Best BBQ and picnic parks in Katoomba
Maple Grove is where to go for a Katoomba BBQ, with the only free electric BBQs we know of in town, a covered cooking area, toilets, a playground and ample parking. Elsewhere you bring a ready-made picnic and choose between a valley view, a gazebo beside a fenced playground or an oval for a party.
Quick picks
- Free BBQs: Maple Grove has two electric BBQs at no cost on flat, shady grass by a creek.
- Valley views: Lilianfels Park looks over the Jamison Valley, with a shelter by its car park near Echo Point.
- Toddlers in tow: Hinkler Park's gazebo sits by a fully fenced playground with a climbable aeroplane.
- Big family parties: Hodgson Park spreads covered tables and a gazebo around a large playground.
Maple Grove for free BBQs by the creek
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Maple Grove is the one Katoomba park where you can cook on a public BBQ, with two free electric hotplates and a cooking area under cover. Picnic tables spread over a large grassed area on both sides of Cliff Drive, among plenty of shady spots. Toilets, a playground and roomy on-site parking round it out, and the level ground suits a wheelchair or pram. Bring drinking water, as there are no taps. Katoomba Cascades is barely a stroll away.
Best for: A cooked lunch for a group, with kids along
Bureau Park for a shaded family picnic
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Bureau Park suits a family picnic with the kids in sight, because its tables and covered, shaded areas sit near a playground under mature trees. A baby swing and a cave-like covered nook look after the littlest ones, while older kids get several play structures. You'll find toilets on site, and strollers roll easily on the flat ground. Barton Street and St Andrews Crescent have plenty of kerbside spots. The oval hosts local cricket and football clubs, with cricket competitions on Sundays.
Best for: Families with babies and preschoolers who want shade
Lilianfels Park for a valley view near Echo Point
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Parking
Lilianfels Park pairs a picnic with a Jamison Valley outlook a short walk from Echo Point, at its best at sunset. A picnic shelter with tables stands beside the car park, more tables dot the grounds, and the toilet block is kept clean. Old Lilianfels Estate orchard trees, including Spanish chestnut and cherry, shade much of the park. Come early to dodge the crowds; some bus and road noise carries in. The Road Builders Memorial adds a history stop.
Best for: A sunset picnic with a view, and history fans
Hinkler Park for a gazebo lunch next to a fenced playground
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Hinkler Park is the easiest picnic with toddlers, because its gazebo and tables sit close to a fully fenced playground. Children climb a colourful metal aeroplane, and the six swings include an accessible one. The playground has sun shade, the toilets are in a log cabin style block, and parking is on hand. It's a small neighbourhood spot on Warialda Street, so plan a lunch and a play more than a full day. Carrington Park, 0.6 km away, has a cave-like covered area if the gazebo is taken.
Best for: Parents of toddlers who want to sit down and eat
Hodgson Park for a big family party
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Playground
Hodgson Park handles a big family gathering, with covered picnic tables plus a gazebo full of tables and seats, and it's rated 4.5 on Google (83 ratings). Its large playground has monkey bars and a climbing wall among the swings and slides, and soccer fields wrap around it for older kids. In winter a small slope becomes a toboggan run for little ones. The Blue Mountains Organic Community Gardens open daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Toilets aren't confirmed, so keep Melrose Park, 0.5 km away, in mind.
Best for: Large family gatherings with kids of mixed ages
Melrose Park for a birthday on the oval
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Melrose Park suits a birthday party, with picnic tables and park benches beside an open oval used for cricket and kite flying. Kids can ride the ramps in the modern playground or head over to the Melrose family skate park. Toilets are on site, though they may be locked at times, and there's a car park as well as street spaces. The park is open 24 hours unless booked, so check before planning a big gathering.
Best for: Birthday parties for kids who ride
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Katoomba
Compare the shelters, tables, toilets and playgrounds at every Katoomba picnic park in the table, followed by any close neighbours over the suburb line.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Maple Grove | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Bureau Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Lilianfels Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| 4.Hinkler Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.Hodgson Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 6.Melrose Park | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7.Carrington Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 8.Minnehaha Falls Recreation Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 9.Cahills Lookout Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | – |
| 10.Walford Park | – | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 11.Silver Mist Reserve | – | – | ✓ | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Katoomba | |||||
| Bloome Park · Leura | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
Parks scored points for a BBQ, a covered shelter, picnic tables, toilets, a playground, parking and a size of 1 ha or more, with BBQs, shelter and toilets counting double. A Google rating added a little where a park had enough of them. Lookouts and bush spots with tables but few facilities rank below the picks. A detail we couldn't confirm shows as a dash and costs nothing.
FAQ
Which park in Katoomba has free BBQs?
Maple Grove has Katoomba's free BBQs, two electric hotplates on Cliff Drive with one cooking area covered. Tables, toilets and a playground are close at hand.
Where can you picnic with a view in Katoomba?
Lilianfels Park is the Katoomba picnic spot with a Jamison Valley view, best at sunset. For somewhere quieter, Cahills Lookout Reserve has tables at the trail head to its fenced platforms but no toilets, and Silver Mist Reserve sits just above Tallawalla Lookout.
Is there a picnic spot near a swimming hole in Katoomba?
Minnehaha Falls Recreation Reserve has picnic tables on a grassy area by its car park, and a 1.5 km return track leads down to a deep swimming hole with a rope swing. The car park fills fast on summer weekends, and the nearest toilets are on Barton Street.
Which Katoomba picnic park is easiest with toddlers?
Hinkler Park is the Katoomba pick for toddlers, since its playground is fully fenced and the gazebo is close by. Bureau Park comes next, with a baby swing near its shaded tables.