A South Coast father still can't get the sound of his daughter's scream out of his head after she broke her leg at Berry's Boongaree Nature Play Park on Monday.
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Mitch Liddicoat, of Shoalhaven Heads, said his 3-year-old daughter Harlow is the park's latest casualty after she sustained a significant break to her leg when riding down the slide.
"It was an absolutely bloodcurdling scream," Mr Liddicoat said.
Many parents have reported serious injuries including broken legs, arms, knocked out teeth and facial fractures after visiting the all-ages inclusive park since it opened January this year.
The large slide in the middle of the park has been the main culprit, according to parents who have shared their stories with the Mercury, including Shell Cove's Tisha Fleming whose daughter sustained two broken legs after coming off the slide in April.
Mr Liddicoat said he had heard other parents raise concerns about the slide, however was reassured it was safe knowing the park had complied with safety standards.
"Harlow went to the smaller slide with her mother and went down a few times," Mr Liddicoat said.
"Then she saw the bigger slide and wanted to go down, I was guiding her and told her where to put her feet.
"But she asked if I could go down with her, so I laid her down on top of me ... what we didn't see is there's quite a big kink in the middle of the slide that catapulted us into the other side.
"That's when Harlow started screaming."
Mr Liddicoat and his wife, Tayla, rushed Harlow to Shoalhaven Hospital where her left leg was put into a cast.
Harlow, who is having nightmares since the event, will have an appointment on Friday to decide whether surgery is necessary.
The parents launched a petition to push for the large slide to be altered or removed to prevent further injuries to children, and has garnered almost 100 signatures.
They have also received dozens of messages from other parents with similar stories.
"We've already copped some flack from others saying we're bad parents and we're trying to ruin it for others, but that's not what we're trying to do at all," Mr Liddicoat said.
"From all the other stories we've heard since the petition, this amount of injuries isn't normal.
"We just want the slide changed to make it safer. How many more injuries need to happen for something to change?"
The problem lies with a sharp "kink" in the slide, according to Mr Liddicoat, which "throws kids around like a tumble drier".
"It's the kink that's obviously doing the damage," he said.
Mr Liddicoat had since been back to the park to check for signage around the slide. Signs surrounding the slide warns parents not to assist their children to use the playground equipment.
However, Mr Liddicoat said the sign was at the exit of the slide.
"There's a sign when you walk into the park that warns of hazardous play, like most parks do," Mr Liddicoat said.
"But the only signage between the two points from the small and big slide was at the exit, facing away from the slide. You're only going to see it when you leave it."
Shoalhaven City Council was contacted for comment. In a previous statement, it had indicated a national child safety organisation would review the park.
The nature play park includes the dual flying fox, sensory play area, swings, slides, climbing nets and exercise equipment. It was designed and certified as compliant with relevant the Australian Standards.
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