Best BBQ and picnic parks in Ultimo
Mary Ann Street Park is the top pick for a barbecue or picnic in Ultimo, with barbecues, picnic tables and shaded seating among gardens and a lawn. The other picks differ in what sits next to the barbecue. McKee Street Reserve puts its picnic tables close to a toddler playground, and Fig Lane Park keeps its barbecues in a shaded area on a raised central lawn.
Quick picks
- Top pick: Mary Ann Street Park has barbecues and picnic tables among gardens, with convenient parking nearby.
- With toddlers: McKee Street Reserve has barbecues and picnic tables close to a toddler playground.
- Shade: at Fig Lane Park, the barbecue area is shaded and sits near the children's playground.
Mary Ann Street Park: barbecue and table in one spot
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Parking
Mary Ann Street Park is the pick if you want to cook and sit down to eat in the same place. Barbecues and picnic tables sit among gardens and a lawn, so a group meal doesn't need its own table. Benches, shade structures and shaded seating keep you out of the sun while you eat. Convenient parking is near the park. The paths suit walking and running, so a stroll after lunch is easy, and McKee Street Reserve, 0.1 km away, and TAFE NSW Ultimo Library are close by.
Best for: Groups who want to cook and sit down to eat in the same place, with parking close by
McKee Street Reserve: a picnic close to the toddler playground
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Playground
McKee Street Reserve is the one to choose when toddlers come along, since its tables and barbecues sit close to a playground for toddlers and younger children. The playground has softfall beneath the equipment. The picnic seats and tables sit on a paved plaza and lawn with room for group picnics, unlike Mary Ann Street Park's, which are set among gardens. A shade sail and some trees are nearby for the picnic seats and the play area, and the Ultimo Community Garden is inside the reserve too.
Best for: Parents with little ones who want the barbecue and the play equipment close together
Fig Lane Park: shaded barbecues and a raised central lawn
- BBQs
- Playground
Fig Lane Park is the pick for a barbecue in the shade. Its shaded picnic and barbecue area has barbecues for family meals, and it sits close to the children's playground, so cooking and play happen in the same part of the park. The playground is naturally shaded and has a fenced toddler area. The park is built around a raised central lawn with a Port Jackson Fig at its centre, and walking paths run through the grounds.
Best for: People who want barbecues in shade, in a park with a fenced toddler section
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Ultimo
The table below ranks the parks by how well they suit a barbecue or picnic, and a dash means we couldn't confirm the detail.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Mary Ann Street Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | – |
| 2.McKee Street Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 3.Fig Lane Park | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 4.Mountain Street Reserve | – | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Ultimo | |||||
| Prince Alfred Park · Surry Hills | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Darling Quarter Village Green (South) · Sydney | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Belmore Park · Haymarket | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Yellomundee Park · Redfern | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
Scores weigh barbecues, covered shelters and toilets most, then picnic tables, a playground, size and parking. Shade, setting and how busy a park gets go into each section but don't change the order. A dash means we couldn't confirm a detail, which isn't the same as it being missing, so check the park before you go.
FAQ
Which park in Ultimo has barbecues?
Mary Ann Street Park, McKee Street Reserve and Fig Lane Park all have barbecues. Mary Ann Street Park's sit among gardens and a lawn, while Fig Lane Park's sit in a shaded picnic and barbecue area.
Where can I picnic with toddlers in Ultimo?
For a picnic with little ones in Ultimo, the strongest option is McKee Street Reserve, where the picnic seats sit by the play equipment. Shade comes from a shade sail and trees that stand nearby.
Are there toilets at the barbecue parks in Ultimo?
None of the Ultimo parks listed here has a toilet we can confirm, so plan ahead. Toilets are listed at Darling Quarter Village Green (South) in Sydney and at Belmore Park in Haymarket, both within a kilometre.
Where can I park for a barbecue in Ultimo?
Mary Ann Street Park is the one with parking we can confirm nearby. McKee Street Reserve and Fig Lane Park have no parking on record.