Carss Bush Park

Today’s outing was to Carss Bush Park, located in the Southern Sydney Kogarah Bay area.

Carss Bush Park

Carss Bush Park is the kind of place that you probably wouldn’t know about unless somebody told you. It’s hidden away at the back of the suburb Carss Park. I don’t know how easy it would be to reach by public transport, but it’s not close to any train station. There did appear to be bus stops close by, but I would say travel by car is your best option.

Hannah and I hopped in the car early and headed down. We found a park without too much trouble, although the most convenient carpark was already close to full, even at 9.00 in the morning.

 

Walk By The Bay – Carss Bush Park

I unloaded the stroller and strapped Hannah in. We went for a quick walk before playing, so that I could enjoy the scenery a bit and take some photos. I knew that after the excitement of a good playground, Hannah wouldn’t have a bar of riding quietly in the stroller.

We walked down past the pool and along the foreshore. Along the way we stopped to take a couple of photos of the beautiful Kogarah Bay, and to talk to some locals. Several people were out walking their dogs and this provided an endless source of fascination for Hannah, who loves all things animal.

As we rounded the headland, on top of which sits an impressive historic house, the baths and playground came into view. What a place!

This really is a paradise for family fun – a netted beach, expansive grassed areas for playing, an amazing playground, a classy café, a small bushland to explore and decent facilities all combine to make it a very attractive spot.

Hannah, who had been approaching boredom as I walked around the foreshore, quickly perked up at the sight of play equipment. We headed straight for the fully enclosed toddler section and got straight to business.

 

The Toddler Playground – Carss Bush Park

Hannah started with the pirate ship. A small, climbable structure with platforms to stand on and a tunnel through the middle. She walked around that for a while before spotting the slide.

A good slide is Hannah Nirvana. She had the whole area to herself for a while, and so she was free to climb and slide as she pleased. And so she did. Many, many times. Forwards, backwards, sideways. She experimented with something slightly different each time she slid.

A tiny swing and some little-person seating rounded out the offerings in the toddler section.

 

Ample Activities for Older Kids – Carss Bush Park

The rest of the play area offers activities for kids of all ages. There are vast areas of climbing ropes, slides, swings merry-go-rounds, a flying fox and a sand pit. As it was school holidays, all of these areas were teeming with activity.

Most of the playground is very new and well-kept. I spotted a council worker making regular sweeps of the area. He appeared particularly intent on keeping the sandpit pristine – something I greatly appreciated as a nervous father. The toddler playground is a bit older and less well-kept. Hannah came out fairly dirt-encrusted, despite only playing on the soft fall. This was no great issue for me – dirt washes off and she had fun! Besides, she became far dirtier after giving the older-kids equipment a go. She loves the wood chips!

 

The bike track and bush area looked very appealing for exploration by older kids. I imagine it is a place that we will visit regularly as Hannah grows. There is certainly enough there to keep her entertained as she gets older.

 

Other Facilities – Carss Bush Park

The café is a classy joint that offers great-looking food, albeit at a price. Families looking to save a bit of cash should take advantage of the barbeque facilities on offer and the ample picnic space.

The toilet facilities are the usual council/beachside affair. Useable and reasonably clean, but not a very comfortable space. I couldn’t see any baby changing facilities, but then again I didn’t look very hard as I didn’t need them.

 

Getting There – Carss Bush Park

As I said above, busses do seem to go to Carss Bush Park, but you will probably find the car to be the best transport option. There is a fair amount of parking available, some of it easier to access with a pram than other parts. I can imagine that it gets hard to find a spot during peak times.

Final Thoughts – Carss Bush Park

We spent a couple of hours at the park and Hannah was still keen to stay when we left. However, 5 minutes into the drive home she was fast asleep, so I’d say she was pretty well played out! It is a fantastic space that offers plenty to families with kids of all ages. Definitely worth a few hours, or a whole-day picnic with friends.