When I was a kid growing up in South Australia, there was a playground in Monash, a tiny town in the Riverland. This was no ordinary playground: it was enormous

When I was a kid growing up in South Australia, there was a playground in Monash, a tiny town in the Riverland. This was no ordinary playground: it was enormous, and filled with dozens of very dangerous steel contraptions. Huge high-speed roundabouts (imagine something the size and shape of a radio telescope, but with a dish that spins), “roller coasters” you’d push up unenclosed tracks, 20-foot high slides (slippery dips) with potato sacks laying around to protect from the burning surface, and huge, high ziplines (flying foxes). The whole thing was kid-powered (no motors or electronics) and free, the passion project of a local steelworker. It was closed down decades ago, due to the obvious safety handlers. But I suspect it holds the same mindspace for Australians that Action Park has for Americans. Sadly few photos of it are online, and no video I can find. I’d love to see a documentary for Monash Playground to relive those memories.