Best BBQ and picnic parks in Thornleigh
Brickpit Park is the best place in Thornleigh for a big BBQ or picnic, because it puts BBQ facilities, picnic shelters, shade sails and toilets in one spot. Oakleigh Park suits a cook-up at an early or late hour, since it's open 24 hours a day. The Esplanade Garden is the simplest choice, with public BBQs, picnic tables and a playground close by.
Quick picks
- Brickpit Park: the most for a big group, from BBQ facilities and picnic shelters to toilets and a playground.
- Oakleigh Park: the ground never closes, so a cook-up can run at any hour.
- The Esplanade Garden: public BBQs you can turn up to, with picnic tables and a playground.
Brickpit Park: the most room and shelter for a big group
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Brickpit Park has BBQ facilities and picnic shelters, so a big group can cook and eat under cover in one place. Shade sails and picnic shelters offer relief from the sun during play, which suits a group with children. The playground has an embankment slide, a flying fox, swings, a climbing net and junior water play, so the children stay busy while the adults eat. The amenities building has 2 accessible toilets and 4 unisex ambulant toilets, and the parking is free and ample across several car parks. Some parts of the park have little natural shade, so the shelters are the spot to sit. Oakleigh Park and The Esplanade Garden also have BBQs, but neither has shelters listed.
Best for: large groups that need cover and loos
Oakleigh Park: the one open around the clock
- BBQs
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Oakleigh Park is the one for a cook-up at an unusual hour, since it never closes. You will find BBQ facilities and picnic areas beside a playground, with toilets and seating areas in the park. Parking is in two lots, reached from Giblett Avenue or Quarter Sessions Road. At 2.34 ha it is a community recreation ground with seasonal sports fields, so there is room beyond the picnic areas. Booking a BBQ spot there means asking the council first.
Best for: large crowds who want cover and loos at odd hours
The Esplanade Garden: quick BBQs with a playground close by
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
The Esplanade Garden is the simplest choice, with public BBQs that are first come, first served and can't be booked ahead, so arrive early at busy times. The park also has picnic tables and seating areas, a playground with modern play structures, and public toilets on site. At 0.19 ha it's the smallest of the picks, with open spaces for relaxing and informal sports, so it suits a small group. Brickpit Park has more space and shelters, and Oakleigh Park is open 24 hours a day. Expect a short lunch rather than a full afternoon.
Best for: small groups and a quick lunch
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Thornleigh
The table below compares every park we know with BBQs or picnic areas in and near Thornleigh, ranked by how well each suits a cook-up.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Brickpit Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Oakleigh Park | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.The Esplanade Garden | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Hawkins Hall | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nearby, outside Thornleigh | |||||
| Thornleigh Park · Pennant Hills | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wollundry Park Playground · Pennant Hills | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jack Thompson Reserve · Pennant Hills | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
How we picked
Each park score adds up BBQs and shelter first, then tables, toilets, a playground, size and parking. Because the top picks score highest, they tend to have most of what a BBQ or picnic needs. A dash means we lack the detail, so check on the day rather than assume a no.
FAQ
Can you book a BBQ at a Thornleigh park?
The Esplanade Garden's public BBQs can't be booked ahead, because they are first come, first served. At Oakleigh Park, the booking rules are the thing to ask the council about before a group gets together.
Does Brickpit Park have picnic shelters?
Yes, Brickpit Park has picnic shelters, along with shade sails that offer relief from the sun. Some parts of the park have little natural shade, so the shelters are the best place to sit on a hot day.
Which Thornleigh park is open all night for a BBQ?
Oakleigh Park is open 24 hours a day, so a BBQ there can run at any hour. It has BBQ facilities, picnic areas and toilets, so the timing is its main advantage.