Best BBQ and picnic parks in North Parramatta
Start with Lake Parramatta Reserve for a BBQ, since its free electric barbecues sit in a bushland reserve with a lake and five walking tracks. P H Jeffery Reserve is the other BBQ spot, with no closing time. For a picnic without the grill, Barton Park and Belmore Park have picnic tables, while Doyle Ground and Sherwin Park add toilets and drinking water.
Quick picks
- Best BBQ with a walk: Lake Parramatta Reserve has free electric barbecues and five walking tracks.
- Best BBQ at any hour: P H Jeffery Reserve has BBQ facilities and never closes.
- Best shaded picnic: Barton Park has shaded seating and a refillable water station.
- Best picnic with a playspace: Belmore Park has picnic tables and a fenced playspace for ages 0 to 12.
Lake Parramatta Reserve: free electric BBQs in the bush
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Lake Parramatta Reserve is the pick for a BBQ followed by a walk or a swim, because its free electric barbecues are available for public use in a 73-hectare bushland reserve. Picnic tables and benches sit throughout the grounds, so a group can spread out. Five walking tracks run through the bush, and the Lake Circuit makes a 4,200-metre loop around the water. Lifeguards are on duty at the swimming area in season, and the 68 free car spaces fill quickly at peak times, so arrive early on weekends.
Best for: Families who want a free BBQ, then a walk round the lake
P H Jeffery Reserve: a BBQ that never closes
- BBQs
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
P H Jeffery Reserve is the pick for a BBQ at any hour, because the reserve is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it never shuts. It has BBQ facilities, picnic areas, public restrooms and a playground, and parking in the reserve's car park off Barton Street is free. The reserve sits next to the PH Jeffery Tennis Complex, which has 17 synthetic courts with lighting for evening play, so the courts are close by if you want a game.
Best for: Anyone who wants a BBQ with no closing time
Barton Park: shade, water and a picnic without a BBQ
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Barton Park is the pick for a picnic without a BBQ, since it has picnic tables and shaded seating, plus a refillable water station to fill up at. The amenities building has toilets and change rooms, and parking on the surrounding streets is free. Bring your own food, because there's no café on the site. It's a community athletics venue, with open grassy areas for ball games. It's open 24 hours a day, but the free street parking can run short during major athletics events, so arrive early on those days.
Best for: Picnickers who want shade and water but not a BBQ
Belmore Park: picnic tables and a fenced playspace
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Belmore Park is the pick for a family picnic, because its picnic tables and benches sit in the same park as a fenced playspace for children aged 0 to 12. A shade sail protects the playspace on hot days. No BBQ is listed here, so pack a rug and your own food. The amenities building has public toilets, but the street parking off Castle and Bellevue Streets is limited, so get there early. It's open round the clock.
Best for: Families with children up to 12 who want toilets close by
Doyle Ground: a picnic that doubles as a walk
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Doyle Ground is the pick for a picnic that doubles as a walk, because a 1 km circuit track loops around its four large sporting fields. After the meal, the well-kept track makes a loop round the fields. Picnic tables are among the facilities, and the public toilets open from 6 AM to 8 PM. Parking on the streets around the ground is free, but it goes quickly at peak times. The only shade listed is the sail over the playspace, so bring your own for the picnic.
Best for: Picnic groups who also want a walk or a run
Sherwin Park: picnic tables near toilets and drinking water
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
Sherwin Park is the pick for a picnic that needs toilets and drinking water on the spot. Its picnic tables and park benches sit near the play area, and the public toilets and water fountains are next to it. On weekends, get there early to bag a table. Shade may be scarce, so pack a hat and some water. A castle turret playground is nearby for the children, and the open grassy areas leave room for a rug.
Best for: Picnickers who want toilets and water near the tables
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near North Parramatta
The table below lists every park we looked at here, ranked by how well each suits a BBQ or picnic, with nearby parks in a group of their own.
| Park | BBQs | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Lake Parramatta Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.P H Jeffery Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Barton Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Belmore Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.Doyle Ground | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6.Sherwin Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7.Thomas Williams Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 8.Rosslyn Blay Park | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 9.Maria Lock Park | – | – | – | – |
| Nearby, outside North Parramatta | ||||
| River Foreshore Reserve · Parramatta | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prince Alfred Square · Parramatta | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bill Thompson Reserve · Parramatta | – | – | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collett Park · Parramatta | – | – | ✗ | ✗ |
How we picked
Each park earned points for a BBQ, a shelter, picnic tables, toilets, a playground and parking, with a little extra for bigger grounds. Parks with enough known details became the picks, and the rest appear only in the table. Thomas Williams Reserve has a BBQ picnic area, but its toilets and parking aren't confirmed, so it's listed without a pick. Unknowns appear as a dash in the table, never as a cross.
FAQ
Which park in North Parramatta has free BBQs?
Lake Parramatta Reserve has free electric barbecues for anyone to use. P H Jeffery Reserve has BBQ facilities as well, and it's open 24 hours a day.
Can I have a picnic in North Parramatta without a BBQ?
Yes, Barton Park has picnic tables and is open 24 hours a day, with toilets in its amenities building. Belmore Park is another option, with picnic tables and a fenced playspace for children up to 12.
Which North Parramatta picnic parks have toilets?
Lake Parramatta Reserve, P H Jeffery Reserve, Barton Park, Belmore Park, Doyle Ground and Sherwin Park all have public toilets. Doyle Ground's toilets open from 6 AM to 8 PM, while Sherwin Park's sit next to its play area.