Over the weekend, news of a new playground opening in Waterloo with a gigantic slide fuelled my kids excitement and saw us heading there for a visit. I didn’t let on to the kids that our Lord Mayor Clover Moore had officially opened it was back in the first week of April, allowing them to think that they were the first group of kids to visit.
Wulaba Park is a wonderful city playground which covers 4,000 square metres of space including a picnic and BBQ area. “Wulaba” is a Gadigal word meaning ‘rock wallaby’. Naming the park this pays homage to the rock wallabies which were once a regular sight in the Waterlooo area back when it was the largest swamp in this part of Sydney, long before it was replaced by urban development. I wonder how far you need to travel from Waterlook today to see a rock wallaby in the wild.
When we arrived, I was amazed to see the number of apartments springing up around Green Square. It must be Sydney’s fastest growing area! I’m actually delighted to note that our town planners have put some thoughts into what urban playspaces might be most appealing to kids who will certainly occupy the area with their families.
Although the park has swings, climbing frames, tunnels, stepping stones, a field, handball area and nets, the highlight for us was the slide. You enter the tunnel from the bottom and move through a number of platforms before you reach the top and the access the entrance to the slide. It has two hand grips on each side that you can use to position yourself in the slide and perhaps use to give yourself some momentum to slide down with some speed. It’s such a rush!
Parking is difficult at Wulaba Park. There are designated parking spots and the laneway is a shared space with pedestrians given right of way. You can access Wuluba Park by heading to Amelia Street near the corner of O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo.
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