We are so lucky to be blessed with so much warm weather here in Sydney, and so many fun ways to cool off! Apart from our beautiful beaches, there are fantastic water parks in Sydney with epic water features for FREE fun in the sun - splash-tastic!
So, if you're looking for free fun with the kids this weekend, grab your swimmers and head to these awesome and free water parks in Sydney - don't forget to slip, slop, slap!
25 FREE Water Parks in Sydney
1. Campbelltown Billabong Parklands
Having only opened in June 2024, Campbelltown Billabong is one of the newest free water parks that you might not have even tried yet!
Along with a mega swimming lagoon, cool rock pools, expansive green spaces, and plenty of picnic facilities, the Billabong has a cool free kids' water play space with a range of interactive water elements.
Opening hours: The 2025/2026 swimming season kicks off in October 2025. Families can visit the Parklands for FREE but you'll need to book a ticket first.
Location: The Pkwy, Bradbury
RELATED:
The Best Kid-friendly Beaches in Sydney
2. Greenacre Splash Park
Another relatively new free water park in Sydney, Greenacre Splash Park opened at the start of 2023 and is a huge hit amongst the Canterbury-Bankstown locals.
Located at Roberts Park, Greenacre Splash Park pulls off double duty as both a water park and a dry playground for kids of all ages and abilities to enjoy. Our favourite feature is the Mega Splash 4-dump Bucket - check it out!
Opening hours: Greenacre Splash Park is opening for the season from 29 September 2025. The water is usually on from 10 am to 6 pm.
Location: Roberts Park, 105 Waterloo Rd, Greenacre
3. Water Play, Darling Quarter
For adventure in and out of the water, the huge children's play area at Darling Quarter Playground is an absolute must!
Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Darling Harbour, this impressive play space is a kids' oasis, right in the city. The vibrant playground is a wonderland of balance ropes, giant swings, a jumbo ring, a big slide and slide hill, a flying fox, an octonet and sand pits with diggers.
After tackling that terrain, the kids will need to cool down, and the fabulous 'Water Works' aquatic play area is the place to do it. It's a masterful maze of waterways where kids control the flow via switches, gates, a water wheel and an Archimedes water screw! There are also pump stations and water squirts.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney
4. Blaxland Riverside Park, Homebush
Blaxland Riverside Park is a unique play space with a diverse range of activities and challenges for kids of all ages and abilities – and it's home to the largest outdoor water play facility in NSW!
The water park boasts a double flying fox, mega-swing, tunnel slides, scramble wall, spinning play disk, Viking swing, and a multi-level tree house, plus a range of spraying water fountains and jets, all spread over three hectares of parkland along the Parramatta River.
With its amazing architectural equipment and bright, cheerful colours, this spectacular waterside park is a world away from your average playground.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Jamieson St, Sydney Olympic Park
5. Pirrama Park, Pyrmont
The award-winning, multi-million dollar Pirrama Park is one of the most thoughtfully designed water parks in Sydney.
Kids have a blast immersing themselves in the aquatic play space while parents sit back and soak up the stunning surroundings. The unique adventure playground has fun water play features like sprinklers and fountains, which are a hit on a hot summer's day. There is also a big sandpit, climbing structures, slippery dips, swings and musical play equipment to keep little adventurers entertained.
There's plenty of room to ride a bike, kick a ball or have a picnic!
Opening hours: Water play is open from 8 am to 6 pm every day except Tuesdays.
Location: Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont
6. Livvi's Place, Elara
Livvi's Place Elara in Marsden Park is an expansive kids' playground featuring a water play zone, a flying fox, slides, swings, climbing nets, a carousel, a fun glider, a trampoline loop, a basketball half-court, and a really cool bike track. Spend the whole day here in the good weather!
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Elara Blvd, Marsden Park
7. Steel Park, Marrickville
Steel Park in the inner-west suburb of Marrickville has a lovely water playground with equipment suitable for both the little ones and older children, surrounded by plenty of space, lots of grass, poplar trees providing great shade, and a great view of the Cooks River. And even after all that, it's Waterplay Park that is still the main drawcard.
