October 2020 - Adventure, baby!

Month: October 2020

17 awesome things to do in Wollongong Australia (with or without kids)

October 28, 2020 / Australia, NSW, Travel, Wollongong / 0 comment

17 things to do in Wollongong Australia (with or without kids)

Wollongong, located an hour south of Sydney, is a coastal city with 17 stunning beaches, rock pools, gardens, cafes and many attractions for a great day trip. There are so many things to do in Wollongong that it’s hard to fit it all in.

Grand Pacific Drive and Sea Cliff Bridge

The 140-kilometre coastal route from Sydney to Shoalhaven winds its way through the Royal National Park and past spectacular sheer cliff drops. Our favourite section is the Sea Cliff Bridge, which was built in 2004. The bridge is 1/2 a kilometre in length and clings to the cliff-face. Park at either end of the bridge and stroll the bridge in both directions.

Wollongong Botanic Garden

The Wollongong Botanic Garden is a 30-hectare garden in the suburb of Keiraville featuring a large collection of native and exotic plants from around the world. The garden features a Japanese drum bridge, cactus collection, large playground and picnic facilities. Visiting the Wollongong Botanic Garden is one of our fave things to do in Wollongong – make a day of it with a picnic lunch.

Read more about visiting the Wollongong Botanic Garden.

Bald Hill Lookout

This scenic spot overlooks the beach where Australian aviation pioneer Lawrence Hargrave made a successful flight on 12 November 1894. Today, its a well-known lookout over the Sea Cliff Bridge and popular hanggliding point.

Symbio Wildlife Park

Nestled in the quiet suburb of Helensburg lies Symbio Wildlife Park, a tiny zoo that makes for a great afternoon of wildlife encounters — particularly for little kids. Symbio boasts “we’ll get you closer”, and there are indeed opportunities to get up close to lots of animals. The grounds are spacious and well-kept, and the animals all healthy and happy looking. No sad depressed animals in tiny enclosures here.

Read more about visiting Symbio Wildlife Park.

Wollongong Harbour and Lighthouses

Wollongong City — Photo by Destination NSW

The heritage-listed Wollongong Harbour was created to ship coal from mines in the area in the 1840s. It is now a departure point for fishing boats and home to the Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, which was built in 1872.

Nan Tien Temple

In the southern Wollongong suburb of Berkeley you’ll find Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Built in the early 1990s, the temple has peaceful Japanese-style gardens, two large prayer halls featuring Tibetan-style architecture, accommodation and a restaurant serving vegetarian dishes.

Read more about visiting Nan Tien Temple.

Jamberoo Action Park

Kids will love Jamberoo Action Park, famous for its water slides and attractions. There are water-based activities for adults and kids of all ages at Jamberoo. Billabong Beach is a popular spot for littlies to play, as is the Mushroom Pool, a bright and colourful pool with a mini water slide and squirting frogs.

Read more about visiting Jamberoo Action Park. Photo courtesy of Jamberoo.

Minnamurra Rainforest Centre

Wander the elevated walkways through remnants of an ancient rainforest that once covered the Illawarra region. The 1.6km walking loop takes visitors across suspension bridges and raised boardwalks into the heart of the forest. Keep our eyes peeled for the local wildlife – lyrebirds, eastern water dragons and swamp wallabies live here.

Read more about visiting the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre.

Illawarra Fly

Fly through the tree tops at Illawarra Fly, the highest zipline tour in Australia. Illawarra Fly is located 2 hours south of Sydney, and also includes a 1.5km Treetop walk.

The perfect day trip for a special occasion, Illawarra Fly offers Australia’s highest zipline tour for adventure junkees, and a stunning accessible walk with views of the Southern Highlands and Pacific Ocean from an elevated treetop walk.

Austinmer Beach

Local families love Austinmer Beach, particularly the fenced in playground (sadly no shade cloth) that has plenty of activities for kids of a variety of ages. The rock pools are a major draw for this beach, too.

