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Oatley Park: Playground, Baths, Cycling Tracks & Picnic Facilities

June 15, 2020 / Bush, Oatley, Outdoor Play, Playgrounds, Southern Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Oatley Park: Playground, Baths, Cycling Tracks & Picnic Facilities

Oatley Park is a 45-hectare bushland reserve on the northern side of the Georges River. It is bounded by the Georges River, Lime Kiln Bay, and Jew Fish Bay. Oatley Park features an inclusive adventure playground, a netted swimming bath, short, easy bush walking tracks, picnic areas and other free amenities for the local community to enjoy.

The park was created on the headland in 1887, and over the years has been upgraded to create a spot for locals to enjoy recreational sports, cycling, walking, swimming and playing.

Navigating Oatley Park

There is a one-way driving loop around the park that is shared by cars, cyclists and pedestrians. The maximum speed of the road is 20km/h. Free all-day car parking is available

Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground

The Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground is an adventure playground designed to blend into its bush setting, incorporating nature-based play elements and built with predominantly natural materials.

The Oatley Park Adventure playground design incorporates community feedback and ideas and follows the NSW Government’s ‘Everyone Can Play’ inclusive play space guidelines to create accessible play elements for children of all abilities in over 80 per cent of the playground.

Read more about the Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground.

Oatley Park Bird Life

There have been 145 species of birds recorded in the bushland of Oatley Park, including its tidal mud flaps, mangroves and Lime Kiln wetlands. We spotted a huge amount of sulfur-crested cockatoos but keep your eyes peeled for the many other species that live in this sanctuary.

Websters and Hills Peak Lookouts

The lookouts are accessed by the road (you can pull your car over and hop out to take a look) and feature stunning views over Jew Fish Bay and Lime Kiln Bay.

Oatley Castle

Oatley Castle is a surprising feature of Oatley Park. Built around 1935, the castle was created as a kind of “beach house” that would resemble an old British castle, give views over Oatley Bay and become an attraction for visitors to enjoy.

The castle is accessed by walking/cycling from the playground, or driving. There is a car park next to the base of the castle for easy access, and a ramp from the base of the castle to top for wheelchairs/strollers.

Oatley Castle has bbq facilities inside it and can be hired for events.

Oatley Park Walking Tracks

Oatley Park features seven walking tracks of varying length and difficulty, and a 2km cycling/driving/walking loop on paved road in a shared car/bike/pedestrian zone. The road is one direction only, so if you overshoot a spot where you want to park/turn off, you will need to keep driving around the loop and return to the spot again. There is a maximum speed of 20km/h around the park.

The Myra Wall Garden has a wheelchair accessible bushwalking path.

You can read about the walking trail options here.

Sandy Bay – Oatley Park Baths – Jew Fish Bay Baths

On the easterly section of the headland is Jew Fish Bay. Featuring a 320m long shark-proof net, the bay is home to an area called Sandy Bay, featuring Oatley Park Baths / Jew Fish Bay Baths. Oatley Baths was constructed in 1909 and has been the home of the Oatley Amateur Swimming Club since 1927. A popular swimming spot in warmer months, the baths feature one of only a few suspended net enclosures in Sydney, and are one of only two baths/pools in the region to be formed by enclosing a natural shoreline.

The water is a bit muddy when shallow, but is a calm, serene place to swim, with stunning views over the Georges River. The original change rooms are still in operation on the site of the baths.

To reach the baths, drive down to the carpark and walk the rest of the way. There is a ramp and stairs to access the baths.

Myra Wall Garden

The circular Myra Wall Garden was constructed in 1964 to honour a local conservationist. Parking is beside the garden which is located 300m on the left from the main entrance, along
the main road.

Oatley Park – Important Information

There are no direct public transport links to the park. It is a 1.7km walk from Oatley Station. The 954 bus service from Oatley Station drops you 700 metres from the entry to Oatley Park.

Entry to the park via Oatley Park Avenue is narrow and means that often, only one car at a time can pass through. AVOID entry and exit to the park during school drop off and pick up. You can also drive in via Douglas Haig St.

There is a car park at the playground. If this is full, try Myra Wall Garden, Frog Hollows and the Oval – they function as overflow carparks.

The park closes at sunset and the vehicle gates are locked. Make sure if you have driven in, to leave before the gates are locked as there is a fee to retrieve your car.

There are free BBQ and picnic facilities available throughout the park, including next to the playground.