The interesting series of water features includes interactive fountains, jets, sprinklers, and misty spray elements designed to encapsulate the total water cycle. The 'source', 'rills' and 'estuary' features demonstrate the environmental process in action. It's safe, creative, and lots of fun.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: 531-565 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
8. Ian Potter Children's WILD PLAY Garden
The gorgeous Ian Potter WILD PLAY Garden is a family oasis within Centennial Park with one of Sydney's best aquatic areas.
Surrounded by unique rock formations, the artesian water park has flowing jets with plenty of space for children to run through. The surrounding natural wonderland also includes a bamboo forest, Banksia Scrub tunnels, rope bridge access to a climbing tower, a cubby house with a super slide, teepees, a swamp area, and dry creek beds.
Opening hours: The water feature is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
Location: Off Grand Dr, Centennial Park
9. Putney Park, Putney
Right on the waterfront, beautiful Putney Park is an expanse of lush lawn and natural wonder.
The fantastic main playground boasts a huge tube slippery dip, a large climbing net, a lookout tower, and combination equipment. Plus, it's heaven on a hot day with its prominent water feature – two shaded paddling pools linked by a little stream for hours of splashing fun.
For the older kids, there's another playground near the river with a huge spider rope climbing frame suspended over a big sandpit. There is also a smaller playground at the southern end of the park with equipment suitable for young children.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Pellisier Rd, Putney
10. Nurragingy Reserve Water Park, Doonside
The free water park at Nurragingy Reserve is a huge gem for kids in Sydney's west, where temperatures can soar.
This free aquatic park facility features several fountains, hoses and waterfalls to help you cool off while having fun in the picturesque Western Sydney Parklands. There is also a vast playground alongside the water play area with sandstone, jarrah logs, river stones, recycled timber sleepers, and shipping ropes.
Opening hours: The water park is open daily from 10 am to 3.30 pm during spring and autumn, while hours will be extended to 9 am to 6.30 pm in summer. The water park is closed in winter.
Location: Knox Rd, Doonside
11. James Ruse Reserve Water Playground, Parramatta
James Ruse Reserve has a delightful shaded water park with a variety of interactive water features like water jets, fountains, tipping buckets, and sprays. Kids of all ages will love getting into the aquatic action during the warmer months.
Opening hours: The season runs from September to May, when the water playground is open from 9 am to 8 pm. It closes from June to August. The dry playground is open year-round.
Location: 109 Harris St, Parramatta
12. Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park
Our favourite feature of Cathy Freeman Park is the gigantic Olympic Cauldron with cascading water that the kids just love splashing in. There is a large grassy area perfect for picnics. You also have your choice of playgrounds nearby, along with a variety of cafes. There is also an outdoor chessboard.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Next to ANZ Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park
13. Blacktown Showground Precinct, Blacktown
Francis Park at the Blacktown Showground Precinct has a fun, free water park that features a sheltered area with varying-sized water troughs, a hand wheel water pump, a concrete water maze, and spurts and sprays coming from all over – just perfect for the kids (and adults) on a warm, sunny day.
There is also a junior playground for little ones featuring an activity unit, swings, a rotating ball, play tables, balance beams, rubber mushrooms, and more! The big kids' playground boasts a flying fox, balance cable and beams, climbing units, slides, and more.
Opening hours: Water play is available during spring, summer, and autumn.
Location: Richmond Rd, Blacktown
14. Curry Reserve Water Play Park, Elderslie
Curry Reserve playground on Camden Valley Way features three play zones for all ages, including a toddler zone, 36 play features, a toddlers' discovery stream, capacity for 176 users, shade sails covering two-thirds of the water play area, and zero-depth water.
The water will be heated too, so you can splash around well into the cooler months!
