by Rebecca Lee
I grew up not far from Parramatta and as a child and young adult, I often went for walks around the 84ha park and picnicked on the river bank, but aside from looking at historic buildings and taking in the beautiful scenery, there wasn’t much to actually do. Fast forward to 2017 and I had heard that there had been some big changes so we decided to journey down Victoria Rd to take a look.
If you haven’t visited Parramatta Park you will find places to eat and drink, play, rest, relax and take a big breath of fresh air.
To Eat:
- Indulge in High Tea at UNESCO World Heritage listed the Gatehouse Tea Rooms
- Enjoy the newly opened Grounds Keeper Cafe Parramatta (same delicious fare as the Grounds Keeper Cafe in Ryde Park)
- For special occasions, breakfast, lunch, dinner and events, visit Lachlan’s, Old Government House
- When we visited, Trang’s Kitchen food truck was dishing up delicious Vietnamese street food over by the Domain Creek Playground
To Play:
- Domain Creek Playground– opened in 2015. This is a huge playground with something for everyone. Sandpits, swings, slides, trampolines, water play. There is plenty of grass nearby for picnicking and parties. You can even book one of the big shelter structures close by. A word of caution- most of the play equipment is metal, so in the heat of the Summer, care should be taken!
- Pavilion Flat Playground– this smaller playground is suitable for young kids and includes swings, spring rockers, and a play-boat. It has soft fall mulch
- Scooter and Bike friendly trails run around and through the park.
To See and Do
For all the information on how to get to Parramatta Park, maps, event and tour information, check out their dedicated website