Located at the south end of the beach, they attract children and adults alike with their amazing ocean life. We spotted fish, a crab, sea snails, an anemone, and some freaky looking creatures that none of us could identify. We have been back to Austimer Beach so many times over the years – it’s one of our fave things to do in Wollongong with kids.

Read more about visiting Austinmer Beach.

Australian Motorlife Museum

Visit the second-largest motor museum in Australia and check out the rare, vintage collection that includes cars as well as motorbikes, telephones, lawnmowers, radios, typewriters and more. Several of the vintage appliances were loaned to Baz Luhrmann for filming of the Great Gatsby in 2013.

Read more about visiting the Australian Motorlife Museum.

Illawarra Light Railway Museum

Take train-obsessed kids to the Illawarra Light Railway Museum! They will adore riding the miniature railway, while adults will get a kick out of seeing the collection of excellently preserved steam and diesel locomotives.

Read more about visiting the Illawarra Light Railway Museum.

Wollongong Art Gallery

Wollongong Art Gallery is a leading regional art gallery with an excellent collection of Contemporary, Aboriginal, Asian and Colonial artworks. The gallery itself is housed inside a local landmark: a unique building, designed and built in the 1950s.

Read more about visiting the Wollongong Art Gallery.

Early Start Discovery Space

Australia’s only dedicated children’s museum is located on the campus of the University of Wollongong in Sydney’s south. The Early Start Discovery Space is designed for kids aged 12 and under and features 14 interactive spaces designed to spark the imagination as they build, create and explore through play. A particular hit is the Tummy Tour, where kids can imagine themselves as a piece of food and crawl through an inflatable digestive system. The Early Start Discovery Space is one of our fave kids activities in Wollongong.

Get more info on visiting the Early Start Discovery Space.

Science Space

Science Space in Wollongong has over 100 interactive science-based exhibits, a planetarium, live shows, plus a gift shop and cafe.

The major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales, Science Space is suitable for all ages, with two floors of interactive exhibits, plus live shows in the science theatre and Australia’s most digitally advanced Planetarium. Science Space is the major hands-on science venue of southern New South Wales.

Read more about visiting Science Space Wollongong.

Royal National Park

The Royal National Park is one of the oldest in the world. Established in 1879 the park spans 160 square kilometres and makes for the perfect family day trip with plenty of spots for picnics, bbqs, bushwalking, swimming, fishing and whale watching. There’s wildlife to discover and Aboriginal heritage to explore. Enter the park by car, ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena or a tram from the Sydney Tramway Museum in Loftus.

Get more info on visiting the Royal National Park.

Wattamolla Beach

A popular spot for families in the Royal National Park, Wattamolla is the name of a cove, lagoon, and beach. It’s an absolutely stunning spot with a flat lagoon for kids to swim in, a waterfall and a beach with rocks to climb on.

Get more info on visiting Wattamolla.

Read more about things to do in Wollongong.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Let Curious Minds Play at Science Space Wollongong

October 28, 2020 / Australia, NSW, Wollongong / 0 comment

Let Curious Minds Play at Science Space Wollongong

Science Space in Wollongong has over 100 interactive science-based exhibits, a planetarium, live shows, plus a gift shop and cafe.

Science Space opened in 1989 under the name of Science Centre and Planetarium, just north of the current location. In 1998 Wollongong suffered severe floods, damaging the gallery and exhibits. In 2000 Space Science was rebuilt with support from the University of Wollongong (UOW) and the NSW Government in its current location, on the UOW’s Innovation Campus.

Science Space is the only dedicated immersive science centre in NSW.

The exhibits cover a range of topics from dinosaurs to gravity. Their interactive nature makes science fun and exciting for kids – you could easily spend an entire day here just tinkering with the exhibits.

We watched a live show in the science theatre (check the schedule to see when shows will be running again) which saw a chemical eruption – included in the ticket and well worth watching.

It’s also worth watching a show in the Planetarium, which uses a 4k laser projection system to take visitors on an immersive tour of the Universe, a journey back through time or to the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean. Check the website for the show schedule.

Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and use outdoor picnic areas. There is also a kiosk and café onsite.

