Reay Park, located on Ocean Street at Dudley received upgrades in 2021 and it’s a wonderful, peaceful park to visit with kids of all ages. In its bushland setting, surrounded by trees and birdlife, it feels like a hidden oasis, not far from the bustling Charlestown CBD.
The playground at Reay Park is small, but fenced to the road on three sides and is best suited to toddlers and preschoolers.
The playground consists of two swings (a baby swing and a regular swing) and a platform with two small slides and a fireman’s pole that’s suited to small kids.
There’s also a softfall hopscotch which my five year old really enjoyed jumping on.
There are park benches just outside the playground to sit and watch over the little ones while they play, to rest and enjoy the birdlife or read a book.
One of the major upgrades to Reay Park has been to the original tennis court. The old tennis court, which was in a dilapidated state, has now been replaced with a new multicourt featuring a half-court basketball court at one end and a half tennis court with rebound wall at the other.
The toilets have also been upgraded and there are now new amenities including disabled-access toilets.
With the new amenities so close to the playground and multicourt, Reay Park is a great spot for a barbecue or a small birthday party. The undercover barbecue area has three picnic tables and two free barbecues. A concrete path links the multicourt, playground, amenities and barbecue area. There is also a water fountain with a dog water bowl.
Reay Park is beautifully landscaped and there is a lovely big bottlebrush near the barbecue area which was full of rainbow lorikeets on the day we visited.
The adjoining field is flat and spacious. It’s the perfect spot for kids to run around, kick a ball and play.
If you wander to the far side of the field, there are walking tracks through the bush of Glenrock Reserve and if you’re adventurous and head NE you’ll be able to walk all the way out to Glenrock Lookout. My five-year-old wasn’t up to the full walk on the day we visited, but he had a lot of fun exploring and playing on the bush tracks close to the field.
Good to Know
Address: 15A Ocean Street, Dudley
Public Toilets: Yes (including disabled toilets)
Water Fountain: Yes
Picnic Facilities: Yes, 3 x undercover picnic tables
BBQ: Yes, 2 x free barbecues
Café Nearby: Nearest cafe is Folium Cafe at 122 Ocean Street in Dudley
Meg is a born and raised Novocastrian whose interests include gardening, reading and writing poetry. In between writing for Newy With Kids and working as a School Learning Support Officer, Meg enjoys camping and travelling with her family and exploring Newcastle and all it has to offer. Meg has two energetic kids and is passionate about kids having the opportunity to be outdoors as often as possible.
