Beat the Heat: Top Things To Do In Blacktown This Summer

Looking for a treasure trove of excellent parks, fun activities and splash-worthy pools the kids will love exploring? Make a beeline for Blacktown City, which is just half an hour from Sydney’s CBD and has everything you need for a great day out with the family.

Beat the Heat: Top Things To Do In Blacktown This Summer

Bustling, dynamic and diverse thanks to its fabulously multicultural mix, there’s plenty to see and do from an enormous open-plain zoo, thrilling water park and old-school drive-in theatre. Even better, there are budget-friendly options like fantastic playgrounds, libraries (hello, air-conditioned calm!) and free art centres to help keep the kids cool and content on those long summer days.

1. Get Lost in Nature at Nurragingy Reserve

Combining all the best Mother Nature has to offer alongside multiple playgrounds (including Wawai Ngurra, Blacktown Council’s first fully inclusive adventure playspace) and fun activities, the 63-hectare Nurragingy Reserve bushland park in Doonside is a must-visit when the sun is shining. Wander the Aboriginal Heritage Garden with its Indigenous artworks and native plantings, grab a delicious snack at The Colebee Café and then cool off with a refreshing splash at the water play park. Time your visit for the third Sunday of the month and you’ll also get to enjoy the Nurragingy Minitature Railway.

Location: Knox Road, Doonside

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2. Chill out at Blacktown Aquatic and Leisure Centres

The place to be when the mercury soars and everyone is getting hot and bothered, Blacktown Aquatic and Leisure Centres have a venue to suit all ages and abilities. For next-level aqua activities that are sure to please big and little kids alike, you can’t go past Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope Gardens with its very own wave pool, indoor lap pool and sauna. Oh, and did we mention the creche? Meanwhile, Mount Druitt Swimming Centre is ideal for planning picnic playdates with pals to enjoy the grassy areas and playgrounds that surround the three pools (including a baby pool) on offer. Also ideal for little ones is Riverstone Swimming Centre with its heated outdoor leisure pool packed with cute water features the kids will love playing with.

If your kids are aged between six and 12 years, check out the Kidz Blitz Holiday Program which sees each Blacktown Aquatic Centre, Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope and Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre Emerton running special activities every day from 6 to 24 January.

Locations:

Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope Gardens: corner of Sentry Drive and Stanhope Parkway, Stanhope Gardens
Mount Druitt Swimming Centre: 7 Mount Street, Mount Druitt 
Riverstone Swimming Centre: corner of Market Street and Piccadilly Street, Riverstone
Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre Emerton: 35 Jersey Road, Emerton

3. Book a Visit to Blacktown City Libraries

If you need some time to relax and recuperate from the constant go, go, go summer holidays can bring, plan a trip to Blacktown City Libraries. Stepping into the quiet and cool interiors will hopefully bring a sense of calm to your brood. If not, Max Webber Library – Blacktown City Council’s largest library – has an interactive kids’ area, while Mt Druitt Library, Dennis Johnson Library, Lalor Park Library and Riverstone Library & Digital Hub all have a designated children’s section so your little ones can browse, read and play to their heart’s content. Did we also mention the fabulous toy library for tykes aged one to five? There are also endless free activities running during the holidays, from art classes to craft workshops – check the Blacktown City Libraries Calendar for the schedule.

Locations:

Max Webber Library: Flushcombe Road & Alpha Street, Blacktown
Mount Druitt Library: Mount Street, Mount Druitt
Dennis Johnson Library: 1 Sentry Drive, Stanhope Gardens
Lalor Park Library: 1 Freeman Street, Lalor Park
Riverstone Library & Digital Hub: Riverstone Village, Riverstone Parade & Market Street, Riverstone

4. Cuddle up to Critters at Sydney Zoo

Whether your kids are crazy about lions and zebras or prefer bull sharks and exotic fish, Sydney Zoo is your one-stop wildlife spot to watch them in their element. With over 4000 animals at the only combined zoo and aquarium in NSW, this extremely walkable zoo boasts no stairs (perfect for strollers!), making it a great option for the whole family. For dedicated animal lovers aged between eight to 12, there’s even the chance to book in and be a Mini Zookeeper for a Day.

Location: 700 Great Western Highway, Eastern Creek

5. Child’s Play at Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub (BEST)

Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub (BEST) may have been created as a world-class facility where sports, health and education collide – but did you know it has an incredible playground that’s guaranteed to be hours of fun? With obstacle courses, climbing nets, slides, trampolines, basketball hoops and a soccer field, this space has been designed in collaboration with medical experts to help improve physical, social, and cognitive skills. So, grab a coffee at the onsite Parklands Café, sit back and let your kids go wild!

Location: 25 Blacktown Olympic Avenue, Rooty Hill

6. Ride it out at Raging Waters

Want to test your heart rate and how well your swimmers can stay on? A fun-filled day at splash park Raging Waters is sure to do both thanks to attractions such as 360 Rush Water Slide and the Aqua Tube. There are over 40 slides and attractions to choose from, whether you want to cool down and chill out or dive headfirst into the epic thrills and spills. Little ones will have a ball too, thanks to more sedate splashes such as the Dinosaur Lagoon and Junior Slides.

Location: 427 Reservoir Road, Prospect

7. Catch a Flick at the Skyline Drive-In

If taking your boisterous kids to a quiet cinema is more terrifying than any horror film, Skyline Drive-In lets you catch the latest flicks in the comfort of your own car. Proudly operating for 60 years and Sydney’s last drive-in cinema, grab some snacks from the old-school diner and treat the family to a yesteryear experience.

Location: Cricketers Arms Rd, Blacktown

8. Strike out at Bowling

Beat the heat with a blast from the past trip to one of Blacktown’s pumping bowling alleys. Mixing retro bowling with the flashing lights and irresistible lure of arcade games, Timezone & Zone Bowling Blacktown boasts 16 lanes, over 100 arcade games, bumper cars and a laser tag arena. Those closer to Timezone & Zone Bowling West HQ in Rooty Hill can expect 24 lanes and all the arcade games, laser tag and bumper cars to keep any teen occupied for hours.

Locations:
Timezone & Zone Bowling Blacktown: Shop 4011/17 Patrick Street, Blacktown
Timezone & Zone Bowling West HQ: 33 Railway Street, Rooty Hill

9. Make Friends at Featherdale Wildlife Park

Get up close and personal with your fave Aussie animals at the iconic Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside. With 2000 animals, six habitat areas, 50 koalas and the opportunity to hand feed wallabies, kangaroos and farmyard favourites, this park (which opens at the very kid-friendly hour of 8 am) is a great way to tick off an energy-burning morning activity before the day gets too hot.

Location: 217 Kildare Road, Doonside

10. Create and Explore at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre

Conveniently located in the heart of Blacktown CBD, The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre is a vibrant artistic hub with two gallery spaces, a 75-seat studio and space for budding artists to be inspired with hands-on workshops - and there's free admission! The 2025 Blacktown City Art Prize exhibition runs at the gallery from 11 January to 28 March, alongside the 2025 Blacktown City Young Artist Prize, so marvel at some of the best homegrown talent around and debate your favourite pieces with the whole family.

Location: 78 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown

More To Explore In Blacktown

Where to go Bowling in Blacktown
Restaurants in Blacktown: 15 to Discover
Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre Gives Unwanted Pets a New Life

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