SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre

Overview The SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre, located at Oaklands Park, is a large indoor aquatic facility managed by the YMCA on behalf of the Government of South Australia. It provides a range of pools and water-based activities for recreation, training, and competition. The centre is designed to cater to various ages and abilities, from high-performance athletes to families with young children.

For families, the centre features a dedicated leisure and toddler pool area, a splash park with an interactive water playground, two small waterslides, and a large tipping bucket. For older children and adults, there are two large waterslides, diving boards, and multiple pools for lap and recreational swimming, including a 50m competition pool and a 25m program pool. The centre also offers structured programs such as swimming lessons for all ages, school holiday programs, birthday parties, and occasional care services.

Highlights

• Features a leisure area with a toddler pool, an interactive splash park, and a large tipping water bucket.
• Two large waterslides, the Space Bowl and Aqua Tube, for children aged 10 and over who meet height and swimming requirements.
• Offers a range of programs including swimming lessons, school holiday activities, and organised birthday parties.

Community Sentiment (The "Vibe")

What parents like: Reviewers often mention the friendly and helpful staff. The warmth of the leisure pools is noted as being suitable for toddlers, and the variety of pools and the splash park are considered engaging for children.

What to watch out for: The centre can be very busy, particularly the swimming pools and change rooms, which can lead to queues. Some visitors have noted issues with cleanliness in certain areas and a lack of family change rooms. The waterslides and specific activities like the Wibit inflatable course have strict age, height, and swimming ability requirements that are tested on-site.

Logistics & Tips

Best for: All ages, with specific zones and activities for different groups. The Splash Park and leisure pools are for toddlers and young children, while the large waterslides are for ages 10 and over. The "Philbert's Kids Club" holiday program is for ages 5-12.

Facilities: Café, retail store, toilets, change rooms, lockers (fee applies), gym, and on-site parking.

Note: A "Watch Around Water" policy is enforced, requiring children under 5 to be within arm's reach of a guardian in the water, and children under 10 to be actively supervised. A safety swim test is mandatory for all users of the large waterslides. The waterslides have limited operating hours, typically running on weekend afternoons and during school holidays.