Science Space Wollongong
60 Squires Way, North Wollongong
Hours: Thur-Tue 10am-4pm (Closed Wednesdays)
sciencespace.com.au

Find more things to to in Wollongong here.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Wentworth Falls Walks Blue Mountains, NSW

October 27, 2020 / Australia, Blue Mountains, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Wentworth Falls Walks Blue Mountains, NSW

Enjoy breathtaking grand valley and waterfall views on the Wentworth Falls walks in the Blue Mountains National Park.

The Wentworth Falls track starts from Wentworth Falls picnic area. There is one main car park plus overflow parking on Falls road. The picnic area has shaded picnic tables and a decent bathroom.

If you’re catching public transport, regular trains run from Sydney Central Station to Wentworth Falls. The picnic area is around 2km walk along Falls Road, or you can catch a bus to the corner of Fletchers Road and Falls Road.

The road into the car park is sealed and easy to access. There is a wide, paved path from the carpark along to Jamison and Wentworth lookouts.

The Wentworth Falls walk is 1.4km return, with an estimated time of 45min – 1hr. There are steep steps involved that are not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. The trade is a grade 3, and we found it quite do-able with our nine-year-old. There were plenty of younger children also completing the walk.

Follow the path past Jamison and Wentworth lookouts.

There is a steep descent of around 200 steps to the cliff-edge Fletchers lookout. This is a stunning spot to take a look at Wentworth Falls as it plunges 100m into the valley.

Keep following the path down a few more steps to the top of the Falls.

The Jamison Creek cascades into a shallow pool to one side, which makes for a lovely little paddling pool for kids.

The other side opens into the Jamison Valley.

You can continue on a variety of routes from here, including the National Pass, Weeping Rock circuit, Undercliff track or historic Princes Rock lookout track.

We took the this round walk track, which is a short circuit through the bush and comes out at the most incredible view of the other side of Wentworth Falls.

Return to the car park via the same route. Take a towel and change of clothes if you’re planning on paddling in the cascades.

Wentworth Falls
270 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath
nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/wentworth-falls-track

Find more things to do on a Blue Mountains Day Trip.

Enjoy Lilianfels High Tea.

Find the best Blue Mountains High Tea.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Where to find the best Blue Mountains high tea

October 22, 2020 / Australia, Blue Mountains, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Where to find the best Blue Mountains High Tea

An elegant Blue Mountains high tea is the perfect way to enjoy the fresh mountain air and spectacular scenic views. These four spots guarantee warm scones, fresh ribbon sandwiches and a divine pot of tea.

Lilianfels Resort & Spa, Katoomba

Enjoy the grand tradition of Lilianfels High Tea, served on a three-tier platter, in the elegant Lilianfels Resort & Spa in the NSW Blue Mountains.

Lilianfels High tea is a triple-tiered plate that includes fluffy homemade scones served with homemade jam and fresh cream, petit pastries, selection of finger sandwiches and your choice of tea or coffee.

Read more about the Lilianfels High Tea.

Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath

High tea is served in the elegant Wintergarden, with panoramic views overlooking the Megalong Valley.

Choose from the traditional High Tea, Eastern High Tea or Gluten-Free High Tea, each served to the table on a three-tiered silver stand and including a range of tea and coffee.

Read more about the Hydro Majestic High Tea.

Bygone Beauties, Leura

For a truly unique high tea, journey inside the Bygone Beauties Treasured Teapot Museum & Tearooms, home of world’s largest private collection of teawares. Enjoy High Tea or Devonshire Tea surrounded by stunning teapots from a bygone era, while waitstaff zoom past with high tea on silver trays.

Entry to the teapot museum is right next to the tearoom and well worth a look.

Read more about visiting Bygone Beauties.

Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains

Treat yourself to something special with a selection of sandwiches, traditional homemade scones with fresh cream and conserve, decadent sweet treats, rich loose leaf La Maison Du The. The view over Megalong Valley from the dining area is as much of a star of the show as the food! The Fairmont high tea has excellent scones and sandwiches and top notch service, plus the prettiest plates of any high tea.

