Best BBQ and picnic parks in Wahroonga
Wahroonga Park is the place to start, since its rotunda takes groups and the park has toilets on site. Jacana Reserve comes next for a cook-out in the shade, and Waitara Jaycee Park is the small free option for a grill. Balcombe Park and Eldinhope Green suit simpler, quieter picnics.
Quick picks
- Best group picnic: Wahroonga Park has a rotunda that takes groups of up to 50.
- Best free BBQ in the shade: Jacana Reserve has free BBQ grills and shaded spots.
- Best small free cook-out: Waitara Jaycee Park is a small park with BBQ facilities.
- Best quiet weekday picnic: Balcombe Park has a picnic table with a chessboard.
Wahroonga Park: a rotunda for big groups
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Wahroonga Park is the pick for a group picnic, because its rotunda takes groups of up to 50 and can be booked through Ku-ring-gai Council. The picnic areas have tables and benches, and the 1.83-hectare park has on-site toilets, so a long lunch doesn't need a toilet stop elsewhere. Parking is free, and you can also use the surrounding streets. Shade is limited: there are shaded seating areas, but the open green spaces have little natural shade. Weekends draw more families to the playground, so weekdays are the quieter option for a picnic.
Best for: Groups who want a booked shelter and toilets nearby
Jacana Reserve: free BBQ grills in the shade
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Playground
- Parking
Jacana Reserve is the pick for a free BBQ in the shade, since its BBQ grills cost nothing to use and the picnic tables sit in shaded spots. You don't need to hunt for a kerbside space, because a car park sits on the reserve itself. Weekends are the busy time here, so arriving early helps. Walking paths run between the grounds and the playground, and the open grass is handy for a rug.
Best for: Anyone who wants a free grill, shade and parking in one spot
Waitara Jaycee Park: a small cook-out in a free park
- BBQs
- Playground
- Parking
Waitara Jaycee Park is the pick for a small cook-out in a free public park run by Hornsby Shire Council. Its BBQ facilities and picnic areas sit within a park of 0.3 hectares. The on-site car park has designated spots, but they can run short at busy hours. A fenced play area for young children sits in the park as well.
Best for: Small groups who want a cook-out without a big park
Balcombe Park: a weekday picnic with a chessboard
- Picnic tables
- Playground
- Parking
Balcombe Park is the pick for a weekday picnic, because its picnic table has a chessboard built in, and a bubbler is on hand for a drink. There's no grill and no restroom, so pack accordingly. The park faces The Briars, a heritage-listed house, which gives the picnic a heritage backdrop. Drivers need a kerbside space along Woonona Avenue, since that's the only parking on offer. The swing and spring toy suit toddlers, and carers can sit close by.
Best for: Weekday picnickers who want a quiet table and no grill
Eldinhope Green: a local picnic with no BBQ
- Picnic tables
- Playground
- Parking
Eldinhope Green is the pick for a local picnic, since it's a park for people who live close by, and its picnic settings sit alongside formal and informal seating. The park has no BBQ facilities, so bring food that doesn't need a grill. An accessible path runs in from Morris Avenue, with an accessible on-street bay nearby. Toilets aren't provided, so keep the visit short. Parking is curbside along Morris Avenue.
Best for: Locals with small children who want a short, simple picnic
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Wahroonga
Every park we weighed for a BBQ or picnic appears below, ranked by fit, with the nearby parks grouped separately.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Wahroonga Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Jacana Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 3.Waitara Jaycee Park | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 4.Balcombe Park | ✗ | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 5.Eldinhope Green | ✗ | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 6.Myall Avenue Park | ✓ | – | – | – | ✓ |
| 7.Anulla Place Park | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 8.Claude Cameron Grove | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nearby, outside Wahroonga | |||||
| Waitara Park · Waitara | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| James Park · Hornsby | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Orara Park · Waitara | – | – | – | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collingridge Reserve · Hornsby | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
Scores came from what each park's text confirms: BBQs, shelter, picnic tables, toilets, a playground, parking and size. Parks with enough known details became picks, and the rest are listed without one. Bigger parks get a little extra credit, and a rotunda counts as a shelter. Unknowns show as a dash in the table.
FAQ
Which park in Wahroonga has free BBQs?
Jacana Reserve has free BBQ grills for anyone to use. Myall Avenue Park is another option, with a playground and BBQs open to the public.
Are there toilets at the picnic spots in Wahroonga?
Wahroonga Park has on-site toilets. Balcombe Park and Eldinhope Green have none, so they suit shorter visits.
Is parking free at the picnic parks in Wahroonga?
Parking at Wahroonga Park is free, and Jacana Reserve has a car park on site. Balcombe Park is the one with kerbside spots only, along Woonona Avenue.