George Bass Coastal Walk (my Rating A)

George Bass Coastal Walk is about 1.5hr drive from Melbourne.  Agrees with the Vic Park website that this is a popular walk. Why?  By the time we arrived, there had had already more than 10 cars parked there.   Dogs allowed on leash.

I do think this walk is suitable for the whole family (but not pram friendly).  Yes, you'll go up the hill and down the hill, but with proper walking boots, it shouldn't be a problem.  Mum used her walking stick, and she said with walking stick, it made the walk much easier for her.

It's a coastal clifftop walk, took us 1 hr from Punchbowl Road car park to Half Moon Bay (probably a bit over 1/3 of the whole walk).  Next time, we'll do the walk from Kilcunda entry.

The view is just awesome!    We had "quiet" time on the beach@Half Moon Bay, too.  The kids had their eyes fixed on the waves!  They were just astonished to see big waves formed nowhere bashing onshore.

p.s.: the Punch Bowl Road off Philip Island Road isn't a main road,  I couldn't see the road sign.  So probably you may want to slow down when your GPS (if you use GPS) tells you it's about to turn.  Car Park is at the end of the road.

There's no drinking tap, so you might want to bring enough water.  You may have lunch at the lookout near the entry (100m from the Map Signboard).  Either sitting on the bench or floor, you'll have a relaxing meal.

 

(Map at the Entry)

 

(Beach@Half Moon Bay)

Gisborne Botanic Garden@Gisborne (my Rating B)

Gisborne is a town about 55km West North of Melbourne.  After exploring Woodend, on the way back home, we visited Gisborne Botanic Garden. 

The Adventurous Playground is the garden is nice, and the garden is BIG!!!!!!  Large Area of Green Grass  everywhere!  Away from the traffic, away from the noise, this garden is such a germ for peaceful walk, and leisure.

However, my kids didn't spend much time in the playground, they soon joined us on the picnic rug, and later we had a ball game, and a walk to have a better look at the garden.

I like the open space and the green, this botanic garden is so different from the others I've visited.

I rated this garden and playground B, but the kids rated it C.

Woodend Children's Park@Woodend (My Rating B)

Woodend is a town about 1hr or so drive from Melbourne city.   If you plan to go to Hanging Rock and plan to go to the Information Centre to get map / info, Woodend Visitor Centre would probably the one you stop before heading to Hanging Rock.

This playground is just 300m from Woodend Visitor Centre, includes quite some unusual play equipments that my kids enjoyed and felt excited about.  Flying Fox, Climbing Frame, and the See Saw were the ones they loved the most. 

We went there on a sunny Sunday, there was a queue at flying fox.   

There are toilet facilities nearby.  Picnic tables and benches, too.  Even it was Sunday, and kids were seen everywhere in this playground, we easily found a bench to have our sandwich lunch.

Dogs are allowed on leash.

 

Golden Grove Drive Playground @ Narre Warren (My Rating B)

The play equipments in this playground are just awesome!  Not many but unusual and interesting.  The equipments are spread out, so the whole setting is more open and relaxing.

I think this park/playground is still new, as the trees are still young, thus there's not much natural shades, but they have 3 big sheds with benches.

The path is nicely paved, I'm glad we brought bikes and inline skates along, we had a great time in the park.

I would give this playground A if it had a toilet in the park, probably because it targets local residents only.

It's offleash too.