Peppercorn Reserve

Good mate proposed, beautiful view, sunset, light hitting the water, beautiful surrounding, park seats and shelter, secluded, enough parking.

Peppercorn Reserve is a place of two parks - I'll try to explain. The top park of Peppercorn Reserve is a small grassed area that runs downhill from St George's Crescent to a wooden observation deck. It is very simple in layout and basic: a couple of bench seats, nice shade, a bin and, for some obscure reason, a mobile basketball hoop when here today.The latter makes for caution in saying it is a place for a peaceful relax. The wooden observation deck provides a limited (by a tree that has perhaps grown a bit higher than expected) field of a beautiful water views; across to historical Spectacle Island and other places (at various distances). Whilst the slope of the ground has an element of steepness to it, the point still needs to be made that no ramp is provided up to the observation deck, which is an omission and a disregard of mobility disabilities - even if not a lot of the potential field of view remains. I think someone who has negotiated a wheelchair to be bottom of the slope (and confronting a return up the slope) would be pretty upset finding no ramp to the observation deck. To one end of the wooden observation deck is a set of stairs down to the second, lower, park. Be careful on the steps going down: the step distance from the 2nd step to the 3rd step is quite large - larger than all the others - and the landing is slightly sloped to one side. The 3rd step down to the 4th isn't as large, but also a bit "irregular" This can be seen best in the cloudy day photographs. There is no chance a person with a mobility disability, or even some very young children or older people, could negotiate these steps. Apart from very young children being carried down, there appears no way for them to access the lower park. I think the geography will always prevent it, but the lack of just a ramp to the wooden observation deck leads to wondering if every possibility has been considered. The second, lower, park has stunning views. It is flat and open, with some picnic huts and bench seats. Not a lot of activities are not prohibited, but aside from family picnics and resting and relaxing (and taking in the views) for adults and running around for children, fishing seems extremely popular. Some dogs are obviously able to negotiate the stairway down, or small enough to be carried down, but it seems it was necessary to leave their leashes behind (for some reason). There is an on-leash and off-leash time of day, not adhered to; but in fairness, should varied a bit in favour of leash free on one day of a weekend. No drinking water to be had anywhere in the Reserve and no public toilets. Bring water with you (if not otherwise fully resourced for food and drink as part of a planned picnic); and the closest public toilets are probably at Birkenhead Point five minutes walk away. The last picture, of the information plaque about Spectacle Island, is not in this Reserve but in nearby Queen Victoria Reserve. However, Spectacle Island is clearly in view here.

Beautiful place. No toilets and the I guess the nearest one is at the coles express.

Not accessible if you cant climb or descend on stairs

Great place to relax with excellent views