Read more about visiting the Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains.

Find more things to do on a Blue Mountains Day Trip.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Lilianfels High Tea, Blue Mountains NSW Australia

October 21, 2020 / Australia, Blue Mountains, Katoomba, NSW, Travel / 0 comment

Lilianfels High Tea, Blue Mountains NSW Australia

Enjoy the grand tradition of Lilianfels High Tea, served on a three-tier platter, in the elegant Lilianfels Resort & Spa in the NSW Blue Mountains.

It’s always time for tea in the Blue Mountains, and one can’t go past the elegant high tea served in The Lounge of Lilianfels Resort & Spa.

The luxurious Lounge makes for an elegant and warm high tea experience. With plush Victoria armchairs and lounges to recline in, and the delightful ambiance of classical piano being played live, it’s high tea to dally over with loved ones.

Upgrade your high tea to include a glass of Australian sparkling wine or a glass of Moet Chandon NV French Champagne. When we visited, the tea was priced as follows: High Tea $55 per person (Mon to Thu) and $60 per person (Fri to Sun including public holidays), Deluxe High Tea from $75 per person including a glass of Australian sparkling wine and Luxurious High Tea from $80 per person including a glass of Moet Chandon NV French Champagne.

I couldn’t fault the service or food at Lilianfels. The high tea and staff were both perfection, with attentive service and delicious, fresh food.

I particularly liked the amount of savoury items compared to sweet, as my tastes are changing and I really prefer more savoury than sweet these days.

There is a Children’s High Tea available for $35pp, which is also served on a triple-tiered plate and includes selection of pikelets, fairy bread, sandwiches and treats. Served with tea, juice or hot chocolate.

The Lilianfels High Teas are extremely popular so bookings are essential.

The gardens at Lilianfels are lovely so be sure to go for a stroll in them, including the cute little maze, before you go.

Lilianfels High Tea,
5/19 Lilianfels Ave, Katoomba NSW
lilianfels.com.au

Find more things to do on a Blue Mountains Day Trip.

Find another Blue Mountains High Tea to try.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

October 19, 2020 / Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

Try authentic Thai dishes at P’Nut Street Noodles, located in Sydney, Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast.

P’Nut Street Noodles are a small chain of restaurants offering eat-in or take away dishes that offer a taste of Thailand in Australia.

Owned by chef P’Nut (the nickname given to him by his friends and family), P’Nut Street Noodles aims to transport diners to the streets of Thailand. The street-style noodles, soups and salads offered in store are created with authentic, make-from-scratch sauces directly from Thailand, using P’Nut’s own recipes.

We recently visited the P’Nut Street Noodles store in Balmain to try their new Nuts about Taste menu. We love Thai cuisine and were really thrilled with how delicious our meals were – they really reminded us of our Thai trip a few years back and the flavoursome food we ate at street stalls.

P’Nut Street Noodles offers an array of hot noodle and rice dishes, salads and soups, sides and desserts. All P’Nut outlets offer nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan variants on most dishes – you can see the full menu online and sort the menu to see which items are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, spicy or contain egg.

A great option right now for families is the Family Meal Deal, which includes two street food or soups and salad with chicken or vegetable, plus two kids meals and a choice of two sides for $55.95.

We were keen to try some items from the new P’Nut Street Noodles menu, which includes some fun Aussie-inspired dishes including Chicken Spring Rolls with Sweet Plum Sauce, Popcorn Chicken with Sriracha Mayonnaise, Popcorn Prawn with Sriracha Mayo, Roti Bread with Peanut Sauce, Molten Chocolate Cake and Nutella Spring Rolls.

We chose the Mongolian with Jasmine Rice, Pad Thai with vegetables, Roti Canai with Satay Sauce. Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Plum Sauce and Nutella Spring Roll, as well as the Curly Wurly Noodles from the kids’ menu (egg noodles with teriyaki sauce and fresh veggies). All kids’ meals come with a drink and a cute pair of reusable kids’ chopsticks.

