Recently transformed from its weary state to a grassy haven in the centre of The Basin, the Basin…read moreTriangle is the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon. Opposite the small group of shops on Mountain Highway, this little park area is a favourite amongst locals and visitors wanting a place to take the kids or the dog for a good old run around. With the play equipment getting a recent overhaul, what was a pretty tired wooden structure is now a state of the art (and quite futuristic) play area surrounded by chairs and tables for parents to drink their coffee and chat whilst the kids let out their energy. With the Basin Fish & Chip shop located across the road, this often proves convenient on a nice afternoon, as the lush grass provides the perfect place to unwrap your order and eat your chips. If you're after something healthier, grab a wrap or pie from the bakery or one of the coffee shops and unwind under the trees. Also the location of the yearly Basin Music Festival, the triangle is as old the suburb itself and recent boom sin property prices in the area is sure to usher in a new age of style and demographic to The Basin.

What a great park and it just keeps getting better. So much for the kids to do and great places for…read moreadults to relax or play as well. Apart from the old steam train that the kids love to climb on, there is a multitude of other equipment for them to enjoy and wear themselves out (do they ever wear out) on. Plenty of space, plenty of grass, plenty of trees, fairly well fenced off from the traffic as well. Has to be the best park in the local area and they are adding climbing walls and a bunch of other stuff to make it even better. Locally known as the train park, close to shops, Bayswater railway station and bike paths. There is just so much to like and it is free.

The Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully is a perfect spot for an afternoon out with a young…read morefamily. There is a large playground that has been recently renovated and is brand new. It has a child safe gates and a fence around it to encourage supervision. It is a pretty popular playground and gets quite busy on sunny days. The park has two really pretty lakes complete with ducks. There are boardwalks and bridges to walk over and a nice track that meanders all around the park. To appreciate the peace and the beautiful scenery make sure to take a seat at one of the park benches scattered all around - they are perfectly placed for the best views. Although if you are coming for peace and quiet you'd be best off coming during a weekday as on weekends and school holidays there will be kids everywhere. The Knox Bicycle Track runs alongside the park making it a great picnic lunch spot if you're going on a big ride. Kids often ride their bikes around the tracks in the park and there are plenty of grass areas big enough to kick a ball around and be more active. Supervision of kids is essential around the lake as there are no barriers or anything to prevent people from falling in. Dogs are common visitors to the park and must be kept on a leash at all times. The park is really unique in that it caters to every member of the family, young and old and it really is a beautiful spot. Very popular for wedding receptions and events there is a pergola at one end that often plays host to quite a crowd. There are adequate parking spaces available as well as side street parking.

With the outer east slowly building up and attracting more and more new residents to the area, one…read moredifference we have to the west is the amount of greenery we hold dear. At the foot of the Dandenongs, between Fern Tree Gully and Boronia, sits the Tim Neville Arbouretum, a huge expanse of lakes, fountains and open space that has been a favourite for picnics, weddings and lazy Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember. As a kid we used to come here on our bikes and tear around the paved track that winds its way through, across the footbridge and past the amphitheatre, that is home to yearly Christmas Carols by Candlelight. Perfect on a warm day, there are also BBQ's to use, and plenty of rooms for a large group.

King Parade Playground has recently been re-vamped and all the equipment is brand new. It is a…read moremodest playground but it has plenty of grassy areas surrounding it and is great for kicking a ball around or any game requiring serious room. It borders both King Parade and Norma Crescent South in Knoxfield, as it is located on empty blocks of land on a suburban street. It also acts as a useful cut through between these streets- well, for me anyway. Small green plants and large rocks line the footpath on either end of the park - kids seem to enjoy jumping from rock to rock. I have never seen the park particularly busy which is always a nice thing - it means you don't ever really have to wait for someone else to finish with a piece of equipment. It has two swings - one baby and one adult size. There are also two wooden park benches to sit on that face the playground. These are perfectly placed for any adults supervising their kids. When it rains the park gets really muddy and slushy. You will get mud splashes on your clothes if you walk across it when it is like this, so if you're using it as a cut through only I would definitely avoid using it on wet days. Otherwise it is a pretty good playground and park. I happily recommend it.