Opening hours: The water play season starts on the first week of the Spring School Holidays until April 2026. Open daily from 10 am to 7 pm.
Location: 24 Camden Valley Way, Elderslie
15. Dawson-Damer Park, Oran Park
Dawson-Damer Park in the sprawling Oran Park is a mega and refreshing oasis for families.
The free water park features 30 attractions, including a large dump bucket, water slides, water spinners, and more.
Opening hours: Splash play is open from September to April from 10 am to 7 pm.
Location: Dick Johnson Drive, Oran Park
16. Philip Ruddock Water Playground, Dundas Valley
The Philip Ruddock Waterpark was an initiative of Parramatta Council's 'Cool Parramatta' campaign to give Western Sydney a reprieve from the sweltering summer sun.
Water features are integrated into fun playground equipment for hours of cooling off. There is also a playground with a fort structure, a slide, swings, and nearby BBQs and picnic shelters for the whole family to enjoy.
Opening hours: 9 am to 8 pm from September to May.
Location: Yates Ave, Dundas Valley
17. Mary O'Brien Reserve, Zetland
Mary O'Brien Reserve boasts an expansive, lush green area for picnics and running around, two fantastic age-appropriate playgrounds with lots of interweaving structures to climb, and a water play area! Jets shoot water skywards on blue spongy flooring - perfect for a splash around on a hot day.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: 8 Tilford St, Zetland
18. Plough And Harrow East, Western Sydney Parklands
Plough And Harrow East Playground has a hamster wheel, a flying fox, a five-way swing, climbing structures, a pentagonal swing set, a spinning ring, a little cubby house with a slide, and lots of things to climb.
Of course, there is also a water park with a few pumps and turnpikes that are released into a little mini dam, where kids can direct the flow by moving the rocks around.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Elizabeth Dr, Abbotsbury
19. Lizard Log, Abbotsbury
Voted the number one playground in NSW and the ACT, Lizard Log is a natural wonderland with a bushland feel that encourages nature play at its finest.
It has all kinds of play equipment, including a double flying fox, giant swings, a climbing wall and slide, sand diggers, and balancing beams - all made from recycled timbers and trees that died onsite. The cool water play area features a deck with a pump, where kids can watch the water cascade through a series of wooden channels to a final waterfall formed by naturally occurring rocks and bushes.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: The Horsley Dr and Cowpasture Rd, Abbotsbury
20. Bigge Park, Liverpool
Hours of refreshing fun are on the agenda at Bigge Park in Liverpool. The kids will have endless hours of fun running through sprayers, mini water buckets, and the hero of the playground - the giant water bucket! Bigge Park has shade sails for sun protection.
Opening hours: Open from 10 am to 7 pm from October to March; 11 am to 4 pm from April to September.
Location: 124 Bigge St, Liverpool
21. Werrington Lakes Playground, Werrington
After children exhaust themselves running and playing in the expansive park and multi-age play equipment at Werrington Lakes Park playground, they can head over to the splash pad, where jets will shoot up and soak them on a hot day.
This Penrith venue is well worth a visit, boasting a duck pond and BBQ area - everything you need for a family day out.
Opening hours: Open daily
Location: Burton St, Werrington
22. Barrallier Park Water Play
The newest free water park in Sydney has opened at Barrallier Park in The Oaks and is ready for splashing!
The splash space features fountains and change rooms, and is accessible to all.
Opening hours: Open daily from 10 am to 7 pm
Location: 12 Burragorang St, The Oaks
23. Ollie Webb Reserve
One of our favourite all-abilities playgrounds is also one of our favourite free water parks.
Ollie Webb Reserve in Parramatta is fun for all ages year-round, with a dry playground for winter and splash features in spring and summer. The kids will have a ball running through the water-jet tunnel, jumping on the trampolines, and playing in the mega tower.
Opening hours: Open from 9 am to 8 pm from September to May. Closed during winter.