Our dishes were made quickly from scratch and delivered piping hot. The serves were generous and dishes were just busting with flavour. The Roti Canai was so flaky and light that it was a firm favourite that we would have ordered several more servings of.

The Nutella Spring Roll was a delightful addition – dripping with ooey Nutella, it’s something none of us had tried before.

P’Nut Street Noodles has 11 locations across Sydney, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. You can find your nearest branch online.

This blog post was written in collaboration with P’Nut Street Noodles. All opinions are my own.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Australian National Botanic Gardens

October 15, 2020 / ACT, Australia, Travel / 0 comment

Australian National Botanic Gardens

The heritage-listed Australian National Botanic Gardens are the perfect escape from the city hustle and bustle.

Established in 1949, the Gardens contains the most diverse collection of Australian native plants in one location anywhere in the world. There are 4,300 species to discover, spread over 35 hectares.

There are a range of walking trails to enjoy, as well as the Pollen Café, a Visitor Centre and Botanical Bookshop, wide open lawns and picnic tables.

Entry to the Gardens is free, but $3.50 per hour or $14.50 per day parking fees apply when using the on-site carpark.

The Main Path Loop is a great way to see everything. It’s 1.4km in length and takes about 40 mins to walk – longer if you stop frequently like we did. The path is both wheelchair and pram accessible.

We enjoyed the Children’s Discovery Trail – Who Did That?, which is an offshoot from the Main Path Loop. The 330m trail takes about 30 minutes to complete and is a great little interactive trail with engaging signage and the Paperbark Treehouse to climb.

The Gardens are broken up into themes of the Australian landscape, such as Red Centre Garden, Sydney Region Garden and Rainforest Gully. The Red Centre was a particular favourite of ours.

Get more ideas of things to do in Canberra with kids.

Australian National Botanic Gardens
Clunies Ross St, Acton ACT
Hours: Daily, 9am-5pm
https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/

The Best Sydney Parks To Explore

October 14, 2020 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

The Best Sydney Parks To Explore

Enjoy a picnic, a wander and stunning harbour views in Sydney’s best parks.

Ballast Point Park, Birgrove

Located at the very tip of the Balmain peninsula, Ballast Point Park was once home to local Aboriginal tribes before European settlers arrived in the early 19th century. The park’s indigenous history is recognised in a dual name – Walama – which means ‘to return’. The 2.6-hectare park opened in 2009 with several design features that highlight its history. Ballast Point Park has stunning harbour views and is a popular picnic and barbecue spot for families.

Sydney Park, Alexandria

This 40-hectare park contains large expanses of grass perfect for kicking a ball around, landscaped gardens, rolling hills (great for sliding down on cardboard boxes – not kidding!), pathways for strolling or running and wetlands home to native birds. The park is also super dog-friendly, so on any given day you’ll see many many many dogs rolling, running and snuffling with abandon. Local parents like us love the huge playground.

Read more about the playground at Sydney Park.

Hyde Park, Sydney CBD

Hyde Park is a heritage-listed 16.2-hectare (40-acre) urban park right in the centre of Sydney. The oldest public parkland in Australia, Hyde Park is home to beautiful shady fig trees, various statues, the beautiful Sandringham Gardens, War Memorial and Archibald Fountain.

Nearby you’ll find the Hyde Park Barracks, Australian Museum and St Mary’s Cathedral.

Glebe Foreshore Parks

This collection of four, leafy parks in the inner-west suburb of Glebe includes Blackwattle Bay Park, Bicentennial Park, Jubilee Park, and Federal Park. The four parks huge the harbour, resulting in a stunning outlook over the water including the ANZAC Bridge and even the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the distance.

Take the 2km Glebe Foreshore Walk to enjoy the best of the vistas along this walk. Kids will enjoy the two playgrounds in Jubilee Park and Bicentennial Park.

Read more about the Glebe Foreshore Walk and Jubilee Park & Playground Glebe.

Victoria Park, Sydney CBD

Right in the middle of Sydney lies Victoria Park, a 9 hectare public park adjoining Sydney University.

