Clontarf Reserve Playground

Right on the edge of the water at Clontarf, this one’s got that easy, unhurried feel that’s hard to find closer to the city. The reserve backs right up to the bay, so you get that coastal breeze without actually being on a busy beach strip. Families tend to make a full day of it — kids on the equipment, adults grabbing a shady spot to actually sit and breathe for a bit. It’s the kind of local secret that Northern Beaches people don’t really advertise, and honestly, that’s part of the appeal.