Location: 37A Glebe St, Parramatta
24. Deerbush Park, Prairiewood
Another all-abilities playground that also offers water play, Deerbush Park in Prairiewood is the place to be when the summer temps start to soar.
The water play section of the playground features 13 above-ground squirters and numerous ground-level bubblers for all ages and abilities.
Opening hours: Water play is available from 10 am to 6 pm during spring and summer, and from 11 am to 4 pm in winter.
Location: Deerbush Park, Prairiewood
25. Meadowbank Regional Playground
The super-fun Meadowbank Regional Playground opened in 2022 and has since become many families' go-to spot for year-round fun in the sun and splashtastic adventures during the warmer months.
There are so many things for kids to do at Meadowbank, including the fun water play area, music zone, sand pit, slides, sensory zones, cars, bridge, and plenty more. We also love that there are shade sails to filter UV rays while the kids are running amok.
Opening hours: Water play is available from 9 am to 8 pm from October to April, and from 9 am to 5 pm on weekends only from May to September.
Location: Constitution Rd, Meadowbank
26. DRLC Splash Park, Maroubra
The new DRLC Splash Park at Des Renford Leisure Centre in Maroubra is fast becoming one of the top summer hangouts for local families. Officially opening in 2023 as part of DRLC's 10th anniversary celebrations, it offers an energetic and colourful water playground designed for kids aged about 18 months to 12 years. Locals love the powerful spray features, slides, surf cannons, the spiral tunnel, the dump bucket, and all the splashing goodness that comes with it. The splash park is free, but you'll need to pay the DRLC's entry fee.
Opening hours: The splash park reopened on the 24th September 2025
Location: Corner Robey Street & Jersey Road, Maroubra
Family Tips for Visiting Sydney's Water Parks
Nothing says summer in Sydney like a day of fun at a Sydney water park! For families seeking a chill-out session at your local park or for thrillseekers testing out their favourite slides, a little planning will ensure a splash-tastic time. Here are some tips to keep everyone smiling and sun-safe all day long:
- Pack the essentials such as swimmers, towels, sunscreen, and hats. A change of clothes will never go astray, especially for kids who love to combine mud and water! We also recommended investing in a handy waterproof bag for all those soggy bits and pieces at the end of the day.
- Check before you go, as many council-run water parks close for maintenance or during water restrictions. Take a quick peek at your local council website to save yourself a drive and a few disappointed faces.
- Arrive early for a prime spot! It's no surprise that Sydney water parks get pretty overcrowded pretty quickly in summer. We recommend arriving early in the morning to avoid the crowds and secure your family a nice shady spot (if available).
- Keep cool and hydrated. Bring refillable water bottles (preferably insulated) and wide-brim hats. And if you're really organised, a mini esky with a few refreshing ice creams or Zooper Doopers!
- Don't skimp on the snacks because we all know that hungry kids are cranky kids! Not every splash park in Sydney comes with the bonus of an on-site cafe, so save yourself the trouble of hangry kids and pack plenty of snacks for the day.
More Ways to Splash in Sydney
Once you've visited these incredible free water parks, there are plenty more ways to cool down across Sydney. Families can discover the Best Rock Pools for Kids in Sydney, enjoy year-round swimming at Sydney's Best Indoor Swimming Pools, or spend a sunny afternoon at these Top Playgrounds by the Water. Each offers a fun and refreshing way to make the most of Sydney's warm weather.
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Reviews
Pam
Oct 01 2023
Great list! So sad that there aren’t more of these around. There is a fantastic splash park, playground and skatepark in Meadowbank as well on constitution road. Especially great for 2+ years but something for every age.
Debrah
Feb 01 2022
You missed one of the best inclusive water play parks in Sydney. Deerbush Park at Fairfield Showground has one of the best new splah parks and it was designed for people with all abilities. It also has a disability toilet and adjustable change table.
Kevin Fallon
Oct 06 2021
Symbio Wildlife Park has an amazing Splash Park, it is free for use when you visit all the animals at the zoo.
