Best BBQ and picnic parks in Parramatta
Parramatta Park is the first place to take a BBQ or picnic in Parramatta, because its sheltered tables come with BBQs, toilets and two playgrounds on far more ground than any rival. Most BBQ and picnic parks here have a BBQ and a playground, so covered shelters, toilets and parking are what set them apart.
Quick picks
- Biggest outing: Parramatta Park fits a large group, with shelters, BBQs and two playgrounds.
- Smooth paths: Rotary Park suits prams and wheelchairs all the way to its shaded tables.
- Free cooking: River Foreshore Reserve has free electric BBQs on the riverbank.
- Hot days: James Ruse Reserve keeps kids cool with jets and sprinklers from September to May.
- All abilities: Ollie Webb Reserve adds an adult change room with a hoist to its fenced playground.
Parramatta Park for big groups and two playgrounds
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Parramatta Park handles a big gathering better than anywhere else in the suburb, since its picnic shelters come with BBQs and the grounds dwarf every other park in the table. Kids can choose between two playgrounds: Paperbark Playground near the George Street Gatehouse has an inclusive design, and Domain Creek Playground on the Westmead side suits all ages. Toilets are dotted across the park, and you eat inside a UNESCO World Heritage site. Weekend parking fills up, so come early. River Terrace, 0.2 km away, has BBQs by the water if every shelter is taken.
Best for: Birthday crowds and extended families.
Rotary Park, step-free to a covered table
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Rotary Park makes a BBQ easy for anyone pushing a pram or using a wheelchair, because flat, even, paved paths run to its picnic shelters. The shelters shade the tables, and the BBQs sit alongside them. The toilets are accessible, the playground is near the BBQs, and accessible spots back up the metered street parking. At 0.69 ha, it fits a family lunch better than a crowd, and a large event may need a booking.
Best for: Grandparents, prams and wheelchair users.
Prince Alfred Square, a heritage lunch on Church Street
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
Prince Alfred Square gives you sheltered tables and public BBQs in a heritage square on Church Street. A modern playground keeps kids busy, accessible toilets are on hand, and herringbone brick paths cross the lawns to a band rotunda from 1891. There's no car park, so leave the car at Parramatta Station Car Park on Wentworth Street, about 5 minutes away on foot. Community events fill the square on weekends, making a weekday calmer.
Best for: Weekday lunches and anyone arriving on foot.
River Foreshore Reserve for free BBQs by the water
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
River Foreshore Reserve lets you cook for free on the Parramatta River, with free electric BBQs beside its picnic tables and benches. Kids aged 4 and up get water play, a sandpit with pulleys and a long slide down a grassy bank in the district playground. Shaded seating takes the edge off hot afternoons, and the restrooms are accessible. Park near the main entrance at 1 Elizabeth Street, where accessible spaces are set aside. It's quietest at either end of the day.
Best for: Budget cookouts and kids who love getting wet.
James Ruse Reserve, the summer splash and BBQ
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
James Ruse Reserve pairs its BBQs with the largest water playground in the Parramatta area, open 9 am to 8 pm from September to May. Over winter, the dry playground for ages 3 to 10 keeps going. Picnic tables and benches are spread through the grounds, and a new amenities building has accessible toilets, change rooms and baby change for soaked kids. About 20 metered spaces line Hassall Street on weekdays, and side streets nearby are free, though parking gets tight on weekends and in school holidays.
Best for: Families with kids aged 3 to 10.
Ollie Webb Reserve, inclusive from car park to playground
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Ollie Webb Reserve is the most inclusive BBQ spot on this list, with a fenced all-abilities playground and an adult change facility fitted with a hoist. BBQs, picnic tables and open space make a full day easy, and a circuit path suits wheelchairs and strollers. Shade cloths cover the water play area, so pack swimmers. Drivers get their own car park here, with accessible bays and a drop-off area. Noller Park, 0.3 km away, has tree-shaded tables for a quieter lunch.
Best for: Families with a member who has a disability.
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Parramatta
The table ranks every Parramatta park with BBQ or picnic spaces, picks first, followed by the nearest options just outside the suburb.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Parramatta Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Rotary Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Prince Alfred Square | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.River Foreshore Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.James Ruse Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6.Ollie Webb Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7.Rangihou Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8.Burra Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 9.Jubilee Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10.Robin Thomas Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| 11.Jones Park | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12.River Terrace | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 13.Hambledon Cottage Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| 14.Irving Street Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 15.David Frater Reserve | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 16.Old Kings Parade Ground | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 17.Noller Park | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 18.Bill Thompson Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 19.Foveaux Park | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 20.Stewart Street Reserve | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 21.Collett Park | ✗ | ✗ | – | ✗ | ✗ |
| Nearby, outside Parramatta | |||||
| Doyle Ground · North Parramatta | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sherwin Park · North Parramatta | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Junction Street Plaza · Granville | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Rosslyn Blay Park · North Parramatta | – | – | – | ✗ | ✓ |
How we picked
We compared each park on what a cookout or picnic needs: BBQs, covered shelters, tables, toilets, a playground and parking, with a bonus for parks over one hectare. Each feature earned points, and the six top scorers with enough known about them became the picks. A missing detail never cost a park points, and the table shows it as unknown with a dash.
Questions about BBQ and picnic parks in Parramatta
Which park in Parramatta has free BBQs?
River Foreshore Reserve is the Parramatta park known to have free electric BBQs, set along the river. Parramatta Park, Rotary Park and James Ruse Reserve have BBQs as well, but whether they cost anything isn't known.
Where can I picnic under cover in Parramatta if rain is forecast?
Parramatta Park, Rotary Park and Prince Alfred Square each have picnic shelters over their tables, so a shower needn't end lunch. Rangihou Reserve has shelters too, though it isn't known to have a BBQ.
Can you book a BBQ area in Parramatta?
Burra Reserve runs its BBQs on a first-come, first-served basis, so get there early for a weekend gathering. Jubilee Park's Harry Todd Band Hall and Jones Park's community hall can both be hired for events.
Is there a quiet, shady picnic park in Parramatta?
Noller Park on Inkerman Street is a calm neighbourhood choice, where large trees, including a Jacaranda, shade its picnic tables and playground. It suits a packed lunch, and it's quietest early or late in the day.