Outram Playcentre facilitator Julie Bathgate said her first reaction was anger when she saw the photos of the damage when it was discovered after the Easter holiday.
The wooden play area, including a beloved wooden plane, had been smashed and left with nail points exposed.
Tomatoes grown by the playcentre’s children had been thrown around and the enclosed area where people gathered in winter was ripped and torn.
A trough of water had been urinated in.
"Anything they could find, they trashed," she said.
She was disappointed, struggling to understand how anyone could perform such senseless vandalism that ruined things for children.
The playcentre was meant to be a safe space for children and their parents, and had always been left open so people could go in and enjoy it.
Outram was a tight community where people typically left doors unlocked.
A complaint had been made to police, Mrs Bathgate said.
A quickly established Givealittle page raised more than $2500 in just seven hours yesterday.
There was an "amazing" flood of phone calls since the story went on social media, plus offers of donations, plants and a builder’s time. A bingo fundraiser would be held on Tuesday.
"This is the Outram I know", she said.
