Mentone Racecourse Reserve Playground, Cedar Street, Mentone
The playground is set on the site of the former Mentone racecourse and the playground has a horse racing theme throughout - in fact it is the Black Caviar of horse racing themed playgrounds.
The main structure has a long ramp flanked by images of horses leading to the finish line. This structure also has access via steps, twin wave slides, climbing wall, fireman's pole, single wave slide, high judges box with ladder access and binoculars to look over the lake, tunnel, rope ladder, tic-tac-toe, curved vertical rope climbing frame, three horse springers and two large horses resting under a tree. Next to this area is a large flying fox with disk seat and birds nest swing. There is a good sized wooden walled maze and an elevated sandpit with two diggers and a rocky creek bed leading down to the lake with a musical turtle. Further around the lake is an area with four swings (including one with a harness), two stand-on spinners and a carousel.
The playground is located around an ornamental lake with lots of water birds. There is a shelter with tables and BBQ plus another shelter with tables, basketball court, shaded and unshaded seats scattered about the area, toilets, water taps, grassy area with football goal posts at one end and a soccer goal at the other and a big tennis wall.
Mentone Racecourse Reserve is a small part of what was one of the great racecourses of Melbourne. It opened in 1888 and held meetings until 1948. It was used as a training track by many prominent race horses until 1972 when it was redeveloped as housing. The auction in 1973, comprising 50 home sites, required a $750 deposit!
Photos:
Location
12 Cedar Street, Mentone 3194 Map