We've been to a few play centers now and this one is by far our favorite…read more Great staff, very friendly and welcoming, huge toddler area with secure fencing and plenty of toys, jumping castle, and lots of slides.

From the owner: Slides Playcentre and Cafe is Knoxfield's exciting family play centre, home to Australia's Highest…read moreIndoor 3 Lane Slide that towers 8 metres high! There is fun for the entire family on offer at our venue, which is perfect for birthdays, fundraising nights, sporting club celebrations, school groups, reunions, or just a fun family day out.

The Blossom Grove Playground in Knoxfield is a real gem. This is because it is a little known…read moreplace that is shared by the residents of Lakewood Estate. As a result, it is rarely busy. The playground itself has two swings, a slide, a tunnel, a platform, a mini house and two springy things for young kids. This is all on a tanbark area with logs making a frame around it. There is also a large grassy area with a wooden bench. This is a great spot for parents to chill out and supervise their kids burning off all their excess energy during school holidays. The grass area is also popular for letting dogs off their lead and letting them run around- technically not allowed by council but people do it anyway. There is a long row of tall pine trees that follow a path leading to Burwood Highway. Kids often play hide and seek and forty-forty along here - I have to admit, the area is perfect for it. So don't get surprised if you look up and see a face staring back at you!

This is a wonderful and quaint park that has so much to offer. In the main area, there is the…read more'jells park tea house', a lovely little café where you can sit and enjoy the surroundings. There is a large wooden playground for kids, plenty of trails and routes to accommodate for the frequent runners and bikers, ovals and barbecues (these run high in demand on sunny weekends). Jells park isn't crowded or overpopulated, but there are enough people around to give it a sense of a community. The park is more of a wetlands/bush land style park compared to a botanical type. I love coming here as it has a vibe of happiness to it, there are always children running around, couples biking and dog walkers. Jells Park is very large and you probably could get lost in it (but if you just follow any path it'll take you back out). If you're in the local area, pop down for a bbq and enjoy.

Jells Park is an extremely popular place to go of a weekend. It offers plenty of natural bushland,…read moreover nine kilometres of tracks and paths, a couple of playgrounds, and heaps of space for you to have picnics or kick the footy with the kids. There's fishing on the side of the lake that is outside of the conservation area, but I hope you like carp! There's the occasional redfin, but they seem like the exception and not the rule, particularly if your experience is anything like mine. The barbecue facilities are pretty good, if sometimes quite busy. In some spots, you'll find free electric barbecues, in others, you'll find wood-burning barbecues. Wood is usually provided, which is a plus. Just remember to take out everything you take in. No rubbish should ever be left there.

Talaskia Reserve is located inbetween Angliss Hospital and a primary school. It is quite a popular…read morespot and the little playground is often quite busy. There is a footy oval complete with goals and a fence all the way around. There is ample room around most of for spectators or for kids to run around. The fence nearest the car park has rocks right up to the fence so you can't watch from there. The car park is quite large, however often parents use it when they are picking up their kids from school and it can get quite busy around those times. If it gets full there is hospital parking just across the road as well as street parking. There are also a few tennis courts alongside the playground and a few tennis clubs operate here. They are red dirt courts, which I hate because I have white runners and they always get dirty. My favourite part about the reserve is the little ducky ride in the playground. It is a giant springy toy in the ground that rocks back and forth but it is super cute and the kids love it.

A lovely little local playground with swings, slide, see-saw, climbing castle and spinning pole set…read moreamongst a few trees. Has limited shade and is next to the railway line which is a shame but kids love it and you can relax when your not pushing them on the swing on the bench seat. Any more than 6 children would be too crowded here.

Lewis Park is ginormous. It has:…read more - Not one, but TWO football fields complete with goals - Public toilets - A skate bowl - A couple of skate ramps - Cricket nets - A clubhouse - A playground - A bike track Yup - this place is big enough to house all of that plus the teams and their families who converge here come the weekend. The ovals host cricket and footy games and the clubhouse is where all the magical tactics are discussed. There is also plenty of room around the outside of the oval for families to sit and non-playing kids to run around. It is a great family hang out. Lots of people come here to let their dogs off the lead and run around however it is visited by the council very frequently so I would be cautious about doing this.