Best BBQ and picnic parks in Narrabeen
Furlough Park is the best choice for a BBQ in Narrabeen. It has barbecues, a dedicated picnic area and a shelter beside the beach, and it's the only option here with toilets on site. Wheeler Park and Birdwood Park suit different plans: a covered lunch by the lagoon, or a quick cook by the surf.
Quick picks
- Best for a long family lunch: Furlough Park has barbecues, a shelter, toilets and an enclosed playground in one reserve.
- Best for a covered BBQ by the lagoon: Wheeler Park has a picnic table under cover, close to the water.
- Best for a quick beach stop: Birdwood Park is a short cook-and-go stop beside the surf club.
Furlough Park: the full set on the beachfront reserve
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Furlough Park is where a family can cook, eat under cover and stay all afternoon. The reserve has barbecues, a dedicated picnic area and a shelter for picnickers, and its amenities run to toilets, showers and a tap for drinking water. You can drive in, with car and bus parking listed for the reserve. Narrabeen Beach sits next door, so the kids can swim once lunch is done. Of the Narrabeen options, this is the only one where the barbecue, the toilets and a playground all sit inside the park grounds.
Best for: A long family lunch with a barbecue, a shelter and loos on site
Wheeler Park: a covered BBQ next to the playground
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Playground
Wheeler Park is the pick if you want a covered barbecue with the playground in plain view. The barbecue sits right behind a fully fenced, toddler friendly playground that's shaded, and a timber picnic table and bench seats sit under the shelter. Unsheltered picnic tables are spread across the grass for anyone who'd rather eat in the open. The nearest public toilet is about 600 m away inside a coffee shop, so plan that stop before you settle in. Once you've eaten, the lagoon walk runs past the Pro-kayaks and The Boatshed cafe.
Best for: Parents of toddlers who want a covered BBQ next to the play equipment
Birdwood Park: a quick cook by the surf
- BBQs
- Playground
- Parking
Birdwood Park is a small reserve, so think of it as a quick stop rather than a full afternoon. Its public barbecue sits on a corner at Ocean and Malcolm streets, with the surf club alongside. Kids have a slide, swings and climbing gear to use while the food cooks. Narrabeen Lagoon is next door, so a stroll along the water is an easy add-on. Parking spots are near the reserve, which makes the drop-in easy.
Best for: A short BBQ or snack stop after a swim or a beach walk
How the parks compare
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Narrabeen
The table sets out the barbecue, shelter, picnic, toilet, playground and parking details for each Narrabeen park, with a dash wherever a detail is unknown.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Furlough Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Wheeler Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 3.Birdwood Park | ✓ | – | – | ✗ | ✓ |
| Nearby, outside Narrabeen | |||||
| Bilarong Reserve · North Narrabeen | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
How we picked
We compared the barbecues, shelters, picnic tables, toilets, playgrounds and how big each reserve is. A detail we couldn't confirm shows as a dash in the table, not as a guess, so check before you go if a toilet or a shelter matters to your plans. The parks with a barbecue and the most confirmed details came first.
FAQ
Which park in Narrabeen has public BBQs?
You can cook at Furlough Park or Birdwood Park. Furlough Park's barbecues sit with a dedicated picnic area and a shelter, which suits a longer lunch. Birdwood Park is a smaller beachside reserve that suits a quick cook.
Is there a covered picnic table at Wheeler Park?
Yes, a timber picnic table and bench seats sit under the sheltered barbecue right behind the playground at Wheeler Park. There are also unsheltered picnic tables across the grass, so take the covered one if the sun is strong.
Where do you go to the toilet on a picnic at Birdwood Park?
The nearest toilets are at the North Narrabeen Surf Club, since none sit inside Birdwood Park. Work that stop into your plan before you settle in with the barbecue.
Which picnic park in Narrabeen has toilets on site?
Furlough Park is the one with toilets on the reserve, along with showers and a drinking tap. Wheeler Park's nearest toilet is about 600 m away in a coffee shop, and Birdwood Park's are at the surf club.