Victoria Park features historic structures such as the entrance gates, Gardener’s Lodge, a Canadian totem pole and ornamental wooden bridge.

Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

Sydney Olympic Park is not just a park, it’s a destination that includes 430 hectares of parklands, playgrounds, entertainment and sporting venues, accommodation, cafes and restaurants. for all things entertainment, sports and family fun.

Bicentennial Park

Walk, cycle or run through 40 hectares of parklands featuring wetlands, meadows, playgrounds and picnic areas at Bicentennial Park.

Bicentennial Park is located inside Sydney Olympic Park, a 40-hectare park combining the Badu Mangroves wetlands with beautifully landscaped parklands with gentle hills, meadows and a large lake.

We have been visiting the park for years, and love how much space there is to explore inside the park, with monuments, boardwalks, wildlife and playgrounds to occupy us.

Read more about visiting Bicentennial Park.

Cathy Freedman Park & Olympic Cauldron

After the magical opening and closing ceremonies (who can forget Cathy Freeman lighting the cauldron and it rising through the air simultaneously dripping with fire and water?) the cauldron was taken down and moved just a few hundred metres to its permanent home – in the appropriately named Cathy Freeman Park.

Located very conveniently next to the Allphones Arena, Cathy Freeman Park has two playgrounds – one for young kids and one for older – huge shady trees and easy access to bathrooms and cafes.

Read more about visiting Cathy Freeman Park.

Wentworth Common

A hidden gem inside the sprawling Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Common is a quiet, grassy park with wetlands, a playground and picnic facilities.

Wentworth Common is easy to find, with a car park directly outside, off the main road (Marjorie Jackson Pkwy). It’s often overlooked, making it a lovely spot for those seeking solitude.

Read more about visiting Wentworth Common.

Newington Armory

Visit the world heritage-listed Newington Armory in Sydney Olympic Park. The former Royal Australian Navy armament depot is now a place to enjoy cycling, art, picnics, wildlife and history.

The Newington Armory was built from 1897 by the Royal Australian Navy. It was designated as a world heritage site on 14 January 2011. What was once an industrial military site is now an arts precinct with a theatre, outdoor amphitheatre, artist studios and an exhibition space, as well as a place to cycle/scoot, picnic and play.

Read more about visiting Newington Armory.

Fagan Park, Galston

Fagan Park in Sydney’s Hornsby shire is a 55 hectare park with themed gardens, playgrounds, historic Netherby Cottage and an Eco Garden to explore.

Fagan Park is particularly beautiful in spring, with a stunning selection of cherry blossoms in bloom, and in autumn where the deciduous trees around the lake are in full colourful glory. One of our favourite Sydney gardens, Fagan Park is a special spot that the locals have kept hidden for way too long.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is Australia’s second-oldest national park. It has stunning water vistas, beaches, rainforests, mangroves and Aboriginal heritage sites.

Read more about the America Bay track within the park.

Western Sydney Parklands

The Western Sydney Parklands covers a whopping 5280 hectares. It includes:

Plough and Harrow park

Plough and Harrow has a fantastic playground, 22 electric BBQs, parking for over 200 cars, 24 picnic shelters, a pond with ducks and other water birds, public bathrooms and a cafe/restaurant: Amoretti’s.

Read more about visiting Plough and Harrow park.

Lizard Log park

This beautiful green space features a nature-themed playground, scenic walks, cycling tracks and a dam.

Read more about visiting Lizard Log park.

Bungarribee

The newest park in the precinct, Bungarribee, opened in March 2017 – a 200-hectare recreational facility that gives locals plenty of wide open space to play, cycle, scoot, walk, run and even walk their dog at one of Sydney’s largest off-leash dog areas, the Warrigal Dog Run.

Nurragingy Reserve

Nurragingy Reserve is a lovely spot to picnic, with designated picnic and BBQ areas, several modern playgrounds including a water play area near the Wren picnic shelter and the Chang Lai Yuan Chinese Gardens, which features a traditional gateway, stone bridge, pavilion and waterfall gazebo.

Read more about visiting Western Sydney Parklands.

