Best BBQ and picnic parks in Maroubra
Arthur Byrne Reserve is the best pick in Maroubra for a barbecue, with picnic shelters on the grass and direct access to Maroubra Beach. Heffron Park and Coral Sea Park are the other picks. Heffron has covered tables near a playground in a much bigger park, and Coral Sea has barbecues away from its sports fields. Shelter, barbecues and nearby toilets set them apart.
Quick picks
- Best for a beach barbecue: Arthur Byrne Reserve has barbecues, picnic shelters and direct access to Maroubra Beach.
- Best for a picnic with room: Heffron Park has covered picnic tables close to a playground, in a 46.19 ha park.
- Best for a barbecue away from the sport: Coral Sea Park has barbecue facilities and picnic areas apart from its sports fields.
Arthur Byrne Reserve: barbecues by the beach
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Arthur Byrne Reserve is the one to choose for a barbecue with the beach at hand. Its barbecues, picnic tables and picnic shelters are all on the grass, so you can cook and then eat under cover. You can walk from that grass straight onto Maroubra Beach, and the large grassed park leaves room to spread out. A fenced playground with two ship play structures keeps the kids busy, and the toilets sit on the Maroubra Beach promenade next door. The on-site car park is the catch, since getting a space in it at busy times can be tough, so it pays to arrive early.
Best for: Best for a beach barbecue
Heffron Park: covered tables in a big park
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Heffron Park is the choice for a family picnic with room to spread out. At 46.19 ha, it is by far the biggest of the three picks, and its covered picnic tables sit close to a fenced, partially shaded playground. Bins and toilets sit near the playground as well, so nothing is far from the tables. Car parks sit inside the park. Saturdays are the peak, with Randwick Netball bringing in more than 10,000 people. No barbecues are listed for it, so plan on a picnic rather than a barbecue.
Best for: Best for a big family picnic
Coral Sea Park: barbecues away from the sport
- BBQs
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Coral Sea Park is where to cook away from the sport. Its BBQ facilities and picnic areas are for family gatherings and sit apart from the sports fields. At 5.58 ha it is smaller than Arthur Byrne Reserve, but it has a large, free car park on site, toilets provided on site and a large inclusive children's playground. The playground means the kids have somewhere to go between bites. Of the three picks, it is the one to choose for a barbecue.
Best for: Best for a barbecue away from the sport
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Maroubra
The table below sets out the barbecue and picnic parks side by side, with the best fits first.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Arthur Byrne Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Heffron Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Coral Sea Park | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Quarry Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 5.Benvenue Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Nearby, outside Maroubra | |||||
| Jellicoe Park · Pagewood | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Munda Street Reserve · Randwick | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Randwick Environment Park · Randwick | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hurley Reserve · Matraville | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
Barbecues, shelter, picnic tables, toilets, a playground and the park's size were the things we weighed. Barbecues, shelters and toilets carry the most weight in the score, and a park needs enough known details to get a pick. A park is never marked down for a detail we lack, which stays open in the table.
FAQ
Which Maroubra park has barbecues?
Arthur Byrne Reserve has barbecues on its grass beside Maroubra Beach. Coral Sea Park has barbecue facilities too, set away from its sports fields and meant for family gatherings.
Where can you picnic under cover in Maroubra?
Arthur Byrne Reserve has picnic shelters on the grass. Benvenue Reserve, a small park, has a picnic table under shelter beside its fenced playground, and Heffron Park's picnic tables are covered as well.
Are there toilets at Arthur Byrne Reserve?
Yes, Arthur Byrne Reserve's public toilets are on the Maroubra Beach promenade, beside the reserve. Its car park is on site, though spaces are tight on weekends.