This rather large suburban park has access points from several streets.
The entrance from Leslie Street.
Within the park, there is a playground, rebound wall, basketball ring and a soccer goal. The small playground has some strategically placed trees to provide shade over the play equipment.
The small shaded playground.
The main access point is from Leslie Street. The park is not fenced and one of the wide gravel entrance paths passes through a short avenue of trees. A shady welcome on a hot day.
The short avenue of trees entrance.
The path that circumnavigates the park would be just over one kilometre in length, with the top part quite steep in parts, making the full circuit difficult for wheelchairs. However, there is a path that short circuits the steep path and only has mild rises and falls.
A local resident exercising past the playground.
Children playing on a steep path.
It is a well-maintained park with landscaped areas bordering the perimeter. No birds were seen and heard during my visit.
Part of the large expanse of grass in the centre of the park.
Close inspection of trees can be a rewarding experience such as flower pods on a gum tree.
Future gum nuts
Another interesting observation in parks and reserves is the different types of barks on trees.
Close up of pine tree bark.
Peeling bark from gum trees.
New plantings of shrubs along the landscaped areas will ensure that will become more attractive in the future.
A future pine tree.
My visit was on a warm autumn Saturday morning and many local residents were out and about enjoying the warm sunshine.
A local couple enjoying their walk.
The large open expanse of grass is ideal for ball games, a picnic on the grass or walking your dog. It is an off-lead area for dogs, providing the usual rules of being no closer than 15 metres of the playground and any other sporting activity are followed.
What? No cats.
At the top end of the park, there is a magnificent stand of mature pine trees. They are closely spaced and walking through them gives the feeling of entering a dark forest, emphasised by the dark trunks, especially if they are in shadow.
Entering a black forest.
In a black forest.
The main beneficiaries of Cat Jump Park would be residents, their children and their dogs. Surprisingly, no cats were seen. Perhaps they jumped at the sight of dogs.
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