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Playgrounds

Lorna Irene Drive Reserve Playground

πŸ“ Raumati South, Wellington

β˜…4.7(35 Google reviews)πŸ’°FreeπŸ‘ΆAll ages

Award-winning playground in residential Raumati South, named NZ Playground of the Year 2023. Specifically designed for younger children with comprehensive wheelchair-accessible equipment, fully fenced, and free entry.

βœ“ NZ Playground of Year 2023βœ“ Best for under-fivesβœ“ Wheelchair accessibleβœ“ Fully fenced
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β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…Featured review by Nic β€œNickle” P

Hands down the BEST playground for under 5s! Took my 20 month old and I think he would quite happily have stayed their all day! It's not a huge playground but there is quite a lot on offer for the smaller kids. Definitely not designed for kids over 5. My 9 year old was way too big! Plenty of seating for adults, securely enclosed so even ya lil Houdini can't escape. We brought our scooter along but it isn't designed for scootering so leave those at home. It's also a small, residential area with small, narrow streets so parking is tight. Unsure if it was the locals parking on the road or other park users but be mindful trying to squeeze down the streets if you have a big car. We went at about 11am on a Sunday and there was at least a dozen families there already!

πŸ† Family Action Verdict

The best playground in the Kāpiti Coast for under-fives and families who need genuinely accessible equipment. The wheelchair see-saw alone draws families from well outside the area.

ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

πŸ’‘Designed primarily for children under five β€” older children are likely to find it too small
⏰Fully fenced throughout, secure for children who run
🎟️Wheelchair-accessible equipment including a see-saw at path level
πŸš—Street parking on adjacent residential roads; arrive early on weekends

πŸ’¬ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews β†’
4.7
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35 Google reviews

Outstanding under-five design40%
Genuine wheelchair accessibility30%
Fully fenced and secure20%
Award-winning 202310%
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Nic β€œNickle” P

2 years ago

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β€œHands down the BEST playground for under 5s! Took my 20 month old and I think he would quite happily have stayed their all day! It's not a huge playground but there is quite a lot on offer for the smaller kids. Definitely not designed for kids over 5. My 9 year old was way too big! Plenty of seating for adults, securely enclosed so even ya lil Houdini can't escape. We brought our scooter along but it isn't designed for scootering so leave those at home. It's also a small, residential area with small, narrow streets so parking is tight. Unsure if it was the locals parking on the road or other park users but be mindful trying to squeeze down the streets if you have a big car. We went at about 11am on a Sunday and there was at least a dozen families there already!”

P

Playgrounds of Porirua

2 years ago

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β€œA beautiful playground for many ages and stages. It has the usual play features, but also includes accessible options which is wonderful to see. We saw a wheelchair user have a wonderful time on the wheelchair see-saw, as well as explore the different aspects that were close to paths and able to explore from a chair. The swings feature a basket swing close to the ground, standard swings and a disability swing with full seat and seatbelts. A well thought out playground, especially for families with wheelchair users or runners as it's full fenced! Great job to the Kapiti parks team!”

C

Caroline Larsen

2 months ago

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β€œIt was very good, really enjoyed it. From my grandchildren.”

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Dave philipson

2 years ago

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β€œDon't come here. It will be better when we forget about it and the locals can have it back. NZ Playground of the year 2023, and I can see why. A fantastic playground hidden in residential Raumati. This spot has been carefully and beautifully designed to cater to younger children, and every aspect has disabled users at the forefront. The designers and builders deserve their award. Our kids are 5 and 6. They had fun, but I think older kids would start to struggle to find a challenge here. Now the problem, and the reason that locals probably wish the playground wasn't quite as good... This isn't a "destination playground," but we traveled to it from Porirua because it won an award . We struggled to park on a quiet residential street because lots of other people traveled here too. And there were about 10 times more kids on the playground than would be normal for this type of location. My favourite playground I won't visit again.”

Reviews from Google

Overview

Lorna Irene Drive Reserve won New Zealand Playground of the Year 2023 for its thoughtful design targeting children under five and those with accessibility needs. A wheelchair-accessible see-saw and path-adjacent equipment allow wheelchair users to participate fully. The playground is fully fenced β€” secure for children who wander. Pram-friendly throughout. Free entry. Free parking on adjacent residential streets.

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