Kensington Wama/Kensington Gardens Reserve

It is the largest recreational area in the City of Burnside and is home to a range of sporting clubs and includes the Waite, Parkinson and Ford Ovals. There are also plenty of recreational facilities including shelters, barbecues and playground equipment.

Burnside Adventure Playground

Exciting changes are coming to Burnside Adventure Playground!

Located near West Terrace, the park is set for redevelopment in the 2025/2026 financial year. As part of Council’s Playground Replacement Action Plan 2014–2024, several playgrounds have been prioritised for upgrades - including the Adventure Playground in Kensington Wama/Kensington Gardens Reserve.

We’ve recently completed a series of co-design workshops with the local community and Kensington Gardens Preschool. Their creativity and thoughtful input have been invaluable in shaping the vision for the new playground.

We’re now working on the concept plan, drawing on the fantastic ideas and feedback we received. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed - your involvement is helping us create a space that’s fun, inclusive, and inspiring for all.

Play equipment currently on site includes:

Pyramid rope climb
'House' timber modular unit with stairs, platforms and two slides
2 x flying foxes
2 x spinners
Slippery dip
2 x spinning 'bowl' seats
2 x spring-mounted 'bikes' - red and yellow
Bridge with tunnel
Soft fall type: mixed
Partial tree shade at times
Nature play
Biodiversity education elements

Kensington Wama Playground

Kensington Wama Playground, located near South Terrace, is a unique Nature Play Space and Kaurna Reflection Area. It combines nature play features with biodiversity education elements and includes a cultural walk with interpretive signage and artwork that celebrates Kaurna heritage.

The playground offers a variety of engaging features for children, including climbing structures, a small mound with a slide, sand pits, a water pump, rope elements, and a wetland viewing platform with a distinctive rope floor that visitors can walk and stand on.

The Kaurna Traditional Owners played a central role in developing the concept designs for the reflection area. This space features beautifully carved wooden sculptures of local fauna, created from trees that were removed during the construction of the wetland. Alongside these sculptures, the area includes stepping stones, pathways, and bench seating, inviting quiet reflection and connection to Country.

Natural play spaces like this one encourage imaginative and sensory-rich play, helping children develop critical thinking skills. Nature play is intentionally unstructured and designed to be challenging - it’s not risk-free, but it does offer opportunities for children to take age-appropriate risks in a safe and supportive environment.

The stepping stones through the creek and wetland are designed to provide an immersive experience for children and their carers, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural environment and cultural heritage.

Viewing deck
Timber climbing logs and steppers
Sand pit
Stepping stones
Mound slide
Kaurna cubby
Kaurna art and sculptures
Water pump
3 rope climbers
Soft fall type: mixed
Kaurna education elements
Partial tree shade at times
Nature play
Biodiversity education elements

Facilities

Public toilets including accessible toilets with access between toilet and playground block
BBQ and picnic areas
Parking for 100+ cars on South, East and West Terraces including disabled car park with path access to the playground
Path with pram ramps leading to the playground
Wheelchair accessible
Kensington Gardens Bowling and Tennis Club Inc
East Torrens – Kensington Gardens Hard-court Tennis Club
Kensington District Cricket Club
Burnside Rugby Union Football Club
Kensington Gardens Pre-school

Features

Burnside Adventure Park
New bridges over the creek, viewing decks and a boardwalk over the wetland
Hard-court tennis courts
Grass tennis courts
Cricket nets
Grassed ovals
Creek with bird life
Children’s playground
Dog on-lead at the wetland area - at their meeting on 18 June 2024, Council declared new dog on-leash areas in Chambers Gully Reserve, Heatherbank Reserve, Michael Perry Reserve and the wetland area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama (C62024/13719). Further information is available on Council's Dogs and Wildlife webpage.

Sporting facilities

Basketball hoop
18 x Cricket nets
3 x Cricket ovals - summer season only
Outdoor fitness stations - one on northern edge of reserve, one on southern side
4 x Pickleball courts (Western courts near Quondong Ave) - BYO nets, linemarking provided
3 x Rugby Union fields - winter season only
8 x Tennis courts

Tennis Courts

Number of courts: 8
Court condition: New
Newly reconfigured tournament standard tennis courts with lighting available for club and public use
Car parking: On-street and off-street parking
Public toilets located nearby

To ensure exclusive use and to reserve specific times, bookings are required and fees will apply. To book a court, please click the link below. Please refer to our Schedule of Fees and Charges for Tennis Court Hire Fees.

Tennis Court Hire

Casual Hire

For private events (excluding Weddings, see below) the Kensington Gardens Reserve - Old hockey field on the corner of South Terrace and West Terrace, Kensington Gardens is available for hire 7 days a week, 9 am - 5 pm.

Please refer to the Park Hire Information and Terms and Conditions(PDF, 204KB) to view the map of areas available for hire and for further information.

For any enquiries please contact the Customer Service team on 8366 4200.

See our other park available for hire, Tusmore Park

Wedding Ceremonies

Home to a range of sporting and social clubs, Kensington Gardens Reserve is the Council’s largest recreation area. Large grassed open spaces and smaller tree-lined spaces provide a striking mixture of sunlight and shaded areas, giving an abundance of wedding ceremony and photography options.

Location: Main grassed area north of Playground - Maximum 150 guests

Wedding Ceremony Locations