Looking for a shaded playground around Sydney’s North Shore? On those hot summer days, kids still want to play, but you don’t want to fry. Discover our pick of the best shaded playgrounds, underneath beautiful natural trees or decent shaded shelters!
It’s always great to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine on a warm day, but you want to make sure you and the kids are protected, too. Shaded playgrounds offer the best of both worlds, allowing kids to play and make the most of the gorgeous weather, without having to worry about reapplying sunscreen every 30 minutes. It makes for the perfect free trip out.
We’ve sorted them by LGA (Local Government Area) to make it easy to find the best shaded playgrounds near you.… or venture further afield and try somewhere new!
North Sydney LGA
- Bradfield Park, Milsons Point
- Kesterton Park, North Sydney
- Tunks Playground, Cammeray
Mosman LGA
- Memory Park, Mosman
Willoughby LGA
- Hammond Playground at Beauchamp Park, Chatswood
- Newlands Park, St Leonards
- Willoughby Park, Willoughby
Lane Cove LGA
- Stringybark Reserve, Lane Cove
Ku-ring-gai LGA
- Cameron Park, Turramurra
- Putarri Reserve, St Ives
- St Ives Village Green Playground, St Ives
- Wahroonga Park, Wahroonga
Hornsby Shire
- Asquith Park Playground, Asquith
- Waitara Park, Waitara
- Warrina Street Oval Playground, Berowra
Best shaded playgrounds on Sydney’s Lower North Shore
Bradfield Park, Milsons Point
This is a spectacular spot for a playground! It’s located beneath the northern pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge and has incredible views across the harbour. It is naturally shady by two mature fig trees, fully fenced, right by Milsons Point station and close to lots of cafes. What more could you want?
- Address: 41 Alfred St South, Milsons Point
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities:Picnic tables & benches, picnic tables, shelter, water fountains
This playground itself had a modern makeover a few years ago (which you can read about here) and features a huge range of exciting equipment, all covered in plenty of shade offered by the surrounding trees. The new playground features a custom-designed climb and slide structure for daring little monkeys, a multi-person spinning pyramid to test balance and improve co-ordination, and a massive triple-bay swing set with a ‘parent and child’ swing so you can be close to your little ones, an accessible swing for the differently-abled, and basket swings.
- Address:High St, North Sydney
- Parking:Limited on-street parking on surrounding streets.
- Facilities:Picnic tables, water fountain, covered shelter, fully-fenced playground, toilets
Memory Park, Mosman
Climbing challenges
There’s plenty of natural shade offered up by the surrounding trees, along with a big shade cloth stretching over the equipment. The crowning jewel of the new equipment is a seven-storey high climbing tower with three slides, a climbing ropes course, monkey bars and anything else an energetic kid might need to tire themselves out. Read our review of Memory Park, Mosman here.
- Address: Lot 1, Cowles Road, Mosman
- Parking: Timed car park
- Facilities: Fully fenced, benches, picnic table
Newlands Park, St Leonards
You’re guaranteed shade with a trip to this amazing park. There’s a huge shade cloth right over the equipment, with plenty of trees surrounding the area that make perfect picnic spots. The highlight of this park is the giant toboggan-style slide that kids will absolutely love shooting down.
- Address: Cnr Duntron Ave & Canberra Ave, St Leonards
- Parking: Plenty of street parking
- Facilities: Picnic tables, Benches, Play area, BBQ, Off-leash dog area
Stringybark Reserve, Lane Cove
Positioned at the start of the Stringy Creek bushwalks, there are picnic tables and play equipment under towering trees. You’ll find a climbing net, tunnel, slides and more, for the kids to have a great sheltered play. A great spot to stop for lunch before a walk (there are plenty to choose from). You can read our Stringybark Creek Reserve review here.
- Address: Murray St, Lane Cove
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities: picnic tables, bushwalks nearby, cricket pitch, tennis wall, basketball hoop
Willoughby Park, Willoughby
Bursting with equipment including 6m high climbing nets, double slides, balance beams, plus a loop bike track, this shady park with keep kids occupied for hours. Kids can zoom around on the bike path, or venture outside the fence to find even more equipment for the bigger kids. You’ll find plenty of natural shade at this park offered by all the trees surrounding it.
- Address: McClelland St, Willoughby East
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities: Picnic tables & benches, gazebo for shade, children’s bike track (complete with traffic signs), public toilets
Tunks Playground, Cammeray
There’s so much natural shade offered at this playground with all the surrounded trees. This playground has something for kids of all ages with this giant tunnel slide (pictured), a climbing frame and a spinning frame on one side, and a toddler area complete with swings just next to it. You can read more with our review.
- Address: Tunks Park, Brothers Avenue, Cammeray
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities: Picnic tables & benches, toilets, off-leash dog area nearby, cafe
Hammond Playground at Beauchamp Park, Chatswood
If it’s natural shade you’re after, you can’t look past Hammond Playground. Conveniently located in the heart of Chatswood, this grogeous natural space is complete with lots of rocks to climb, trees to run around and sit under on hot days and wooden balance beams to crawl and climb over. Read our review of Hammond Playground here.
- Address: Beauchamp Ave, Chatswood
- Parking: Free 2-hour parking
- Facilities: Public toilets within the park, BBQ facilities, benches, picnic tables
Best shaded playgrounds on Sydney’s Upper North Shore
St Ives Village Green Playground
Elliot in the spinning cup with the seesaw on the other side
The new St Ives Village Playground next to St Ives Shopping Centre comes with plenty of shade! You will find three huge shade cloths that cover most of the equipment, with sheltered seats around, so you can sit in the shade too while watching the kids play. There’s a great twisty slide, swings, monkey bars and more for a fun-filled day out. You can read our St Ives Village Green Playground review.
- Address: St Ives Village Green
- Parking: Car park at shops
- Facilities: Picnic tables & benches, fully-fenced, toilets, skate park
Cameron Park, Turramurra
Cameron Park
Cameron Park is the perfect place to bring the little ones to burn off some energy, there is a swing set with a baby seat, a shop, a rocket ship, a slide that’s four steps high, a spinning bucket you sit in, mini-swing and a truck. The truck is an all-time favourite and it’s a magnet for all the kids. The trees surrounding the playground provides plenty of shade during the warmer months. In the autumn, there is nothing more fun than running through all those fallen leaves! By winter, the trees are bare allowing the warm winter sun to shine through. Check out our Cameron Park review here.
- Address: Corner Eastern Road and Gilroy Road, Turramurra
- Parking: Free on-street parking
- Facilities: Picnic tables & benches, fully-fenced, toilets, skate park
Putarri Reserve, St Ives
This park has plenty of shade in the form of trees, undercover picnic areas and shade cloths over the equipment. It’s the perfect place to set up a picnic for the day (right in the middle of everything) and let the kids run. There’s a bike track, swings, climbing, slides and more. You can read our Putarri Park review.
- Address: 30 Putarri Ave, St Ives
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities: Picnic tables & benches, children’s bike track, fully-fenced
Wahroonga Park
A popular spot for families with kids of all ages, Wahroonga Park has a huge shaded area with plenty of play equipment, but most importantly, it’s close to cafes where you can buy a much-needed coffee. Wahroonga Park offers something for all ages, with the train toy on one side, and climbing frames for older kids on the other. There’s even a flying fox. You can leave the fenced area and enjoy a shaded picnic under one of the many huge trees in the park. Read our review on Wahroonga Park.
- Address: Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga
- Parking: Street parking available
- Facilities: fully-fenced, toilets, cafes nearby
