Lots of history here. Very easy to walk to from the Wharf besides the really long hill leading up…read moreto it. Surprised that there is also a concert venue right over here before you hit the national park. Very well done with concrete outlooks and you can basically walk through the whole park in under two hours. There is parking but it's more appreciated when walking.

Want to have a whale of a time?…read more I particularly love going to North head for spotting whales! From May to Nov, North head offers an amazing opportunity to watch a Blow, a fin, an occasional body splash. The migration route is close to the coast so these whales can often be seen from the north headlands. From late August to November, the whales head southwards. Females with their newborns, and males after the mating season. Mothers tend to spend more time on surface and swim slower so that the calf can keep up. The calves tend to come out of the water more often. Remember to bring your binoculars! The North and South Heads of Sydney mark the entrance to Sydney harbour. The bay is called the Mouth of Sydney and this is where all ships enter and leave Sydney. The lookout points towards the city and you can catch views of the Harbour Bridge, city, Rose bay all the way unto Vaculuse. North Head National Parks is a ten minute drive from Manly. It's a pristine headland and a great vantage point to watch the Sydney to Hobart race on Boxing day. They have walking tracks and barracks. If you stand close to the edge, you can feel the water spray from below. This is particularly welcome during summer months.

This place is massive. By massive I mean 55 hectares. There is so much stuff here it is worth…read morechecking out their brochure/map (pdf) http://frid.co/qFdcqE I have only been here a few times, and that was for the Hornsby Bushland Shire Festival which is on once a year around September. It is always a crowd pleaser. Heaps of food stalls, arts and craft, and shows for the kids makes the day pass pretty quick. This year my boys enjoyed the Sponge Bob Square Pants show the best. While the $5 entrance fee (per car) on the day of the festival is a donation, I believe on any other day the park entrance will still cost you $5. Though for a picnic area this huge, with ponds and bridges, play areas and sand pits, gardens and paths... you will not lack for things to check out. It even has BBQ facilities. You might even want to bring along the push bikes for the kids and let them ride around. Certainly worth checking out if you are in the area.

A top location to take the family for a BBQ, picnic or just a stroll with the kids. There are a few…read moreparks scattered across this large well maintained park and also some nice lakes to feed the ducks. For those in need of a coffee there is also the opportunity to grab one at the cafe near the main park!

Rose Terrace is an ambiguous 'park' that is hidden just off South Dowling street that is off the…read moreOxford street in Paddington. From the outset it just looks like a congregation of homes and a little walkway that leads to them all but if you look for a sign that says "Rose Terrace", follow the direction it's pointing, on the little closed off path that is coated with shrubs and trees. Pardon the cliche, but what you will find there on a dreamy Spring evening is nothing short of an enchanted garden. There are 32 houses there, all established circa 1874, and they form an arch that encapsulates a gorgeous little garden. This garden is fitted with cobble stone, flowers, trees, benches and a little picnic table. It is created in such a way that is serves as a front yard and simultaneously backyard for all the homes that surround it. However, there is a tiny little sign that declares that it is in fact property of the City of Sydney which means free game for all! Who the chairs and tables belong to is a mystery but since it's a public park there is no reason you can't grab a seat and feel part of the small community that is Rose Terrace. Personally, it would be a dream of mine to own one of the quaint little terraces there. Scattered around are children's toys, little play cars and games. The residents seem to have to qualms about leaving their things out and about, and as many times as I have been there they seem to remain untouched. It's like a little fortitude, only minutes way from the centre of the city. There are plenty of things to do in the area of Paddington, but if you get a chance this is definitely worth a check-out. It's a place to think, drink some tea, read or book or just show your friends.

You are almost guaranteed to have to walk by twice to find Rose Terrace - two benches on a postage…read morestamp of green space hidden down what looks like a driveway. A nice little place to eat a lunch outdoors, sweetly complemented by the sidewalk chalk drawings of the neighborhood children and the large potted flowers covering the front steps of the terrace houses facing this teeny tiny park.

Sea-plane spotting?…read more One of the most beautiful parklands in Sydney is the Headland Park in Mosman. You can reach it by driving along the Middle head Road and entering the harbour trust park. The gun pit fortification is located at the east end of the park and it is stunning. Located further aside are steps which lead to a small beach and a long pier. The harbour view is stunning and if you look the the other side you can watch sea planes take off and land across the water from Rose Bay. The sea planes continue to fly around Sydney's harbour before continuing westwards. A great vantage point to watch seaplanes, helicopters, sail boats, ferries and canoes. Take the guided tour on the first sunday of the month to discover hidden tunnels and tracks.

