Playgrounds in Berwick

Berwick gives you two quite different ways to spend a morning with the kids, and both are free. Minta Hilltop Fantasy Playground on Soho Boulevard is a purpose-built play space with King Arthur theming, a three-tiered castle climbing tower at its centre, a sandpit with mechanical diggers, tepees and slides. Wilson Botanic Park Berwick is a botanic park first, with a playground as one part of a larger outing that also takes in lake walks, a bird hide and BBQ areas.

The split comes down to your children's ages and how long you want to stay. Minta Hilltop suits imaginative kids of roughly four to twelve who will throw themselves at the castle tower; reviewers describe the climb as genuinely challenging, so it is best to let confident climbers set their own pace. Toddlers are not left out, since the sandpit diggers keep younger siblings busy while older ones tackle the main structure. Wilson Botanic Park is the one to pick for a half day with variety. The flat lakeside circuit is signposted for prams, the bird hide rewards patient visitors with binoculars, and BBQs are dotted through the park with no booking needed.

Both share the same weakness: shade. Reviews of Minta Hilltop note sun exposure on the hilltop at midday, and Wilson Botanic Park has open sections with little cover. Around Casey points out that the City of Casey has hundreds of playgrounds, so treat these two as a starting point rather than the full list.