Enchanted Adventure Garden

If you're looking for a full day of family fun that gets everyone outdoors and active, the Enchanted Adventure Garden on the Mornington Peninsula is an absolute gem. It's essentially a beautiful, sprawling outdoor adventure park set in lush gardens, combining brain-teasing mazes, thrilling tube slides, stunning canopy walks, and for the more adventurous, some seriously cool tree-surfing zip line courses. It’s the kind of place where your kids can burn off a ton of energy, and you can either join in on the action or enjoy the gorgeous scenery. It’s a mix between a nature park and an amusement park, with a focus on hands-on, physical fun rather than just passive rides.

Age Appropriateness

This is one of the best things about Enchanted Adventure – it genuinely caters to a huge range of ages. For the little ones (toddlers to about 5 years old), there are smaller, accessible hedge mazes, a fantastic children's garden, and the amazing new Sky Scramble, which is a massive, enclosed aerial playground they can safely explore. Kids from about 6 to 12 will be in heaven. They're old enough for the bigger, more complex mazes, and they will want to go on the Tube Slides over and over again. The Canopy Walk is also a huge hit with this age group. For the tweens, teens, and even adventurous adults, the main draw is the Tree Surfing. There are different levels of difficulty, so even first-timers can have a go at the zip lines and obstacle courses high up in the trees. It’s a fantastic confidence-builder for older kids.

The Highlights (Pros)

• The Variety: There is so much to do you can easily spend the entire day and not get bored. Between the multiple mazes, the tube slides, the canopy walk, the sculpture walk, and the tree surfing, there’s an activity for every energy level and interest.
• The Tube Slides: These are a massive highlight for most families. You grab a giant inflatable tube, ride a conveyor belt to the top of the hill, and then slide down winding artificial slopes. It's ridiculously fun and our kids would have spent the whole day there if we’d let them.
• Stunning Setting: The gardens themselves are just beautiful. It’s a pleasure to walk around, even if you’re just spectating. The views from the top of the park across the peninsula are gorgeous, and the whole place feels clean, green, and very well-maintained.
• The Sky Scramble: This newer addition is a brilliant, safe adventure zone for the younger kids, allowing them to experience the fun of climbing and exploring nets and obstacles high off the ground without needing a harness.

The Watch-Outs (Cons)

• The Cost: It is a pricey day out. General admission gets you into most of the park (including the mazes and tube slides), but the popular Tree Surfing is a significant extra cost that you need to book in advance. Add in food and drinks, and the total can climb quickly.
• Crowds and Queues: This place is popular, especially on weekends and during school holidays. The queue for the tube slides can get quite long, which can test the patience of younger kids.
• It’s a Workout: The park is built on the side of a hill (it’s Arthurs Seat, after all!). Be prepared for a lot of walking, much of it uphill. It’s great for tiring the kids out, but can be challenging if you have a pram or mobility issues.

Practical Survival Tips for Parents

• Book Everything Online: Seriously, book your general admission tickets and especially your Tree Surfing session online well in advance. Sessions for Tree Surfing sell out, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and potential disappointment on the day.
• Arrive Early: Get there right when it opens. You’ll get a better parking spot and can head straight to the most popular attractions like the Tube Slides before the massive queues form.
• Pack Your Own Food: While there is a cafe on site, it can be expensive and busy. Packing a picnic and snacks is a great way to save money and time. There are plenty of beautiful lawn and picnic table areas to sit and eat.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes: You will be doing a lot of walking and climbing. Closed-toe shoes are a must for everyone, and they are mandatory for the Tree Surfing and tube slides.
• Parking: There is a large, free on-site car park, but as mentioned, it fills up quickly on busy days, so an early arrival helps secure a good spot.