Skinners Adventure Playground South Melbourne

Took my 7 and 5 yo kids here and they absolutely loved it. It doesn't have any element of danger that I find in a lot of playgrounds. Very shady and clean. It was a great experience for all of us because it was so different to any park we had been to before.

What an amazing place. My children adored it. There were so many things to do, explore and discover. They even had an art and craft studio and the staff allowed my kids to do some artwork while my boys went off and played basketball with another worker. If you are looking for a quality free afternoon in Melbourne, this playground is easily one of the best you'll find.

We will be back again and again.

Discovered this absolute gem on the weekend. What a beautiful place where kids can truly be kids. It was artistic, adventurous and peaceful. There was an art class going on for local children (it was explained that the playground is funded for disadvantaged local children - there should be more of it) but there was so much to do it didn't matter.

My eldest played basketball with other children and a staff member, my youngest found herself a cubby house and opened a shop selling pieces of bark and assorted pots and pans, and my middle child busied himself constructing God-knows-what out of bits of wood and nuts and bolts that were there for everyone to use! What a unique experience!

There's a sand pit, a trampoline, a giant swing - I was amazed that this place was not packed to bursting point! It took a bit of an explanation from a friendly staff member to inform me that the playground is there for local disadvantaged children, and whilst they are open to the public, their priority remains on this group of children. Beautiful concept.

They even promote healthy lifestyles - no junk food allowed in the playground. How cool is that!

Easily the best afternoon out we have had as a family in ages. Admission is free, but we gave a donation of twenty dollars because if you placed a dollar amount on the day, it was a tiny donation compared to what we got out of it.

Highly recommended, but please be aware that the staff are dealing with a lot of children who need them more than we did/do.

Skinners rocks!

Thanks to all who have commented about our service thus far. Please read below for more information pertaining to the service.

Skinners is federally funded as a backyard for children in the local public housing estates who do not have access to a backyard of their own. The playground is also supported by the City of Port Phillip. Skinners is a safe, supervised playspace for these school-aged children. While we do provide art classes, sport, music and other activities, these programs are specifically targeted at children from public housing. As a result, these programs are not offered to the general public and those casually visiting the playground.

We ask that you consider the children who need this service, and their needs when visiting Skinners. Staff are there to support our target group and their families, and whilst the general public is welcome at the playground, we ask that parents/guardians understand the nature of the service and the roles of the workers.

Skinners is occasionally closed to the general public due to outings or events with local families. These happen on a regular basis, and it is advised that you call ahead to ensure the playground is open before attending.

No junk food is permitted within Skinners. No smoking or alcohol either. Skinners attempts to promote a healthy lifestyle.

No group bookings are taken whatsoever. This means casual birthday parties, large family gatherings, community groups, etc. This is to ensure that the focus of the playground remains on local children. If large groups attend the playground, they will be asked to leave.

If you would like more information on the playground, please do not hesitate to call on the number listed above.

Skinners Management.

My family and I stumbled upon Skinners after taking in some hot chocolate at Max Brenner on Clarendon street and what started as a five minute stopover turned into a whole afternoon. What a beautiful, welcoming, friendly place with equipment you dont find anywhere else.

It is tucked in behind some housing commission flats and a little tough to find (maybe by design after reading some comments here) but definitely worth the effort for the imaginative kids who know how to make their own fun. Great forts that might look a little rough around the edges but are really quite intricate. One has a a series of little ins and outs and strange little doors underneath it. My kids loved it. Great place to play chasey even if it does tire mums out!

Kids loved the trampoline and the massive tyre swing and joining in a big soccer game with a lot of the local kids (who are also delightfully rough around the edges) was an absolute highlight. We had an amazing time and are very appreciative of the time staff spent with us and our kids, particularly after reading further here about the purpose of the playground. Great job by the way to the staff who were able to facilitate a great play experience for all on the day without it being at all awkward at any stage eventhough some of the children involved in the soccer game were seemingly

It's a very interesting space with lots of things for the children to climb, slide & swing. There is also a trampoline, a few chickens in a coop & art work everywhere. It is a bit faded but, it is still amazing for children to play in. Lots of tree coverage too. It's a place their imaginations can run as wild as they can! I took some photos but, they won't seem to load to the page.

This playground wasn't open on Australia Day. Very disappointed as we drove all the way across town to visit :(