Thorndon Park

Thorndon Park is open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

A large sealed car park with over 150 spaces (including 6 disability spaces) is available for park visitors. Enter the car park at the intersection of Hamilton Terrace and Stradbroke Roads.

The car park is locked between the hours of sunset and sunrise each day.

The Thorndon Park playground is an all-inclusive play space, with elements for all ages and abilities to enjoy.

Named 'Paripardu' ('river birds' in Kaurna), the playground celebrates the diverse bird life that Thorndon Park is known for, with play zones inspired by flight and nesting, as well as habitat types and food sources. The playground is designed around eight themes and associated features:

• Bird Song: Percussion play and wren (climbing) sculpture
• Bird Watching: Sky bridge and towers
• Eating: Digging (sand), junior slide, heron (slide) sculpture
• Flying: Swings and liberty swing*
• Gathering: Youth spaces, multi-purpose courts (basketball, netball and futsal), hammock, parkour and ninja warrior course, table tennis tables and smart bench
• Gliding/Treetops: Flying Fox and timber stilts/steppers
• Nesting / Plains: Nest cubby, trampolines, carousel, crane (swing) sculpture
• Wading/Waterways: Water play and hen (misting water) sculpture.

Some of the playground’s accessible features include a liberty (wheelchair) swing*, vision impaired table tennis table, wheelchair accessible trampolines, raised sand play area, raised water play area, an all-access carousel, Auslan signage, communication boards and accessible pathways.

Separate to the main playground is a giant chess board.

* Please note that the liberty swing requires a Master Locksmith Access Key (MLAK) for use. If you don’t have your own MLAK, you can use the key in the lockbox. Call us on 08 8366 9222 during business hours for the code or on 0417 851 795 if after hours. Alternatively, if the kiosk is open you can borrow the key there. For more information about obtaining a MLAK, visit our accessible facilities page.

The Thorndon Park kiosk and museum are proudly operated by the Rotary Club of Morialta.

Thorndon Park kiosk is generally open Saturday and Sunday during summer and Sundays in winter. Opening days and times may vary due to volunteer availability.

The kiosk serves a variety of foods and drinks including coffee, chips and ice creams.

A small heritage museum is open each weekend next to the kiosk, during kiosk opening hours.

Walking trails take you throughout the park and though the wetlands.

The path around the perimeter of the reservoir measures 1.45km.

Most of Thorndon Park's pathways, including the perimeter reservoir loop and playground pathways, are sealed and wheelchair accessible.

Enjoy some time to wander, sit, look, smell and listen with our Thorndon Park Nature Trail. Fun for kids and adults alike.

Commencing at the northern most point of the wetlands by the amphitheatre, the Nature Trail walking loop takes around 30 minutes to complete. Follow the markers through the wetlands to each of the 11 stops and learn about the surrounding flora and fauna.

The use of the Kaurna shield, names and words on the signs and booklet have been developed in consultation with Kaurna and Peramangk Elder Kauwanu Ivan Tiwu Copley OAM and Kaurna and Narungga man Jack Kanya Kudnuitya Buckskin.

You can pick up a booklet in person at our Council Offices while stocks last.

Nature Trail Activity Guide (Mobile Booklet)
Nature Trail Activity Guide (Printable PDF)

Accessible toilet facilities

The accessible toilet at Thorndon Park has been fitted with an adult sized change table (220kg capacity) and hoist (200kg capacity), making the park more accessible for people with a disability, their family and carers.

Accessible playground facilities

Some of the playground’s accessible features include a liberty (wheelchair) swing*, accessible flying fox, wheelchair accessible trampolines, raised sand play area, raised water play area, an all-access carousel, vision-impaired table tennis table, a sensory board, Auslan signage, communication boards and accessible pathways.

* Please note that the accessible toilet requires a Master Locksmith Access Key (MLAK) for use. If you don’t have your own MLAK, you can use the key in the lockbox. Call us on 08 8366 9222 during business hours for the code or on 0417 851 795 if after hours. Alternatively, if the kiosk is open, you can borrow the key there. For more information about obtaining a MLAK, visit our accessible facilities page.

Accessible walkways

Most of Thorndon Park's pathways, including the perimeter reservoir loop and playground pathways, are sealed and wheelchair accessible.

Accessible parking

The Thorndon Park car park has 6 disability parking spaces adjacent to the entrance of the park.

Shaded outdoor gym equipment is situated just inside the main entrance of the park.

Available fitness equipment includes pull ups, cycling, stretching, leg press, body twist, body pulls and push ups, chest press, pull downs, elliptical, shoulder mobility and step ups.

There are 8 double electric barbeques for use by the public (free of charge) and approximately 30 picnic tables situated throughout the park. On fire ban days, all electric BBQs will be turned off.

Charcoal BBQs are permitted except on fire ban days. A number of hot ash disposal bins are available for safe disposal of related waste.

A large sheltered pavilion and a smaller shelter with picnic tables are available for public use (not available for hire). The rotunda is also available for public use when not booked for private hire.

Thorndon Park's amphitheatre, rotunda and oval areas are available for hire for private events.

Hire fees associated with each location can be found in Council's Fees and Charges Schedule.

For more information or to hire a space, visit our online booking system.

Book a space