Things to do with kids in Riverland SA

Barmera's free playspace overlooks Lake Bonney, and the wave-free beach across the road suits small children. The playspace has barbecues, shelters and toilets. SA Health listed no alert for the lake when we checked in October 2026, but look at its water quality alerts before a swim.

Crazy leaning towers, a Burmese rope bridge, a flying fox and a maze fill this free park, with a creek winding through it. Free electric barbecues, picnic tables and toilets make it easy to stay for lunch.

More than 45 furnished buildings show Riverland life from the late 1890s to the 1950s. Kids can ride old trikes, play marbles and hopscotch, climb aboard the steam train and write in cursive at an old school desk. The village opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

This easy 1.25km walk in the Katarapko section of Murray River National Park takes about 40 minutes. Signs along the creek explain the plants, the animals and how Aboriginal people used the land, and kangaroos and echidnas live in the park. Lock 4 Road and campsites 4 to 14 are closed until 13 November 2026 for environmental watering, so check park alerts first.

A fenced track leads to a view over the Murray River, and a tower platform takes you higher still. The lookout is free, with plenty of parking, about a 10-minute drive from Paringa.

The 15.8m tower is free to climb between 9am and 5pm, with a barbecue and picnic area at its base. Martin Bend Reserve, about 2km away, is a popular river swimming spot with barbecues and toilets.

Olivewood in Renmark keeps an 1889 log cabin, a 1926 fire engine and an olive grove planted in 1890. It opens Thursday to Monday, 10am to 4pm. A family ticket for two adults and two kids is $20.

This old warehouse above the river holds horse-drawn vehicles, a 1926 Chevrolet truck, an 1870 steam engine and wool bales on a timber wharf. Kids under 16 get in free. Volunteers run it, so call ahead before you make the trip.