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If you’re after somewhere with fewer people, decent scenery, and enough space to properly tire the kids out, this one’s worth bookmarking. George Kendall Riverside Park sits right on the Parramatta River, the grass stretches out forever, and the whole place feels open in a way that most popular parks don’t. Good for a walk, a bike ride, a bit of a kick around, whatever you’re after.
The River and the Green Space
My favourite part is honestly just the river views and the sheer amount of open grass. It doesn’t get crowded the way the more popular spots do, so on a nice day it’s genuinely relaxing to bring some snacks and have a picnic. The day we went was a bit warm, so we skipped riding down to the river itself. I flew a drone up for a few shots instead, which gives a better sense of the full scale of the place than any ground-level photo could.
Plenty of Room to Run
For the kids, the biggest selling point is just how much space there is. They can run flat out without bumping into anyone, which is exactly what you want when you’re trying to burn off some energy during the school holidays. Coming somewhere like this instead of fighting crowds at a more popular park made for a genuinely relaxed day.
Nearby Eastwood
It’s close to Eastwood too, so if picnicking isn’t your thing, you can head over there afterwards for a meal once the kids are worn out.
The Bike Path
There’s a dedicated cycling path through the park. Part of it runs through a residential stretch, but traffic and foot traffic are both light along there. There are quite a few water refill points dotted along the route, so it’s worth bringing less water than you think you’ll need and refilling as you go rather than carrying a heavy bottle the whole way.
BBQs and Parking
We counted at least four or five BBQs just walking around, and that was without covering the whole park. Parking is easy too, with plenty of space both on the street and around the surrounding community, so that’s never something to stress about before you go.
The Dog Park
A short walk from the main playground area there’s a dog park next to a huge stretch of open grass. The dog park itself is a good size, with two fenced off-leash zones, one set up as a playful area for dogs that want to run around and make friends, and a quieter zone for the more low-key dogs who’d rather keep to themselves. There’s water available and eco-friendly poop bags provided too. Outside the fenced sections there are another couple of large lawns where dogs can run off-leash when it’s quiet, though it’s best to keep that to well-trained dogs that’ll actually come back when called, and probably best avoided when the park’s busier.
Facilities You Don’t Usually See
This park has a tennis court, which isn’t that common, plus two full-size basketball courts, which is genuinely rare to find both of at one park. There’s at least one BBQ area we spotted, a handful of picnic shelters, and oddly, a meeting room right next to the public toilets. Not entirely sure what you’d book a park meeting room for, but it’s a strange little feature you don’t see at most public parks.
Part of a Bigger Trail
This park is actually one of the landmark stops along the Ryde Riverside Walk. If you bring a scooter or a bike, you can ride on to Melrose Park, where there’s another playground and some nice water views as well, making it easy to turn one park visit into a longer loop.
George Kendall Riverside Park
38 Spofforth Street, Ermington NSW 2115
If you’re planning more Sydney playground and park visits during the school holidays, check our NSW school holidays and term dates for 2026 page.
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