With wide open spaces; playing fields; a new toilet block; a winding path along a creek; ducks and…read moreducklings; rare plants, bush and swamps; and views across the bay towards Tarban Creek Bridge as a backdrop to bobbing yachts, Riverglade Reserve in Gladesville/Hunters Hill is a green oasis in the heart of Sydney suburbia. Riverglade Reserve has about 30 hectares of remnant bushland which is the bushland where the original (pre-1788) bushland still survives (a pretty special thing in modern times in a city the size of Sydney)! It's also very significant and important as it is home to microscopic life and is a natural "seed store" for rare native plants and provides a flourishing ecosystem for the marine environment of Sydney Harbour (which is becoming increasingly rare as harbour-side land is developed). There is a path where you can walk, run, ride or push a pram or wheelchair along the creek and then over a refurbished bridge that takes you into Hunters Hill suburbia or maybe kick a football on one of the playing fields, feed some ducks or just read a book overlooking the harbour. Known and respected by locals, Riverside Reserve's secrets are now out - enjoy and respect this marvellous piece of space which is a rare gift in our marvellous city.

Clark Park is the perfect place to take your folk for a beautiful but quiet view of Sydney's…read moreHarbour and her bridge. Away from the tourist crowds this little park is set amongst some of the oldest and quaintest (and dare I write 'witchy') homes of Kirribilli. From the shady old fig trees at the top you can wander down the path and some pretty steep stair to find a small oasis of green shrubbery. I feel like I'm in a fairly garden or a really good gardener's backyard. Indeed I saw the gardener today rustling about in the forage and he pocked his head out to give me a cheerio as I cycled by. If you take the stairs all the way down under the railway bridge you come to the waters edge. Follow this towards the bridge (that is, the Sydney Harbour Bridge) and you eventually find your way to the back end of Luna Park. Lots of runner use this path but as do strollers as it really is a beautiful and relatively quiet walk merely a stones throw from the CBD.

There's a new park in town, well since December 2012 but I guess most people wouldn't have known…read moreabout it, so I guess it's still new in a way. It's located within Central Park which is next to the city where the Kent Brewery used to be. Within the park, there's a massive artwork located in the middle of the park known as "Halo" which you should check out and also there's a lot of green spaces separated by footpaths which leads to Central "The Living Mall" and allows for people to get from Broadway Road to Balfour Street. There are a lot of trees planted in the park which is great as it provides shade and also makes the park feel like it has a life of its own. So it's a great place to stop by if you live in Chippendale or around the area as it provides many places for you to relax, play some ball games, study or to chat with your friends. With Central now open, which is the Central Park Shopping Centre known as "The Living Mall", you can get some food or drinks from the many shops there and have it in the park where it's better than being stuck inside on a sunny or cloudy day. If you wanted to cook your own food instead, you're in luck as there's a BBQ area which is great for having parties or cooking yourself breakfast, lunch or dinner. Also within the BBQ area there's tap water, so it's quite good if you need to wash your hands or something. When the park allowed for me to get there more easily via Broadway Road, I've been to this park many times, I guess mostly to have a BBQ and to catch up with friends as it's the closest public BBQ in the area. So another park has been made available to the people of Sydney and more specifically the people living in the city of Sydney, which is a good thing I believe. So if you're in the area and need to get away from the place known as the city, Chippendale Green is one of the many places that I think can help you out.

I used to live in the Darlington/Chippendale area years ago, well before the current construction…read moreof the Central Park development and the park officially known as Chippendale Green, but which I just usually think of as Central Park. With all the latest redevelopment, it would be tempting to move back over this way... This stretch of green grass makes such a difference, and really opens up the whole area of Chippendale, which previously had little in the way of greenery. My pet favourite is to cut through it to White Rabbit Gallery, and the other cafes and galleries of Chippendale. It's also great to just chill out here after visiting "The Living Mall". I'm not sure whether it's on or off leash for dogs - I saw one off leash, but it may have been flouting the rules.

Beautiful atmosphere Picnic/BBQ area…read moreFun park for the kids Wildlife Park- fun to explore