Totaravale Reserve Playground

A Pleasant Surprise

We pulled up to Totaravale Reserve without any particular agenda — it was one of those "let's just see what this one's like" visits. And it turned out to be one of those quietly satisfying outings where you end up staying much longer than planned. The playground has a decent overall scale, not enormous but substantial enough that you can genuinely settle in and spend a good stretch of time here without the kids running out of things to do.

The structures themselves are on the older side — there's a well-worn, been-here-a-while quality to the equipment that makes you think a renovation is probably on the horizon at some point. But older doesn't mean broken. Everything we tried was perfectly functional and solid, and the kids didn't care in the slightest. Sometimes a slightly weathered playground just has good character.

The Flying Fox That Actually Has Some Kick To It

The flying fox at Totaravale is already a long run, but its design is what makes it stand out. One end sits much higher, so you launch with real momentum and quickly build more speed than you would on a flat zipline. The ride genuinely feels fast - exciting enough that our kids lined up again and again instead of moving on after a single turn.

It's the kind of design tweak that costs nothing in principle but makes a huge difference in practice. We've been to plenty of playgrounds with flying foxes. This one stood out.

One end elevated, more momentum, more speed, more fun. It sounds simple — and it is — but this flying fox genuinely delivers in a way most don't.

Space to Breathe

Right beside the playground sits a wide, expansive grassy field — the kind of open space that invites a football, a frisbee, or just a proper sprint with no obstacles in the way. It's a generous stretch of green that transforms the visit from a playground stop into a full outdoor outing. Once the kids were done with the flying fox (eventually), the field kept the afternoon going comfortably.

Bottom line

A solid, underrated neighbourhood reserve that's well worth a stop — especially if your kids love a flying fox with actual speed. It's an easy add to a Totara Vale park-hopping morning alongside Teviot, Wanita, Target Reserve, or Leiden Reserve.