'UFO Park' at The Grange Reserve, Westall

by Brad Neal (subscribe)

A new playground with a difference has opened up in Westall, in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It commemorates a reported UFO landing at the site in 1966 with extra-terrestrial themed play equipment.



The star attraction is the giant flying saucer. Kids can climb inside and take it for a test drive, before exiting down one of the escape chutes that we on earth call slides. Apparently the flying saucer lights up with coloured LEDs at night. Other UFO inspired equipment include the two alien balance boards.



There is lots of other non-alien play equipment as well, including two wooden cubby houses, some wooden statues of kangaroos and giant blue tongue lizards, a six-seater swing, a sandpit with a digger, and a couple of standard one-seat swings.



For the adults there are shaded picnic tables, including two public barbecues. There are also public toilets, although there was a council notice of an upgrade occurring there soon, which might mean they are temporarily out of order. While your kids are playing you can also read the newspaper and eyewitness accounts from the 1966 UFO sighting. Read here to find out more about the historical UFO landing.



Adjacent to the playground is a wooded heathland, which is a nature conservation area that you can access through a gate in wire fence on the edge of the playground. There are a number of walking tracks winding their way through the heathland, which is dense with vegetation. It looks like a nice place for snakes to hang out, so make sure you have protective footwear and long pants before you wander in.

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Where: The Grange Reserve, Clayton South VIC 3169 ‎

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