We’d spent the day before at Officeworks hunting for a decent office chair, then today at the Marsden Park IKEA for the same mission. No luck either time. So in the afternoon we figured we’d cut our losses and take the kids to check out the playground everyone talks about — Livvi’s Place Elara. I’ll just say it upfront: this place is so made for family days out, you’d genuinely regret skipping it.
The Playground Itself Is Full Marks
This is an all-inclusive, accessible playground, and the design is genuinely thoughtful — slides, swings, a sandpit, a water play area, climbing structures, pretty much everything you could ask for. It backs onto wide open grass too, perfect for letting the kids run wild.
Eat, Shop, Play — All in One Spot
Right across the road is Elara Village Shopping Centre, so once the kids are worn out you can just walk across and refuel. There’s a Coles, Thai food, sushi, and a bubble tea place.
The Community Vibe Is Great Too
Right next to the shopping centre there’s also a Neighbourhood Community Centre and a genuinely lovely little library. The reading area is set up like something out of a fairytale, with a cosy reading corner and a kids’ activity area. Great for a wander after lunch — settles everyone down and sneaks in some learning time too.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
This leans more toward older kids. If yours loves a scooter, don’t skip it — there’s a full scooter track complete with its own traffic lights. Parking right at the playground is limited, but you can park at the shopping centre across the road instead. The water park was closed for maintenance on the day we went — with the weather cooling off, it’s probably not getting much use for a while anyway.
Because the whole playground is fenced, you don’t need to worry about anyone wandering toward the road — it’s safe, and it doubles as a bit of a road-rules lesson, with little traffic lights, give-way and roundabout signs, even a mini petrol station dotted around. Genuinely a great spot for kids on wiggle cars, scooters, or little bikes.
There’s a water play fountain too, which is pure joy if your kid loves water. Plenty of other equipment besides, suited to a real range of ages. The one downside is there’s not a lot of shade, so sun protection for both kids and adults is a must.
There are toilets on site, shaded seating, and the space is set up well enough that you could run a birthday party here.
If you’re making a day of it further into Sydney, we’ve also reviewed Coogee Pavilion’s kids’ play area — a completely different vibe, restaurant-attached rather than open park. Or browse our full things-to-do directory for more around NSW.
Livvi’s Place Elara, Marsden Park NSW 2765 (easy to find with a quick Google search — it’s right opposite Elara Village Shopping Centre)
Free parking beside the park