Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026.
Which Camberwell parks have a playground, a barbecue or a toilet, and which are better for a slow look at mature trees? This page covers seven parks and gardens in and around Camberwell: five in Camberwell, one in Canterbury and one in Glen Iris.
Each place was checked against OpenStreetMap and Boroondara council’s park pages. Facilities below are what the council lists, and each entry says so. Councils change these pages, so read the official listing before you leave.
Every entry ends with one practical line: where to start, where to turn around, what we found on water and toilets, or what to check with the Bureau of Meteorology.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Playground, covered barbecues, toilets | Riversdale Park | 661 Riversdale Road, Camberwell |
| Lawns, pond and shady gum trees | Fordham Gardens | 579 Camberwell Road, Camberwell |
| Old specimen trees and a small playground | Read Gardens | 50A Broadway, Camberwell |
| Shade and mature trees for picnics | Bowen Gardens | 95 Bowen Street, Camberwell |
| Trails, sport and accessible toilet | Frog Hollow Reserve | 25 Fordham Avenue, Camberwell |
| Formal borders, near the train station | Canterbury Gardens | 190B Canterbury Road, Canterbury |
| Oval, walking and a hillside playground | Ferndale Park | 101 Glen Iris Road, Glen Iris |
Riversdale Park — 661 Riversdale Road, Camberwell VIC 3124
Boroondara council says Riversdale Park suits children’s play, picnics, large events and weddings. Its page lists slides, swings and a roundabout, covered barbecues, toilets, and seating and tables. The council also says a free Summertime Cinema screening runs in the park each December, so that is a seasonal event, not a year-round one.
Start at: the council’s listed address, 661 Riversdale Road, and confirm the facilities on its parks page before you leave.
Fordham Gardens — 579 Camberwell Road, Camberwell VIC 3124
Boroondara council says the open lawn areas, pond and shady gum trees at Fordham Gardens suit social gatherings. Its page calls the playground ideal for younger children and lists a barbecue. The council also says children must be actively supervised around water at all times, so treat the pond as something to look at, not swim in. It adds that a new public toilet and a playground upgrade are under way, so facilities may be disrupted.
Water and toilets: the council says a new public toilet is under way, so do not count on one, and it asks that children be actively supervised around the pond.
Read Gardens — 50A Broadway, Camberwell VIC 3124
The council says Read Gardens has a small playground surrounded by lawns and huge, old trees, and suits picnics, children’s play and social gatherings. It also lists significant specimen trees, including oaks, elms and cedars. We could not find toilets among the facilities the council lists, so plan around that.
Weather call: check the Bureau of Meteorology forecast before you go, because we could not find a shelter listed on the council page.
Bowen Gardens — 95 Bowen Street, Camberwell VIC 3124
The council heading says Bowen Gardens, while its body text calls the same place Bowen Park. It describes picturesque gardens with ample shade for picnics and a playground for younger visitors, and says the generous cover of mature trees makes it ideal for picnics. A playground is the only public facility the council lists.
Distance / grade / surface: we could not find a published distance, grade or surface for Bowen Gardens, so the council’s playground and shade listing is all we can report.
Frog Hollow Reserve — 25 Fordham Avenue, Camberwell VIC 3124
The council describes Frog Hollow Reserve as open space with large trees and walking and cycling trails. Its page lists suitability for cricket and soccer, children’s play, barbecues and small events, plus toilets including an accessible toilet. The map entry we matched is the reserve playground, while the council page covers the whole reserve.
Turn-around point: the council lists trails but we could not find a published trail length, so choose your own turn-around point, and note the council puts Willison station within a short walk.
Canterbury Gardens — 190B Canterbury Road, Canterbury VIC 3126
Canterbury Gardens is in Canterbury, not Camberwell, but close enough to include. The council says mature trees dot the extensive lawns beside perennial borders, parterre gardens and a rosarie, and it lists a barbecue and toilets. It also says the gardens host events during the year, including Summer Music performances.
Start at: Canterbury train station, which the council says is across the road from the gardens, and note it also says parking is limited.
Ferndale Park — 101 Glen Iris Road, Glen Iris VIC 3146
Ferndale Park is in Glen Iris, not Camberwell. The council calls it a popular park for walking, picnics and sporting activities on the oval. Its page describes a timber playground built into a hill with a cubby house and 4 swings, and lists barbecues and public toilets. The council also places it on the Ferndale trail linking the Gardiners Creek and Anniversary trails.
Water and toilets: the council lists public toilets and barbecues, and we could not find drinking water points listed, so carry your own.
Quick answers
Which parks near Camberwell have public toilets?
Boroondara council lists toilets at Riversdale Park, Canterbury Gardens and Frog Hollow Reserve, where it names an accessible toilet, and lists public toilets at Ferndale Park. Fordham Gardens has a new public toilet under way, so facilities there may be disrupted. We could not find toilets listed for Read Gardens or Bowen Gardens.
Where can you use a barbecue in Camberwell parks?
The council lists covered barbecues at Riversdale Park, and barbecues at Fordham Gardens, Frog Hollow Reserve, Canterbury Gardens and Ferndale Park. The council pages we read list no barbecue at Read Gardens or Bowen Gardens.
Which Camberwell parks have a playground for young children?
The council lists a playground at Riversdale Park, Fordham Gardens, Read Gardens, Bowen Gardens and Ferndale Park, and describes children’s play at Frog Hollow Reserve. Its Ferndale Park page describes a timber playground built into a hill, and its Fordham Gardens page calls the playground ideal for younger children.
Can you reach a Camberwell park by train?
The council says Canterbury train station is across the road from Canterbury Gardens. It also puts Willison station within a short walk of Frog Hollow Reserve. We could not find a station named on the council pages for the other parks, so check a journey planner first.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap and council pages. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The photos are illustrative, from Unsplash: they show the kind of place, not the places on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Riversdale Park: openstreetmap.org/28356377, boroondara.vic.gov.au/riversdale-park
- Fordham Gardens: openstreetmap.org/48383464, boroondara.vic.gov.au/fordham-gardens
- Read Gardens: openstreetmap.org/28354443, boroondara.vic.gov.au/read-gardens
- Bowen Gardens: openstreetmap.org/117768518, boroondara.vic.gov.au/bowen-gardens
- Frog Hollow Reserve: openstreetmap.org/1178048520, boroondara.vic.gov.au/frog-hollow-reserve
- Canterbury Gardens: openstreetmap.org/28616157, boroondara.vic.gov.au/canterbury-gardens
- Ferndale Park: openstreetmap.org/28969958, boroondara.vic.gov.au/ferndale-park
