Top 20 FREE Water Parks for Kids Across Sydney
- Family
Kids

We are so lucky to be blessed with so much warm weather, and so many fun ways to cool off! Apart from our beautiful beaches, there are fantastic local playgrounds with water features dotted around Sydney for more FREE fun in the sun.
Here are our top picks of fountains, splash pools and fun sprinklers your kids will love:
1. The Playground, 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.
2. 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 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.
3. Pirrama Park, Pyrmont

The award-winning, multi-million dollar Pirrama Park is one of the most thoughtfully designed parks in Sydney, and perched right on the harbour's edge. 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!
4. Livvi's Place, Marsden Park

**Please note that Elara Park is currently closed due to COVID-19.
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, fun glider, trampoline loop and a basketball half-court - and a really cool bike track. Spend the whole day here in the good weather!
5. Steel Park, Marrickville

Steel Park in the inner west suburb of Marrickville has a lovely playground with equipment to suit both the little one and older children, surrounded by plenty of space, lots of grass, poplar trees providing great shade and a great view of the Cooks River. However, its Waterplay Park is still the main drawcard. The interesting series of water features include 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.
6. Wild Play, Centennial Park

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 play space 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.
7. 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, large climbing net, lookout tower and combination equipment. Plus, it is heaven on a hot day with its large 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.
8. Nurragingy Reserve Water Park, Doonside

**Please note that Nurragingy Reserve is currently closed due to COVID-19.
The water play park at Nurragingy Reserve is a huge gem for kids in Sydney's west where temps can soar. This free aquatic park facility features a number of fountains, hoses and waterfalls to help you cool off while having fun in the picturesque Western Sydney Parklands. There is also a huge playground alongside the water play area, with sandstone, jarrah logs, river stones, recycled timber sleepers and shipping ropes.
9. James Ruse Reserve Water Playground, Parramatta

James Ruse Reserve has a delightful shaded water play area 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 of the year.
10. Granville Water Park, Merrylands

Please note: the water playground at Granville Park is currently closed due to park upgrades and is not expected to reopen until mid 2021.
Granville Water Park is a sustainable splash park has an amazing array of fun water features which continuously collects and recycles its own water. The kids can splash about in the fountains, sprays and the synchronised tipping buckets that dump a 1600 litres flood of water every minute!
11. Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park

Our favourite feature of Cathy Freeman Park is the gigantic Olympic Cauldron with cascading water which the kids will 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.
12. Blacktown Showground Precinct, Blacktown

**Please note that Blacktown Showground Water Park is currently closed due to COVID-19.
Francis Park at the Blacktown Showground Precinct has a fun waterplay zone 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.
13. 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 including a toddler’s ‘discovery stream,’ a capacity for 176 users, shade sails covering two thirds of water play area and zero depth water. The water will be heated too so you can splash around well into the cooler months!
14. Walter Gors Park, Dee Why

A free water play park with abundant green space, Walter Gors Park in Dee Why includes playgrounds, a water gardens with streaming jets, ping pong tables, outdoor bbqs and sheltered areas to relax under. It's a popular spot for local families with ample space to run and play or picnic and relax.
15. Philip Ruddock Water Playground, Dundas Valley

The Philip Ruddock Waterpark was an initiative of Parramatta Council's ‘Cool Parramatta’ campaign to give western sydney repreive 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, slide and some swings and nearby BBQs and picnic shelters for the whole family to enjoy.
16. Mary O’Brien Reserve, Zetland

Mary O'Brien Reserve boasts expansive lush green area for picnics and running around, two awesome 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.
17. Plough And Harrow East, Western Sydney Parklands

Plough And Harrow East Playground has a hamster wheel, flying fox, a 5-way swing, climbing structures, pentagonal swing set, a spinning ring, little cubby house with a slide and lots of things to climb. Of course, there is also a water play area with a few pumps and turnpikes that get released into a little mini dam that kids can direct the flow of by moving the rocks around.
18. 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, climbing wall and slide, sand diggers and balancing beams - all made from recycled timbers and trees that died onsite. The cool water play area has a deck with a pump where kids can watch the water cascade through a series of wooden channels down to a final waterfall created by the naturally occurring rocks and bush.
19. Taronga Zoo, Mosman

The children’s Backyard to Bush precinct at Sydney’s favourite animal sanctuary, Taronga Zoo, has some cool water play features that splashes over a sandstone frog-sculpture into a pond lined with stainless steel yabbies, ducks and lily-pads, plus pumps so that children can control the water flow through the shallow water play area. Kids can get barefoot and hop over stones embossed with dragonflies and make a big splash as water runs from pumps into troughs. The waterplay area is included in the cost of admission.
20. 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 splashpad 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.
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Reviews
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 28 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 27 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 25 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 08 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 18 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 25 2015
Would live to know all about theses free water parks please
Dalida
Oct 16 2015
We went to Olympic water park was awesome my one year baby loved it
selina. Jazella. antonio
Oct 02 2015
We never been in the water park But in the summer we . well Gracias
alex
Oct 02 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 28 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 [email protected] Thanks!
Kiyara
Jan 17 2015
There should be some of these water parks in Wollongong. Well not just Wollongong all over nsw. Why just in Sydney?
Tina
Jan 09 2015
Awesome water parks. Just what i was looking for to take the kids this school holidays
Tammy
Jan 07 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 08 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.