Best playgrounds in Parramatta
Ollie Webb Reserve is the Parramatta playground to try first, because it's fenced, built for every ability and has shaded water play and its own car park. Across the suburb, the playgrounds differ most in the ages they suit, from a fenced space for under-fives to climbing walls for kids of 4 and up, and in whether there's water to splash in.
Quick picks
- All abilities: Ollie Webb Reserve has a fence, shade cloths over the jets and an adult change room.
- Climbers aged 4 and up: River Foreshore Reserve has rope climbing, climbing walls and a slide down a grassy bank.
- Under-fives: Jones Park has a fenced playground on Banks Street for ages 0 to 5.
- Summer splash: James Ruse Reserve opens the area's largest water playground from September to May.
Ollie Webb Reserve, fenced play for every ability
- Fully fenced
- Shade
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
- Accessible play
- Water play
Ollie Webb Reserve is the most complete playground in Parramatta, with a fence around an all-abilities play space and its water play area. Kids can bounce, swing, slide, crawl through tunnels, dig in a sandpit and play music chimes inside it. The jets and splash zones run under shade cloths, so bring a towel and a change of clothes. A circuit path suits wheelchairs and strollers, and an adult change room has a hoist. BBQs, toilets and an on-site car park cover the rest.
Best for: Kids of every ability, and parents who want a fence.
River Foreshore Reserve for climbers and a long slide
- Shade
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
- Water play
River Foreshore Reserve gives kids aged 4 and up the most to climb in Parramatta, with rock climbing, rope climbing and climbing walls in its district playground by the river. A long slide runs down a grassy embankment, and there's a sandpit with pulleys plus water play between climbs. No fence is known around it, so keep younger children close. Shaded seating, accessible toilets at the trailhead and free electric BBQs make a longer stay easy. Drivers should aim for the Elizabeth Street entrance, where the parking includes accessible bays.
Best for: Confident climbers aged 4 and over.
Jones Park, a fenced playground for under-fives
- Fully fenced
- Toilets
- Parking
Jones Park is the pick for toddlers and preschoolers, because its fenced playground on the corner of Banks and Burnett streets is designed for children aged 0 to 5. Kids get monkey bars, a noughts and crosses game and things to climb. Toilets are in two amenities buildings, and there's a car park on Banks Street, with more parking on Lansdowne Street. When they outgrow it, Burra Reserve, 0.3 km away, has slides, swings and climbing frames.
Best for: Toddlers and preschoolers who like to wander.
James Ruse Reserve for water play in summer and dry play in winter
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
- Water play
James Ruse Reserve covers both seasons: the largest water playground in the Parramatta area is open from September to May, and a dry playground for ages 3 to 10 stays open through winter. Ground jets, fountains, sprinklers and a tipping bucket switch on from 9 am to 8 pm, then shut from June to August. Wet kids can be dried and changed in the new amenities block, which also has baby change and accessible toilets. Parking tightens on weekends and in school holidays, so weekday mornings are easiest.
Best for: Summer splashing, and dry play in winter.
Parramatta Park, two playgrounds in one heritage park
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
- Accessible play
Parramatta Park lets you pick a playground by which side you arrive from: Paperbark Playground sits near the George Street Gatehouse, and Domain Creek Playground is on the Westmead side. Paperbark's inclusive design welcomes kids whatever their mobility, and Domain Creek's equipment spans every age. Push the pram along the People's Loop Trail, which is paved the whole way, and you'll find toilets spread through the grounds. Arrive early on weekends, when parking is harder to find.
Best for: A play stop on a long pram walk.
Rotary Park for prams, wheelchairs and a shaded seat
- Shade
- Toilets
- BBQ
- Parking
Rotary Park is the central Parramatta playground to choose when someone in your group pushes a pram or uses a wheelchair or mobility aid. Its flat, even, paved paths run through the park, and the picnic shelters near the equipment give you a shaded table to watch from. The BBQs are close to the playground as well, so one adult can cook while the kids play. Accessible toilets and accessible parking spots are on site, and David Frater Reserve, 0.1 km away, has another kids' playground.
Best for: Prams, wheelchairs and grandparents who want a seat.
How the playgrounds compare
By area
Every playground in and near Parramatta
Use the table to check fencing, shade, toilets, BBQs and parking at every playground in Parramatta, with the nearest ones beyond the suburb listed after.
| Park | Fenced | Shade | Toilets | BBQ | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Ollie Webb Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.River Foreshore Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Jones Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 4.James Ruse Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.Parramatta Park | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6.Rotary Park | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7.Burra Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8.Jubilee Park | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 9.Prince Alfred Square | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 10.Rangihou Reserve | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 11.Noller Park | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | – |
| 12.Old Kings Parade Ground | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 13.Bill Thompson Reserve | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | – |
| 14.David Frater Reserve | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 15.Irving Street Reserve | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 16.River Terrace | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 17.Foveaux Park | – | – | – | – | ✗ |
| 18.Stewart Street Reserve | – | – | – | – | ✗ |
| Nearby, outside Parramatta | |||||
| Doyle Ground · North Parramatta | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rosslyn Blay Park · North Parramatta | ✓ | – | ✗ | ✗ | – |
| Junction Street Plaza · Granville | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wallawa Reserve · Granville | – | – | – | – | – |
How we picked
We ranked Parramatta's playgrounds on fencing, shade, toilets, BBQs, accessible play, water play, parking and park size, with a fence weighted heaviest. Thinly described parks, such as River Terrace and Irving Street Reserve, stay in the table until more is known about them. Gaps show as a dash, and an unknown never counts against a park.
FAQ
Is there a fenced playground in Parramatta?
Yes: Ollie Webb Reserve and Jones Park both have a fence around the playground. Rosslyn Blay Park in North Parramatta is the next-nearest fenced option.
Is the water playground at James Ruse Reserve open in winter?
No, the James Ruse Reserve water playground closes from June to August and opens again in September. Its dry playground for ages 3 to 10 stays in use all year.
Where's a shady playground in Parramatta for a hot day?
Noller Park on Inkerman Street is the Parramatta playground to head for on a hot day, because a large Jacaranda and other big trees shade its equipment. Toddlers get a rocker and swings there, and bigger kids can tackle a climbing gym on several levels.
Can I bring my dog to a playground in Parramatta?
Dogs have to stay on a lead and at least 10 metres from the playground in Parramatta parks such as Rotary Park, Jubilee Park and Parramatta Park. At Ollie Webb Reserve, dogs can't go inside the fenced playspace or the water play area at all.