Best BBQ and picnic parks in Mascot
Lionel Bowen Park is the best pick in Mascot for a barbecue, with BBQs, picnic tables and a sheltered area beside Mascot Oval. John Curtin Memorial Reserve suits a sit-down picnic with toilets, and Dr Darragh Park has a barbecue by its play area. High Street Reserve suits a picnic while your dog runs. The choice comes down to whether you need a barbecue, shelter or toilets.
Quick picks
- Best for a barbecue: Lionel Bowen Park has BBQs, picnic tables and a sheltered area.
- Best for a family lunch: Dr Darragh Park has a barbecue by its play area.
- Best for toilets and play: John Curtin Memorial Reserve has toilets, a playground and benches to sit at.
- Best for a picnic while the dog runs: High Street Reserve has picnic tables beside its off-leash lawn.
Lionel Bowen Park: the barbecue with shelter
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
Lionel Bowen Park is the pick if you want to cook with shelter overhead. Its BBQs sit beside picnic tables and a sheltered area, on Coward Street next to Mascot Oval. Public toilets are in the park too, but they have been found locked before, so check them before a long stay. The playground has slides, swings and climbing equipment for older children, plus a separate toddler area, so the little ones have their own space while you cook. It is an easy walk from Mascot station, about 400 m off. Dr Darragh Park also has a barbecue, but this is the only one here with a sheltered area beside it.
Best for: a barbecue with shelter and toilets close by
John Curtin Memorial Reserve: a picnic with toilets and play
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
John Curtin Memorial Reserve is the pick for a sit-down picnic with the kids close by. It has benches and tables on site, public toilets and a playground with play equipment, all within the park grounds. Off-street parking at 76 High Street makes it easier to carry a picnic in than the kerbside spots nearby. Shade areas and water bubblers are listed across the park. Little Baxter Cafe and Nate's Restaurant and Bar are about 150 m away if you'd rather buy lunch. No barbecue is listed here, so this is the picnic option rather than the cook-out one.
Best for: a sit-down picnic with toilets and a playground
Dr Darragh Park: a barbecue beside the playground
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Playground
Dr Darragh Park is the pick for a family lunch with the kids in sight. A barbecue and picnic tables sit beside the playground on Gearin Avenue, and the playground has swings, slides and climbing equipment that is wheelchair accessible. Shade areas run across the landscaped grounds, so there is a cooler place to sit while the children play. Mascot railway station is about 200 m away, and Oliver Brown cafe and La Bufala restaurant are about 50 m away if you'd rather not cook. Unlike Lionel Bowen Park, no shelter is listed over its barbecue, and no toilets are listed here, so plan around that.
Best for: a barbecue lunch while the kids play
High Street Reserve: picnic tables beside the off-leash lawn
- Picnic tables
- Parking
High Street Reserve is the pick if you're picnicking while your dog runs. Benches and picnic tables sit beside its fully fenced off-leash lawn, which has two double-gated entries and a dog water tap. The park has no public toilets and no barbecue listed, so this is a sit-down picnic only. There is no car park, so you will be using the street. Laz's on King cafe is about 50 m away and Mobius Bar and Grill about 200 m away, so lunch is easy to buy. For a stop with toilets and a playground, John Curtin Memorial Reserve suits better.
Best for: a sit-down picnic while your dog runs, with no toilets
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Mascot
The table below compares Mascot's parks on the facilities a picnic depends on, so you can check before you go.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Lionel Bowen Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.John Curtin Memorial Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Dr Darragh Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 4.High Street Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | – |
| 5.Hughes Avenue Reserve | – | – | ✓ | – | – |
| 6.Nancy Bird-Walton Reserve | – | – | ✓ | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Mascot | |||||
| Sydney Park · Alexandria | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beaconsfield Park · Beaconsfield | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Janet Beirne Reserve · Beaconsfield | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Lever Reserve · Rosebery | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
We weighed each park on BBQs, shelters, tables, toilets, a playground, parking and size, using only the facts we could confirm. Dashes in the table mean a detail is unconfirmed, not that it's absent. Parks with fewer confirmed facts rank lower, and dog areas are judged on their picnic facilities alone.
FAQ
Which park in Mascot has a BBQ?
Lionel Bowen Park and Dr Darragh Park both have a barbecue. Lionel Bowen Park's BBQs sit with picnic tables and a sheltered area beside Mascot Oval, while Dr Darragh Park's barbecue is beside its playground on Gearin Avenue.
Are there toilets at the picnic parks in Mascot?
You will find a toilet block at Lionel Bowen Park, and another at John Curtin Memorial Reserve. High Street Reserve has none, so plan ahead if you're staying a while there.
Where can I park for a picnic in Mascot?
John Curtin Memorial Reserve has off-street parking at 76 High Street. At High Street Reserve you'll need a spot on the street, and weekends are easier than weekdays.
Is there a playground at a Mascot picnic spot?
Yes, at Dr Darragh Park, where the play area has swings, slides and climbing equipment and is wheelchair accessible. John Curtin Memorial Reserve has a playground as well, inside the park grounds, beside its benches and tables.