Best BBQ and picnic parks in Cronulla
Oak Park is the top pick in Cronulla if you want free barbecues under cover with the ocean pool a few steps away. The others suit different days: a train-side barbecue, a shaded fenced playground, a grassy foreshore, or a reserve on the hill above Wanda Beach.
Quick picks
- Oak Park: free covered barbecues and a free ocean pool.
- Gunnamatta Park: free barbecues and shelters a short walk from the station.
- Shelly Park: shelters and tables beside a fenced playground and a rock pool.
- Dunningham Park: a grassed picnic ground on the foreshore, with a kiosk.
- Don Lucas Reserve: shelters and a playground on the hill above Wanda Beach.
Oak Park: covered barbecues and a free ocean pool
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Oak Park's two undercover barbecues stand on a big grassy area, with covered tables close by. The barbecues are free and first come, first served, so you claim one when you arrive. The ocean pool has a sandy, sloping entry and is open at all times. Toilets, changing rooms and showers sit in the Oak Park Pavilion, and one toilet is accessible. The park faces the mouth of the Hacking River from Cronulla Esplanade.
Best for: Anyone who wants a free barbecue and a swim on the same day
Gunnamatta Park: a barbecue near the station and ferry
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Gunnamatta Park has free public barbecues and shelters, and gas and electric portable barbecues are allowed. Walkers from Cronulla station reach the park in a few minutes, and the ferry wharf sits about 300 m off. The park adjoins the netted Gunnamatta Bay Tidal Baths, and its large grassed areas have shade trees. The pavilion holds the changing rooms and showers, and an accessible toilet sits in the park.
Best for: Anyone arriving by train or ferry who wants a barbecue and shelter
Shelly Park: shelters beside a fenced playground
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Shelly Park's grounds are shaded, with picnic tables and shelters on the lawns. The playground is fully fenced, with eight swings and a sandpit with water play, and a locked gate secures it. Gas units are the only barbecues it allows. The tidal rock pool sits on the shoreline below the grounds, and the Shelly Park Pavilion has toilets and showers.
Best for: Families with young children who want a picnic near a playground
Dunningham Park: a picnic ground on the foreshore
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Dunningham Park has a grassed picnic ground beside North Cronulla Beach, with picnic seating and accessible picnic tables. Only portable gas units are allowed on the grass, and fuel-burning ones are out. The park has power connections, a kiosk and public toilets with change rooms, so a long lunch on the grass is easy to plan. The playground sits apart from the picnic ground, which keeps the two areas separate. Parking is on-street and in an adjoining car park.
Best for: Beachgoers who want a picnic ground a few steps from the sand
Don Lucas Reserve: shelters and a playground above Wanda Beach
- Covered shelter
- Playground
- Parking
Don Lucas Reserve sits on the hill above Wanda Beach, with shelters and park furniture added in its upgrades. Kids get a bird's nest swing, climbing rocks, a double slippery dip and a sand and water zone to use. The reserve has a car park, and the text lists picnic facilities among its features, though it doesn't name barbecues. Greenhills Dog Beach is just north of Wanda Beach, if you want to pair a picnic with a dog swim.
Best for: Families who want shelter, a playground and a car park close by
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Cronulla
Every park in and near Cronulla sits in the grid below, with the same features side by side and a dash for anything we couldn't confirm.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Oak Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Gunnamatta Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Shelly Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Dunningham Park | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.Don Lucas Reserve | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 6.Cronulla Park | ✗ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7.Darook Park | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
How we picked
Picks weigh cooking facilities first, then covered shelters and tables, then toilets, a playground and room to spread out on the grass. A park with both a barbecue and a shelter beats one with tables alone. Gaps in the text show as dashes in the table, not as misses, so an unlisted feature never costs a park its place.
FAQ
Which park in Cronulla has free BBQs?
Free public barbecues are on offer at Oak Park, under cover, and at Gunnamatta Park, close to the station. Both go first come, first served.
Can I have a barbecue at Cronulla Park?
Cronulla Park has no barbecues on site. You can bring a portable gas barbecue to the grass, but coal, wood and heat-bead units are banned.
Which Cronulla park has toilets near its picnic spots?
Oak Park, Gunnamatta Park and Shelly Park all have toilets on site. Oak Park's sit in its pavilion, and Shelly Park's are in the Shelly Park Pavilion. Darook Park has one as well.