Thorndon Park

  • BBQ facilities BBQ facilities
  • Fitness equipment Fitness equipment
  • Sports equipment Sports facilities
  • Accessible facilities Accessible facilities
  • Toilets Toilets
  • Play equipment Play equipment
  • Shaded equipment Shaded equipment
  • Picnic area Picnic area
  • Shelter Shelter
  • Walking and hiking trails Walking and hiking trails
Facility type: Feature Park; Park; Toilet; Tourist Attraction; Walking Trail

Thorndon Park is our City's principal park, as well as the most accessible and inclusive park in our City. Featuring the historic reservoir and a brand new all-inclusive play space, the park is a major attraction for all ages and abilities.

Please note, dogs, bikes, fishing and swimming are prohibited at Thorndon Park at all times. Registered guide dogs are permitted.

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 parking 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.

Completed in December 2022, the Thorndon Park playground is an all-inclusive play space, with elements for all ages and abilities to enjoy.

The playground celebrates the diverse and plentiful 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 new 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.

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 adjacent 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.

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

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.

Accessible Walkways

The majority 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.

Amphitheatre

  • Performances
  • Community Events
  • Weddings

Rotunda

  • Weddings
  • Birthdays
  • Special Celebrations

Oval Area

  • Major Events
  • Special Celebrations
  • Sports Days

To hire a space or find out more information please call 8366 9222.

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

Getting there:
Hamilton Terrace
Paradise SA 5075