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, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
This is a weekend plan for Macleod and the suburbs next door. It covers six places: two in Macleod, two in Bundoora and two in Greensborough, so treat it as an in and around Macleod list rather than a Macleod-only one.
Each place was checked against two sources, such as council pages, the venue’s own site, AGFG and OpenStreetMap. Where a source did not print a price or opening hours, we say so instead of guessing. Only Mabel Jones and WaterMarc Banyule have a price we could copy, and both appear below.
The quick answers at the end put the places in order, so you can pick a plan and then check hours with the venue.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playground and picnic table | Springthorpe Reserve | see below | not printed here |
| Weekend breakfast stop | Touchstone Cafe | see below | not printed here |
| Big park with picnic shelters | Bundoora Park | see below | not printed here |
| Sunday market stalls | Kingsbury Drive Community Market | see below | not printed here |
| Bottomless brunch | Mabel Jones | Bottomless Brunch | $70 |
| Pool hall and slides (fee is a promo, not entry) | WaterMarc Banyule | Joining Fee | $0 |
Springthorpe Reserve — 1-17 Grand Avenue, Macleod VIC 3085
The City of Darebin directory lists a playground, BBQ tables and seating, a picnic table and walking paths at Springthorpe Reserve. It also lists a drinking fountain, seats and rubbish bins. We could not find a published entry price or opening hours on the page, so we are not calling it anything but a listing to check.
Free first: The council page prints no price for this reserve, so check it before you assume the cost.
Touchstone Cafe — 1/30 Aberdeen Road, Macleod VIC 3085
Touchstone Cafe’s own site lists hours as weekdays 7AM-3PM and weekends 8am-3pm. AGFG tags it with Breakfast, Child Friendly, Vegan Options, Pet Friendly, Alfresco Dining and Takeaway. Another page on the same site prints different closing times, so confirm before you go.
Time needed: Plan a breakfast stop around the listed weekend opening time, and check hours first because the cafe’s own pages disagree.
Bundoora Park — Playground Drive, Bundoora VIC 3083
Darebin Council calls Bundoora Park its largest regional park and says it provides something for visitors of all ages and interests. Its facility list includes a playground, picnic shelter, toilets, a drinking fountain, BBQ and dogs off-lead. The council says there are seven shelters spread throughout the park, free for use on a first-in, first-use basis. We could not find opening hours or where off-lead is allowed, so check the directory page.
Get there: The council directory gives the entry as Playground Dr, Bundoora 3083, so check that page before you set off.
Kingsbury Drive Community Market — La Trobe University, Car Park 3, Kingsbury Drive, Bundoora VIC 3083
The market’s own page says it runs every Sunday at La Trobe University, with visitor times of 9.00AM to 1.00PM. It describes stalls with fresh fruits and vegetables and calls itself a family-friendly market. Dogs are welcome on a lead, the page says. We could not find an entry cost, so we are not calling it free.
Plan it: The market page notes a Christmas break closure with dates still to be confirmed, so read its dates before you go.
Mabel Jones — 67 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough VIC 3088
Mabel Jones’ own site lists it as open daily 8:00am to 3:00pm, with the kitchen running 8:00am to 2:30pm. The site names Axil Coffee Roasters for the coffee and says bottomless brunch is available every Saturday and Sunday from 11am. Its menu prints Bottomless Brunch at $70, described as two hours of bottomless cocktails plus a brunch dish. AGFG tags it with Free Wifi, Vegan Options and Child Friendly.
On the menu (copied from mabeljones.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Bottomless Brunch: $70
Time needed: The bottomless brunch menu says two hours, so allow for that if you book it.
WaterMarc Banyule — 1 Flintoff Street, Greensborough VIC 3088
WaterMarc Banyule’s site describes a pool hall with an Olympic-sized pool, leisure and warm water pools, a spa, sauna and steam room, plus a splash park and two giant waterslides. OpenStreetMap lists hours as 06:00 to 21:30 on weekdays and 07:00 to 19:30 on weekends, and those may be out of date. The site promotes a $0 Joining Fee; that is a promotion, not a pool or waterslide entry price, which we could not read.
Listed prices (copied from watermarcbanyule.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Joining Fee: $0
Rain backup: The centre’s site describes a pool hall, spa, sauna and steam room, so check which areas are open before you set off, as its news banner has carried event closures.
Quick answers
How do I plan a weekend around Macleod?
Start with a breakfast stop at Touchstone Cafe in Macleod or Mabel Jones in Greensborough, then choose a park such as Springthorpe Reserve or Bundoora Park. The Kingsbury Drive Community Market lists itself as a Sunday market, and WaterMarc Banyule is the pool option in Greensborough. Check each venue’s hours first, because some listings disagree or do not print hours.
Where can I get weekend brunch near Macleod?
Touchstone Cafe’s site lists weekends 8am-3pm, and AGFG tags it with Breakfast. Mabel Jones lists bottomless brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11am, and its menu prints Bottomless Brunch at $70. Hours differ between pages for Touchstone Cafe, so confirm before you go.
Is there a weekend market near Macleod?
The Kingsbury Drive Community Market at La Trobe University in Bundoora says it runs every Sunday, with visitor times of 9.00AM to 1.00PM. Its page notes a Christmas break closure, dates to be confirmed, and it does not state an entry cost, so check before you head over.
Where can I take kids near Macleod on a weekend?
Springthorpe Reserve in Macleod and Bundoora Park both list playgrounds on the Darebin directory. The Kingsbury Drive Community Market calls itself family-friendly, and WaterMarc Banyule lists a splash park and two giant waterslides. Touchstone Cafe and Mabel Jones both carry an AGFG Child Friendly tag.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages, the places’ own websites, the Australian Good Food Guide and dvcsmarkets.com.au. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Springthorpe Reserve: openstreetmap.org/1508002544, darebin.vic.gov.au/Springthorpe-Reserve
- Touchstone Cafe: openstreetmap.org/6710535367, touchstonecafe.com.au, agfg.com.au/touchstone-cafe-74213
- Bundoora Park: openstreetmap.org/31253383, openstreetmap.org/712167480, darebin.vic.gov.au/Bundoora-park-playgrounds, darebin.vic.gov.au/Open-spaces-at-Bundoora-Park
- Kingsbury Drive Community Market: openstreetmap.org/9935620890, dvcsmarkets.com.au/kingsbury-drive-community-market
- Mabel Jones: openstreetmap.org/11641136273, mabeljones.com.au/contact, agfg.com.au/mabel-jones-58242, mabeljones.com.au/bottomless-brunch, mabeljones.com.au/all-day-menu, mabeljones.com.au/drinks
- WaterMarc Banyule: openstreetmap.org/190680157, watermarcbanyule.com.au
