Natural areas are at the heart of life in Clarence — places to play, relax, connect and enjoy the outdoors. This includes our parks and playgrounds, coastal areas and bushland reserves.

Find your local park
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Our Playgrounds and Parks

We’re proud to look after 68 public playgrounds of all sizes across Clarence — including childcare play spaces, outdoor exercise areas, skate parks and a seniors’ exercise area. Across these sites we maintain and renew more than 330 pieces of play and exercise equipment.

Each year, our teams carry out regular maintenance, safety checks and a full annual audit to plan and prioritise upgrades. Most play equipment lasts around 20 years before it’s due for renewal, and we have an ongoing program to keep our play spaces safe, inclusive and fun.

In April 2023, Council adopted the Inclusive Play Policy which ensures all our play spaces are designed, constructed, upgraded or renewed with an inclusive and universal design approach.

Playground Renewals 2025–2026

These playgrounds are scheduled for renewal as equipment reaches the end of its life (subject to change if urgent works arise):

  • Opossum Bay Park, Opossum Bay – Combination unit (see project engagement)
  • Simmons Park, Lindisfarne – Liberty swing replacement (see project engagement)
  • Blessington Street Park, South Arm – Renewal of all equipment, combining play areas into one larger space, with minor landscaping and path upgrades.
  • Malunna Park, Lindisfarne – Renewal of all equipment.
  • Mortyn Park, Howrah – Replacement of double swing frame and swing rocker.
  • Vela Park, Howrah – Renewal of all equipment.

Monitor renewal updates on the works page.

Upcoming Projects 2025–2026

  • Bayview Park and Playground – Full renewal of play equipment plus park upgrades, including a new picnic shelter, barbecues, footpaths, carpark and landscaping. A new public toilet block will open November 2025. Visit the Bayview Park community engagement.

Recent Renewals 2024–2025

  • Richmond Village Green, Richmond – New slide tower
  • Poplar Park, Risdon Vale – New swing frame and seats
  • Wentworth Park (toddlers area) – New swing frame and rocker
  • Opossum Bay Park – New swing frame, see-saw rocker and spinner

Our Natural Spaces

From the Meehan Range and hilltop bushland reserves to our beaches, rivulets and coastal trails, Clarence is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes. These areas support diverse habitats — forests, bushland, wetlands and coastal environments — and are home to a wide range of native plants and animals.

Many of these spaces are right on our doorstep, with easy access through walking tracks, trails and foreshore paths. They not only provide places to explore and unwind but also help our city stay healthy and resilient as the climate changes.

Work in these areas is guided by our Natural Areas Strategy and our Reserve Activity Plans (RAPS).

Reserve Activity Plans

We’re continually developing, implementing and reviewing our Reserve Activity Plans (RAPS). We have more than 27 plans covering the future management of our bushland and coastal reserves.

Since 2012 we’ve developed and partially implemented a variety of RAPS that prioritise our works programs. Every year Council invests significant funding to implement activity programs from the RAPs and also provides grants to Landcare or Coastcare groups to implement activities listed in their local RAP.

The development of these RAPs was based on extensive community consultation program which included two separate letters with response sheets to all local residents, advertisements in the Eastern Shore Sun, and informative Reserve Report Cards. The aim was to encourage strong ownership in the development, and foster enthusiasm towards carrying out implementation of the plans.

View the Reserve Activity Plans

Iconic Parks Master Plans

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