Julia
Jan 11 2021
Just to add, symbiotic see in Helensbough has an great water splash playground
Lara
Feb 07 2019
Hi, Thank you ... Couple of additions .. There is a great park with a water play area (lots of fountains) at the park in Dee Why... Walter Gors Park ... 36 - 40 Howard Avenue, Dee Why NSW 2099 Also a small water play area in the great park at Collaroy Beach.
Alex
Jan 29 2018
For those of you requesting water play on the north side, please check out this article: https://www.ellaslist.com.au/articles/free-water-play-parks-in-north-sydney
kerry heubel
Jan 28 2018
No waterplay parks on the northside of the bridge except Taronga Zoo. It is very expensive to enter and kids sometimes just want to play in the water.
Ned
Sep 26 2017
Auburn Swim Centre now has heated outdoor water play with a double wide slide (so parents can go down with the kids) and Birrong Leisure Centre has a good water play too. Both are ones you pay for. Bigg Park at Liverpool now has a water play area with shade cloth over
Anne Debono
Jan 09 2017
Macquarie Fields Leisure Centre is great fun. There is an outdoor water play area for children and there is also a dry playground area for those that have had enough water. There is undercover tables and BBQ's. There is also 3 indoor pools of varying depth for a sun free environment and there is an outdoor pool for those that would prefer the open air. The staff are really nice too!
Mim pats
Dec 19 2016
What about the northside???
Miranda
Dec 13 2016
Just what we need built in and around port augusta south australia because temperature gets so scorched here its not funny plus we need something here for the kids to keep them entertained. We've got nothing here. If only the mayor of port augusta would look at things like that for everyone.
helen blake
Nov 26 2015
Thank you
Penina
Nov 26 2015
Would live to know all about theses free water parks please
Dalida
Oct 17 2015
We went to Olympic water park was awesome my one year baby loved it
selina. Jazella. antonio
Oct 03 2015
We never been in the water park But in the summer we . well Gracias
alex
Oct 03 2015
Love the article! There's a new water play park in Zetland...would love you to check it out and give it a review :)
kelly
Oct 02 2015
i have been to a few of these and 1 thing i will say is that the one im parramatta /harris park was an awesome park but the fact it had no toilets is appauling, my son had an accident due to there being no toilets.. . if they get toilets then its perfect
Debbie
Oct 02 2015
The water park at Macquarie fields pools is pretty good to!
Daniel
Mar 29 2015
Thank you...
Arielle
Jan 20 2015
Hello Kiyara, here at ellaslist we're always on the look out for activities and venues around Sydney and surrounds, so if you have any suggestions please send them through to team@ellaslist.com.au. Thanks!
Kiyara
Jan 18 2015
There should be some of these water parks in Wollongong. Well not just Wollongong all over nsw. Why just in Sydney?
Tina
Jan 10 2015
Awesome water parks. Just what i was looking for to take the kids this school holidays
Tammy
Jan 08 2015
I go to the one at Olympic park and it's great for the kids but it does get very packed and then there isn't enough room but like I said it's GREAT for the kids
Sue Prowse
Jan 05 2015
Have been to Blaxland Riverside Park a number of times. Great place for all ages. Has a small kiosk and bbq areas aswell. Open space to kick a ball around and explore. Everyone has a great time cooling off in the water adventure park.
Colin
Jan 03 2015
The one at Blacktown Showgrounds is excellent too - undercover, cafe, playground, 10 minutes from the train station...
Tamara Dungey
Jan 03 2015
winning! Love the parks kids play for hours
Jkouzoukas
Jan 03 2015
i have been too Granville and the blaxland parks and my kids loved both. Now I know the other 6 locations I will visit them in coming days, cheers
Jacqui
Feb 09 2014
Steele Park is great. It small and has a shade sail covering it. Great for 2-3 year olds. Also a great playground next to it. Gets busy so parking can be hard and there is a great coffee shop just a little walk back towards Earlwood across the river.


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