Best BBQ and picnic parks in Springwood
Else Mitchell Park is the top pick for a Springwood picnic because its covered picnic area keeps the table dry and shaded. Buttenshaw Park comes next if toilets and an on-site carpark matter most, and Fairy Dell Reserve suits a picnic that turns into a bushwalk. What separates these parks is shelter, toilets and the walks you can add on.
Quick picks
- Shelter from sun and rain: Else Mitchell Park, with the only covered table on record here.
- Toilets nearby: Buttenshaw Park, where the toilets are a short stroll from the tables.
- A picnic on a bushwalk: Fairy Dell Reserve, with shaded tables at the start of the Lawson Lookout track.
Else Mitchell Park: the covered picnic in bushland
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Playground
Else Mitchell Park is the pick when you want a roof over the table. Its covered picnic area has two tables on Prince St, set in bushland where magnificent Euc deanei trees shade the grass on warm days. A creek runs through the park and is crossed by small bridges. Compared with the other Springwood picnic parks, it's the only one with a covered area on record. There are no public toilets here, though, so visit with that in mind. The playground is small and basic, which suits a few young children better than a big group.
Best for: Families who want a roof over the table, a bubbler and a small playground, and who can manage without toilets
Buttenshaw Park: tables with toilets close by
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Buttenshaw Park is the pick when toilets matter most. Its picnic tables sit beside the children's playground, and the public toilets are a short stroll back through the carpark from there. The carpark is on site, reached from the play area, so the walk from car to tables is brief. Formal gardens give the picnic area a relaxed, landscaped feel. Else Mitchell Park has no public toilets, and Fairy Dell Reserve doesn't mention any, so Buttenshaw is the one with toilets on record. No covered area is on record here, so a rug or umbrella helps for shade.
Best for: Families with young kids who want toilets and a short walk from the car to the tables
Fairy Dell Reserve: a shaded picnic at the start of a walk
- Picnic tables
- Parking
Fairy Dell Reserve is the pick when lunch is part of a walk. Its terraced picnic garden sits in bushland at the head of Magdala Gully, with numerous tables spread out in the shade. The track to Lawson Lookout begins here and runs 2.7 km return. Allow 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes for the return leg, since the track is graded hard. A grassy patch beside the tables suits younger children. There's a reserve carpark close to Springwood Avenue, but no toilets or covered area are on record, so pack for sun or rain.
Best for: Walkers who want a shaded lunch stop, and parents with older kids on a short bushwalk
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Springwood
The table below sets the parks side by side on tables, shelter, toilets, play, parking and size, with anything unknown left as a dash.
| Park | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Else Mitchell Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 2.Buttenshaw Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Fairy Dell Reserve | – | ✓ | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Springwood | ||||
| Jackson Park · Faulconbridge | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
How we picked
Each park was judged on the features a picnic needs most: covered shelter, tables, toilets, a playground for kids, parking and the size of the grounds. Shelter and toilets weigh the most in the ranking. Where a detail hasn't been recorded, the table leaves it blank rather than assuming a no, so check a blank cell on arrival.
FAQ
Which Springwood park has a covered picnic area?
Else Mitchell Park, on Prince St, has the only covered picnic area on record. Its roof keeps the table dry in rain, and the bush shade keeps it cool in summer.
Where is the nearest toilet for a Springwood picnic?
Buttenshaw Park is the only one of these with toilets on record, a short walk from its picnic tables. Else Mitchell Park lacks public toilets, and nothing is on record for Fairy Dell Reserve.
Is there a free BBQ in Springwood?
None of Springwood's picnic parks lists a BBQ, so bring a portable cooker if you plan to cook. Tables for a cold lunch are at Else Mitchell, Buttenshaw and Fairy Dell.
Which Springwood park is best for a picnic on a walk?
Fairy Dell Reserve, because its terraced picnic garden is where the bushwalks start. Lunch and a hike fit into one visit, and the carpark is close by.