AS 4685 playground inspections, with a price on the page
A comprehensive annual inspection by a Level 3 playground inspector, a written risk-rated report, and the option of a Care Plan that keeps your playground in check all year. Schools, childcare, councils, holiday parks and body corporates, whoever built your playground.
Annual comprehensive inspection from $825 for the first playground, $385 for each additional playground on the same site visit. Prices ex GST.
Book an inspection
Tell us the site, the number of playgrounds and the option you are after.
Three levels of inspection, one done by a specialist
AS 4685.0 sets out three levels of playground inspection. The annual comprehensive inspection is standards-recommended for every commercial playground, and it is the one most sites fall behind on, because it needs a qualified inspector rather than a staff member with a checklist.
Routine visual (daily to weekly)
Quick checks for vandalism, debris and obvious damage, usually done by your own staff.
Operational (every one to three months)
A more detailed check of moving parts, wear and softfall levels.
Annual comprehensive
A full inspection of structure, foundations, surfacing and compliance by a competent inspector.
Queensland state schools
“an annual comprehensive inspection is also required. It is recommended a suitable third-party playground inspection service is procured to undertake annual inspections.”
The same factsheet asks schools to check that an inspector "holds a relevant qualification and required liability insurance." We provide both with every quote.
Simple, published pricing
Annual Comprehensive Inspection
From $825
first playground · $385 each additional playground on the same site visit · ex GST. One playground means one play space / equipment area.
- Full AS 4685 comprehensive inspection: structure, footings, fixings, moving parts, entrapment, protrusions and fall zones
- Softfall condition and depth checked against AS 4422 for each fall height
- Written report with photos, for your records and your insurer
- Risk-rated fix list: every item rated by priority, so you know what needs action now and what can wait
- Optional fixed-price quote for the repairs
- Any brand of equipment, any age
Care Plan
From $2,400/yr
per playground per year · ex GST
- Everything in the Annual Comprehensive Inspection
- Quarterly operational checks (three per year, in addition to the annual inspection), each with a short written record
- Priority scheduling for repairs, quoted before any work
- One annual compliance pack: inspection report, operational records and repair log in one PDF
- Reminders before each visit, so nothing lapses
Multi-site
Quoted
Councils, school groups, childcare chains, holiday park groups, body corporates
- Inspections across every site on one schedule
- Consistent, comparable reports and a portfolio summary that ranks sites by risk
- Single contract and invoice, with per-site cost breakdown
- Optional Care Plan coverage across the portfolio
All prices ex GST. Covers Brisbane, SEQ and regional QLD; interstate by arrangement. Travel for regional and interstate sites is quoted upfront.
Inspected by a Level 3 playground inspector
Level 3 AS 4685 inspector
Inspections are carried out by Tim Rand, founder of Kidzspace and a qualified Level 3 (comprehensive) AS 4685 playground inspector.
Licensed and insured
QBCC licence 15006840 and $20 million public liability. We provide certificates of currency with every quote.
Repairs without the runaround
Because we also supply and install playgrounds, we can quote and carry out the repairs an inspection turns up, rather than handing you a report and leaving you to find a contractor.
Up to 25-year structural guarantee
On new Kidzspace playgrounds, up to 25 years on hot-dip galvanised structural steel, with shorter terms for other materials and moving parts.
Kids Play Pty Ltd · ABN 87 657 515 243 · QBCC licence 15006840 · Public liability $20 million. Full guarantee terms
Book, inspect, report
Book
Tell us the site, the number of playgrounds and your preferred dates.
Inspect
We inspect on site, usually in under a day for a single site.
Report
You receive a written report with a risk-rated fix list, plus an optional repair quote.
A thorough, practical inspection
Structure and footings
Posts, beams, connections and fixings checked for corrosion, movement and missing fasteners.
Fall zones and softfall
Loose-fill depth and coverage, or wet-pour and turf condition, against AS 4422 for each fall height.
Moving and high-wear parts
Swing chains, bearings, springs, decks, slides and handrails.
Hazards
Entrapment, protrusion, entanglement, trip hazards, signage and drainage, assessed against AS 4685.
Any playground, any brand, any age
Education and care
Schools and P&Cs, childcare and early learning centres.
Public and commercial
Councils and public parks, holiday and caravan parks, body corporates and developers, churches and community groups.
Common questions
How often should a playground be inspected?
AS 4685.0 recommends routine visual checks daily to weekly, operational inspections every one to three months, and a comprehensive inspection every year by a competent inspector. Manufacturer instructions may set different intervals for specific equipment.
Do I have to get an annual inspection?
The annual comprehensive inspection is standards-recommended rather than written into law for most sites. For Queensland state schools, the Department of Education's playground factsheet (Making playground equipment safe, reviewed September 2025) states that "an annual comprehensive inspection is also required" and recommends a third-party inspector. Other owners have general work health and safety duties, and an annual inspection record is the usual way to show the playground is being managed.
How much does a playground inspection cost?
Our Annual Comprehensive Inspection starts at $825 for the first playground and $385 for each additional playground on the same site visit, ex GST. Care Plans start from $2,400/yr per playground, ex GST. Multi-site programs are quoted.
What counts as one playground?
One play space / equipment area.
Do you inspect equipment from other suppliers?
Yes. We inspect any brand and any age of commercial playground equipment.
What is in the report?
Site and equipment details, photos, findings against AS 4685 and AS 4422, and a risk-rated fix list that sorts every item by priority. It is written for your records, your insurer and your asset team.
What happens if you find a serious hazard?
We tell you on the day and recommend isolating the equipment straight away. The report rates it as top priority, and we can quote the repair.
Can a school pay for this from its own budget?
Yes. Inspections are a routine service purchase. We supply a formal quote, certificates of currency and our qualification details so your business manager can raise a purchase order.
When was your playground last inspected?
If you are not sure, it is probably due. Book an Annual Comprehensive Inspection from $825 ex GST, or start a Care Plan and stop worrying about it.