Latest update – March 2026

New playground coming to Balwyn

A new playground built for climbing adventures is coming to Mont Albert Park in Balwyn.

Thanks to the ideas and feedback shared by our community during consultation – read more about the feedback.

The upgraded space will encourage movement, imagination and inclusive experiences, with a new ‘funky monkey’ agility trail – it’s the first of its kind in Boroondara! Construction is planned for next financial year, with updates to come once timelines are confirmed.

Here's the final design

You can view features by selecting the hotspots on the map below:

An aerial map showing the draft design for the new playground

The upgraded space will encourage movement, imagination and inclusive experiences for children of all ages and abilities. New features will include:

  • a new ‘funky monkey’ agility area – a gymnastics‑style play area that supports balance and coordination
  • an arch climber with ladders, nets and rock-climbing elements
  • 2 swing sets
  • a car rocker
  • a cafe play area with wheelchair access
  • rubber surfacing to improve accessibility.

Some park furniture will be upgraded, including:

  • 2 new picnic settings (one with a chessboard)
  • 2 new seats in the playground and one relocated park seat closer to the playground.

Some ideas suggested for the new playground are not included in the design, including:

  • Fencing
  • Shade sails – under our Shade Policy 2017-2027 (PDF), outdoor shade sails are out of scope for local playgrounds. However, our new design features shaded areas on the play units and we plan to increase natural shade around the playground by planting 18 more trees.
  • Separate shade structures (shade sails)
  • Trampoline
  • Public toilets are usually provided at district playgrounds, which are designed for longer stays and larger numbers of visitors.
  • Water play – due to the size of the playground and maintenance requirements, this site is not able to accommodate sand play or water play.
Photos of the playground before the upgrade:

Stage 1 community consultation

In November and December 2024, we invited you to share what you love about the current playground, and what you'd like to see improved. Your feedback helped us create the draft design for the new playground.

Who we heard from

18 community members took part in the consultation. Of those who responded:

  • 69% were female
  • 93% were parents or guardians
  • 50% lived in the suburb of the playground (Balwyn).

What you wanted to see in the draft design

Many of you told us you’d like to see a wider variety of play equipment for different ages – with more fun, challenging and creative play beyond swings and slides.

In response, the new playground includes an arch climber and agility area – a first for a Boroondara playground – along with other climbing elements, cubby shops and a car rocker. These features and many others are designed to cater to both younger and older children.

The monkey bars and track glide, which were among the most popular items in the survey, have also been included in the final design.

How the consultation was promoted

  • Social media: We posted about the consultation on our Facebook and Instagram.
  • Postcards:  We distributed postcards to residents who live near the playground.
  • On-site signage:  We placed signs around the playground with a QR code for this consultation page.
  • Boroondara Bulletin: The consultation was listed in 'Have your say' in the November/December edition. The Boroondara Bulletin is our community magazine.
  • Emails:  We sent an email to everyone who has signed up for alerts about new consultations relevant to them. You can sign up for alerts at the top of this page.
  • Council e-newsletters: We promoted the consultation to thousands of community members who subscribe to the Fortnightly Feed e-newsletter.

Stage 2 community consultation

In August and September 2025, we invited you to review the draft playground design and share your thoughts. We wanted to make sure we understood your ideas from the first stage and are designing a playground that reflects what you love.

32 community members participated in this stage of the consultation.

Your feedback on the draft design
  • You loved the main play unit the most (59%), closely followed by the agility area (56%), swings (44%) and the Mont Albert café (22%).
  • 52% of you rated the playground design 4 stars or more out of 5.
  • We heard requests for more shade and fencing from the community during this stage of consultation. You’ll find an explanation in the ‘What’s not included in the draft design’ section above about why these features aren’t part of the upgrade.