Best BBQ and picnic parks in Drummoyne

• BBQs
• Picnic tables
• Toilets
• Playground
• Parking

Brett Park covers everything a family BBQ needs in one stop: free council-run electric barbecues, picnic tables with benches, a shaded area, toilets and a playground. Tables are limited, so come early, and pack a bin bag because rubbish bins are few. Kids can dig in the sandpit and work the water pump while the food cooks. Mornings are calmer, before the crowds and traffic noise build. Afterwards, the 7-kilometre Bay Run passes right by.

Best for: A family BBQ with play time, then a walk or run on the Bay Run

• Covered shelter
• Toilets
• Playground
• Parking

Russell Park is where to eat under cover, since its picnic area sits beneath a shade sail and gazebos stand near the play equipment. No BBQ is recorded, so bring food that's ready to eat. One picnic area is accessible, though the toilets aren't dedicated accessible ones and only open in daylight. Children get a carousel, swings and a slide across the road. A paved path along Five Dock Bay forms part of a 3.8 mile loop, and street parking is easiest away from peak times.

Best for: A packed lunch under cover, followed by a bayside stroll

• BBQs
• Covered shelter
• Toilets
• Playground

Pelican Reserve lets the whole household come to the BBQ, dog included, because its off-leash area shares the foreshore with the barbecue, a shelter and the playground. It's the one Drummoyne pick that combines a BBQ, a roof and toilets, and drinking water is on tap. The Parramatta River stays in view while you eat, and pelicans sometimes drop in. Access is through Queen Victoria Reserve. Peppercorn Reserve, 0.3 km away, has BBQs and picnic huts as a fallback.

Best for: Households that want the dog along for the BBQ

• BBQs
• Toilets
• Playground
• Parking

Rea Reserve is the small, everything-close option: BBQ facilities, a playground for young children, toilets and a cafe all fit into a waterfront reserve on Drummoyne Avenue, with parking at the reserve itself. No picnic tables are recorded, just a park bench, so bring a rug for the grass. Dogs need a lead and must keep well clear of the playground. Menzies Reserve, 0.4 km away by the ferry wharf, has another BBQ if this one is taken.

Best for: A short BBQ with toddlers when you'd like a cafe within reach

• Picnic tables
• Toilets
• Playground

Dunlop Reserve suits a picnic you've bought rather than cooked, since Birkenhead Point shopping centre is close by and no BBQ is recorded in the park. Its open green spaces look across the Parramatta River, and adults get seats and tables beside the fenced playground under a sun shade, with toilets nearby. After lunch, a path follows the water's edge. Salton Reserve, 0.1 km along the foreshore, adds more picnic lawn with water views.

Best for: A picnic after shopping at Birkenhead Point, with toddlers in tow

• Picnic tables
• Playground
• Parking

Drummoyne Park gives a large group the most room: it's a 13.3-acre park with open grass, picnic tables shaded by its many trees and a car park on site. There's no BBQ or toilet on record, so plan around that. The large playground keeps kids busy, though some equipment needs maintenance, so check it first. Expect to share the park with matches when sports competitions are on. It's well lit at night.

Best for: Large weekend gatherings with room for casual games