Best BBQ and picnic parks in Mosman
Last updatedClifton Gardens Reserve is the best pick for a picnic in Mosman, with covered tables, toilets and disabled access on the harbour. The other parks split by what you bring. Rosherville Reserve and Rosherville Lighthouse Reserve have public barbecues, while Little Ashton Park and Le Gay Brereton Park add a shelter for wet weather. Each section below shows what sets its park apart.
Quick picks
- Covered tables: Clifton Gardens Reserve has tables under cover, with toilets on site.
- Public barbecues: Rosherville Reserve has steel-plate barbecues near its toilets and playground.
- Barbecue and shelter: Le Gay Brereton Park has both, with a playground beside them.
- Bush setting: Little Ashton Park has a barbecue, a shelter and a walk down to Whiting Beach.
- Quiet picnic: Hunter Park has picnic tables under trees, across from Balmoral Beach.
Clifton Gardens Reserve: covered tables and toilets on site
- Covered shelter
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Clifton Gardens Reserve has covered picnic tables spread through an open area among many trees. The reserve sits on the harbour, with its entrance on Morella Road, and its toilets, change rooms and disabled access are on site. Council doesn't take bookings for the covered tables, so they're first come, first served. Pay-and-display parking is nearby, and bushland walking tracks start from the grounds if you want to walk after lunch.
Rosherville Reserve: barbecues with steel plates and shaded lawns
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Rosherville Reserve suits anyone planning to cook on site. The corner of the park has public barbecues on steel plates, a short walk from toilets with outdoor showers. The lawns are shaded by mature trees, and the children's playground has a sand floor with shade over it. A surface car park with 61 spaces sits beside the reserve, so you can unload close to where you'll eat.
Le Gay Brereton Park: a barbecue, shelter and playground in one small site
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Le Gay Brereton Park fits a barbecue, a shelter and a picnic area into a small site, with a playground beside them. The playground has a rope climbing ball and a roundabout, so children can play while the grill heats up. The shelter gives cover if the weather turns while you're cooking. A seat with a view of the harbour sits in the park for anyone who wants to wait.
Rosherville Lighthouse Reserve: open lawns behind Chinamans Beach
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Rosherville Lighthouse Reserve has a large grassed area behind Chinamans Beach, with public barbecues on the grass and picnic tables among the shade trees. Toilets are on site, and a water play area sits close to the small playground, which is shaded by trees but not fenced. Drivers can use the street or the Pay and Display car park. The Parriwi Head Light is close by, so a walk fits in before or after the meal.
Little Ashton Park: a bush reserve with a barbecue and a walk to the water
- BBQs
- Covered shelter
- Toilets
- Playground
Little Ashton Park is the one to pick for a picnic among bush. Its barbecue, picnic area and shelter sit beside Whiting Beach Road, with drinking water and toilets on site. A walking route crosses the bush and runs down to Whiting Beach, so you can eat first and walk to the water afterwards. Its children's playground sits among the trees, so younger kids have something to do while you cook.
Hunter Park: picnic tables under trees, away from the beach crowds
- Picnic tables
- Playground
- Parking
Hunter Park sits opposite Balmoral Beach and has picnic tables with shade from trees around the park. The park is calmer than the beach, which suits people who want space to eat. Accessible pathways link the picnic tables with the refurbished playground, which has a sand table and digger for children with mobility needs. Our text lists no barbecue here, so bring one only if you're sure it's allowed.
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Mosman
Each row shows what a park's text confirms on barbecues, shelters, tables, toilets and playgrounds, so you can match a spot to what you're bringing.
| Park | BBQs | Shelter | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Clifton Gardens Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Rosherville Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Le Gay Brereton Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Rosherville Lighthouse Reserve | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.Little Ashton Park | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6.Hunter Park | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 7.Headland Park | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 8.Sydney Harbour National Park | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| 9.Lawry Plunkett Reserve | – | – | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Nearby, outside Mosman | |||||
| Brightmore Reserve · Cremorne | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
How we picked
Picks came from what each park's text confirms for barbecues, shelters, tables, toilets, a playground and size. Where a fact isn't in our text, the table shows a dash, not a no. The six picks have the most facts known. Headland Park and Sydney Harbour National Park have too few for a pick, so they stay in the table only.
FAQ
Which park in Mosman has public BBQs?
Rosherville Reserve and Rosherville Lighthouse Reserve both have public barbecues, and Little Ashton Park and Le Gay Brereton Park each have a barbecue too. Our text doesn't say whether any of them charge, so check the council page before you go.
Which Mosman parks have a shelter for a wet day?
Little Ashton Park and Le Gay Brereton Park each have a shelter, and Clifton Gardens Reserve has covered tables. The covered tables at Clifton Gardens are first come, first served.
Can you book a picnic spot in Mosman?
Clifton Gardens Reserve doesn't take bookings for its covered tables. Our text gives no booking rules for the other parks, so check with Mosman Council before a big group visit.