Parramatta Park

Parramatta Park is one of Sydney’s most historic places. In the centre of the park is Old Government House, which, along with the surrounding pack, is one of 11 sites that form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property. The park is also notable for its Aboriginal heritage: Evidence of Aboriginal occupation from over 200,000 years ago has been found there.

Sydney-siders have been enjoying Parramatta Park for recreation for a long time – it became a public park in 1858 – making it one of the earliest designated public parks in the world.

Inside Parramatta Park are also two playgrounds, a creek and the Gatehouse Tea Rooms.

Read more about the Domain Creek Playground.

Centennial Parklands, Randwick

This 360 hectare precinct includes Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queen’s Park. The Parklands are listed on the NSW Heritage Register.

The largest of the three parks that make up Centennial Parklands, Centennial Park is one of Australia’s most famous parks, and a haven for inner city families to ride bikes, horses (there are several horse riding stables located in the park as well as pony ride on weekends), picnic, play and explore. The park features ponds with ducks, formal gardens, statues, playgrounds and picnic areas.

Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden

The Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden opened in Centennial Park in October 2017. The 6500sq m nature-based play area features a 7m-high climbing tower, wooden bridge, water play area and an open play area where kids are encouraged to use sticks and natural materials to make their own shelters, artworks and games.

Get more info on visiting the Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden here.

Read more about visiting Centennial Parklands.

Barangaroo Reserve

Barangaroo Reserve is Sydney’s newest park, located on the north-western tip of Sydney’s Central Business District. What was once a flat strip of concrete that was used as a container wharf has been transformed into a six-hectare waterfront parkland on Sydney Harbour, with 6,500 sandstone blocks placed along the foreshore and 75,000 100% native trees, shrubs and plants.

Read more about visiting Barangaroo Reserve.

Blue Mountains National Park

The Blue Mountains National Park was founded in 1959. It encompasses a whopping 156,000 acres and is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. There is so much to see in the National Park including plenty of spectacular bushwalks that include stunning waterfalls. Scenic World is a popular and easy way to experience the Blue Mountains aboard Scenic World’s Skyway or Cableway.

Jubilee Park & Playground Glebe Sydney

October 14, 2020 / Outdoor Play, Playgrounds, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Jubilee Park & Playground Glebe Sydney

Jubilee Park is a large, waterfront park in Glebe, featuring a large children’s playground, walking/cycling path, picnic / BBQ facilities and public restrooms.

Jubilee Park has plenty of shady with huge fig trees with roots above ground, and a large playground which is located at the end of Glebe Point Road.

The playground is great for kids of all ages, with a slippery dip, sandpit, swings, carousel and a cubby house shaped like a pod that was designed by award-winning landscape architect Sue Barnsley.

The park is located on the Glebe Foreshore Walk, which is a fab walk wrapping around the harbour.

Jubilee Park
5 Northcote Rd, Glebe
cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/playgrounds/jubilee-park-playground

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Glebe Foreshore Walk, Sydney

October 14, 2020 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Glebe Foreshore Walk, Sydney

The 2km Glebe Foreshore Walk stretches from Pyrmont’s Sydney Fish Market around Blackwattle Bay to Bicentennial and Jubilee parks. The trail is perfect for running, cycling or walking.

The Foreshore Walk is a fave local haunt of ours, and we often enjoy weekends grabbing food or a gelato at the Tramsheds before taking this walk.

The walk can be started at the Tramsheds (where there is free parking available) or at the Pyrmont Fish Market. I suggest starting the walk with the intention to enjoy breakfast or lunch at the destination.

The path is fully paved, making it ideal for scooters, bikes, wheelchairs and strollers. There is a section with large stones however which make for a bumpy ride.

Along the walk you will enjoy stunning views of the ANZAC Bridge as well as open grasslands, playgrounds at both Jubilee Park and Bicentennial Park, off-leash dog walking areas and a cafe with public restrooms around the halfway point. There are also public restrooms located in Jubilee Park near the sports oval.

Read about Jubilee Park & Playground Glebe.