Best BBQ and picnic parks in Oran Park
Dawson-Damer Park is the Oran Park spot for a BBQ, since it's the only park here with confirmed barbecues, and picnic shelters and toilets sit with them. Across the rest of Oran Park, nearly every park has a covered place to eat, so the choice turns on what's around the shelter: sport, a lake, a skate park or toddler swings, and whether a toilet is close.
Quick picks
- Hot lunch: Dawson-Damer Park has the suburb's only confirmed barbecues, beside picnic shelters.
- Sideline picnic: Doohan Reserve has picnic shelters, a kiosk and toilets at the sports complex.
- Teens in tow: Julia Reserve puts its shelters beside a skate park and basketball courts.
- Quiet lunch by the water: Kolombo Reserve has sheltered tables near a lake and boardwalk.
Dawson-Damer Park for the suburb's only confirmed BBQ
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
Dawson-Damer Park is the Oran Park choice when lunch means cooking, as it's the only park here with confirmed barbecues. Picnic shelters and picnic areas sit with them, and paths run from the tables to the play areas and the water play park, so kids can eat between splashes. Shaded seating is dotted around for anyone resting between swims. Kids can swap wet swimmers for dry clothes in the accessible change rooms, and there are toilets on site. Parking isn't confirmed, so allow time to find a spot near the corner of Dick Johnson Drive and O'Toole Avenue.
Best for: Families who want a hot lunch between rounds of water play
Doohan Reserve for a sideline picnic with a kiosk
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Doohan Reserve turns a day of junior sport into a picnic, with shelters, picnic facilities and seating spread across a 10.4-hectare reserve. The kiosk sells food and drinks, so a forgotten lunch isn't a disaster, and the toilets sit in a two-storey amenities building that's open 8am to 10pm daily. Bring food that needs no cooking, as no BBQ is confirmed. Parking is on site, and shared pathways link the shelters with the fields, courts and all-abilities playground. Kolombo Reserve, 0.3 km away, has a quieter lake setting.
Best for: Parents watching junior sport who want a roof and a toilet nearby
Julia Reserve for a picnic with teenagers
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Parking
Julia Reserve is the Oran Park picnic for families with teenagers, because its shelters and arbour sit in a youth precinct with a skate park, a parkour area, basketball courts and ping pong tables. The skate bowls suit beginners through to advanced riders, and the large informal lawn takes a kick-around. Toilets are in the youth and community centre. With no confirmed BBQ or playground, it's a packed-lunch stop for older kids. Reach the carpark by the driveway before the Ampol Petrol station on Peter Brock Drive, and skip the skate park after rain, as the surface turns slippery.
Best for: Families with teens or tweens who've outgrown the playground
Kolombo Reserve for a quiet lakeside picnic
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Playground
Kolombo Reserve is the calm option in Oran Park, with sheltered picnic tables in a 7.5-acre reserve designed mainly for passive recreation, beside a lake. After lunch, the scenic boardwalk and walking paths make an easy stroll, and a dedicated bike path is shared by walkers, runners and cyclists. Its all-abilities playground lets every child join in. BBQs, toilets and parking aren't confirmed, so bring a ready-made lunch, and remember Doohan Reserve's amenities building is 0.3 km away on Skaife Street.
Best for: A calm lunch and a walk by the water
Angus Park for a hilltop picnic under cover
- Covered shelter
- Playground
Angus Park gives you a picnic with a view, since its sheltered picnic area sits on high ground looking out over the surrounding area. The cover keeps off sun and light rain, and the toddler swings, nest swing and acoustic play equipment are right beside it, so you can eat and watch at once. It's a small neighbourhood park on Brangus Loop, completed in February 2020, with no BBQ, toilets or parking confirmed. The playground is usually busy, so pick a quieter time with toddlers. Dawson-Damer Park's barbecues are 0.4 km away for a hot lunch.
Best for: A small picnic with toddlers and a view
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Oran Park
The table below ranks each Oran Park park with a shelter, picnic tables or a BBQ, starting with the picks.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Dawson-Damer Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Doohan Reserve | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Julia Reserve | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | – |
| 4.Kolombo Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 5.Angus Park | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 6.Grand Prix Park | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 7.Singer Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 8.Wayne Gardner Reserve | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 9.Family Hill Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 10.Bridge Park | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| 11.Grandstand Park | – | ✓ | – | – | – |
How we picked
We ranked parks on what a cookout or a picnic needs most: a barbecue, a roof and a toilet, each worth double. Tables, a playground, parking and a park of a hectare or more counted for less. A park became a pick only with enough known detail for a full write-up, which leaves several sheltered spots in the table alone. Unknowns appear as a dash and never count against a park.
FAQ
Which park in Oran Park has free BBQs?
Dawson-Damer Park is the one Oran Park park with confirmed barbecues, set beside its picnic shelters. Whether they cost anything isn't stated, and the other parks here are known only for shelters and tables, so take a ready-made lunch to those.
Where can you picnic under cover in Oran Park?
In Oran Park, a covered table is easy to find. Wayne Gardner Reserve has two shelters on its upper slopes beside the playground, Bridge Park's covered area sits next to a fully enclosed playground for younger children, and Grand Prix Park's is close to a zip line. Singer Park and Family Hill Park each have sheltered tables.
Which Oran Park picnic parks have toilets?
In Oran Park, Dawson-Damer Park, Doohan Reserve and Julia Reserve are where you'll find confirmed toilets. Julia Reserve's are in the youth and community centre, and Doohan Reserve's amenities building opens 8am to 10pm. At the other parks, toilets are unknown, so go before you leave home.
Is there a themed picnic shelter in Oran Park?
Grandstand Park in Oran Park has a picnic shelter themed on the old Oran Park Raceway, built where the raceway's grandstand once stood. A replica of the racetrack runs through its walking path, and its spot high on Grandstand Loop gives mountain views.