed by Sydney artist Nuha Saad create opportunities for nature play and imaginative games — our toddler was perfectly happy building and exploring at this level while the older children conquered the towers above. The soft-fall surfaces throughout feature vibrant kaleidoscope-patterned pavements and disc inlays made from Rosehill TPV rubber wetpour, so the ground itself becomes part of the visual experience. Adjoining the main playground, a handball court and two table tennis tables give older children and teenagers their own dedicated space to play, which is a thoughtful addition that extends the useful age range well beyond the typical playground visit.

The playground is not fully fenced, though it sits within quiet shared-zone streets in the Green Square development with a strict 10-kilometre-per-hour speed limit enforced throughout the precinct. Active supervision is needed for younger children, but the low-traffic surroundings are far less concerning than a playground beside a busy main road. Sightlines are generally good from the seating areas and benches positioned around the perimeter, and multiple vantage points allow parents to track children across the different play zones.

Shade is limited over the main climbing structures during the middle of the day, so we would strongly recommend morning visits during the warmer summer months. Some of the lower play areas benefit from maturing tree cover that will only improve over the coming years as the plantings grow. Self-cleaning public toilets with a baby change table are conveniently located on site, and four free barbecues with sheltered picnic settings make this an excellent spot for a family birthday party or weekend gathering.

For coffee, the Treetop Cafe on the corner of O'Dea Avenue and Hatbox Place is a short walk away and is popular with local families grabbing a flat white before or after their playground visit. The East Village Shopping Centre is roughly five minutes on foot, offering supermarkets, restaurants, fast food, and additional cafes for a more substantial meal. If you are driving, street parking is available in surrounding residential streets — there is no dedicated car park, which is the main downside for families travelling from further afield. The Supa Centre car park nearby offers free all-day parking as a reliable alternative. By public transport, Green Square Station on the T8 Airport and South line is approximately a 10-minute walk, making this one of the more train-accessible destination playgrounds in Sydney.

Wulaba Park is best suited to children aged 4 to 12 who enjoy climbing and physical challenges. The main slide tower requires strength and coordination that may be beyond most toddlers, though the ground-level sculptural blocks and toddler swings provide solid options for younger visitors. The name "Wulaba" means rock wallaby in the Gadigal language, reflecting the park's deep connection to the local Indigenous heritage of the area — rock wallabies were once a regular sight around Waterloo. The collaboration between artist Nuha Saad and landscape architects Sturt Noble Associates has produced a playground that is as much a striking public art installation as it is a play space, and it remains one of the most visually remarkable playgrounds anywhere in Sydney.