Oatley Park
1 Dame Mary Gilmore Drive, Oatley NSW
Get Directions

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Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground

September 19, 2019 / Oatley, Southern Sydney, Sydney / 0 comment

Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground

The Oatley Park Inclusive Adventure Playground is an adventure playground designed to blend into its bush setting, incorporating nature-based play elements and built with predominantly natural materials.

The new playground is located in Oatley Park, a 112 acres reserve on the Georges River in the southern Sydney suburb of Oatley. The park is bounded by the Georges River, Lime Kiln Bay, and Jew Fish Bay.

We visited the playground on a warm winter morning, and were thrilled with the many nature-themed play activities it offered.

The park features seperate play zones with a toddler play area, a flying fox with river views, an active play zone, giant tube slides and a teen zone.

There is a smaller slide and climbing net area for younger or less confident kids.

The flying fox has a regular seat and a bucket seat.

The nest swing is a great inclusive addition. There are also regular and toddler swings.

New picnic and barbecue facilities have also been built. The toilets are a 200m walk from the main play area, up the path through the bush, towards the oval. They are currently the portaloos while new toilets are built.

The paths in Oatley Park are shared by pedestrians, cyclists and cars, and the maximum speed limit is 20km/hour. Navigating the parking areas involves reversing across shared paths, so please check twice before reversing.

When visiting Oatley Park playground, please be kind to the new shrubs that have been planted and stay out of the garden beds to enable these plants to grow.

There are rubbish bins in the park but no recycling bins, so be prepared to take your rubbish with you. There has been lots of rubbish left in the park already, so please be responsible with your rubbish!

Oatley Park is home to many beautiful creatures: wallabies, echidnas, tawny frog mouths and king parrots to name a few. You might see a few on a quiet day.

Oatley Park is also home to various bushwalking tracks. Many of these tracks criss cross over the shared path. Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society has developed bushwalking maps and flora and bird guides to Oatley Park.

Try the Headland track, which has water and bush views that just sparkle on a sunny day. It starts or ends at the Baths.

The Myra Wall Garden has a wheelchair accessible bushwalking path.

The original steamroller that has been park of the park for decades remains in the new design. It is an excellent place for kids to let their imagination run wild.

The park features lots of nature play areas for kids to get imaginative and close to nature.

Getting to Oatley Park Adventure Inclusive Playspace Playground

There are no direct public transport links to the park. It is a 1.7km walk from Oatley Station. The 954 bus service from Oatley Station drops you 700 metres from the entry to Oatley Park.

Myra Wall Garden, Frog Hollows and the Oval are overflow carparks.

The park closes at sunset and the vehicle gates are locked. Make sure if you have driven in, to leave before the gates are locked as there is a fee to retrieve your car.

Oatley Park is a gorgeous place to visit – get info on the Oatley Park Baths, walking tracks and more.

Get Directions

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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

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

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney here.

Bitton Oatley: Sydney’s Best Cafes For Families

April 23, 2018 / Oatley, Southern Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

We have been fans of the flagship Bitton cafe in Alexandria for years, so were extremely happy to hear about the new Bitton Oatley site when it recently opened. Both Bitton cafes offer a French-inspired menu and share the same philosophy of “five star gourmet at café prices in a friendly atmosphere”.

The new Bitton Oatley has a huge outdoor area wth a little play area and some cute landscaping features to discover. The menus are seasonal and baristas serve Grinders coffee.

The family-friendly atmosphere of Bitton Alexandria is mirrored here, and on our mid-week visit we see mums and bubs enjoying babyccinos in the spacious yard.

The cafe is extremely accessible for strollers and also wheelchairs. There is a flat path that leads from the front all around the back and directly into the back of the cafe and yard. There is also clear access to the bathrooms and a large family and wheelchair accessible bathroom with a change table and even a few spare nappies and wipes.

I also appreciated how easy it was to park at the cafe! There is plenty of street parking available on the site streets.

There is a dedicated kids’ menu featuring Scrambled Eggs, Crispy Bacon and Toast, French Crêpes, Steak and Fries, Chicken & Mushroom Pasta, Crumbed Fish Fillets and a Kids Beef Burger (French Crêpes pictured above).

We ordered Breakfast Salad Bowl (Soft Boiled Egg, Avocado, Quinoa, Pistachios Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Kale, Crispy Bacon, Baby Spinach, GF, $17) and the Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Sourdough Toast with Basil Oil ($17).

I always know what to expect when we dine at Bitton and this time was no exceptions. Delicious food made with the freshest of ingredients and served quickly. Impeccable and friendly service. A thoroughly enjoyable experience, every single time.