Centennial Park: an urban oasis
In January 1888, Centennial Park was dedicated by Sir Henry Parkes, one of colonial Australia’s founding fathers. The public park was established to celebrate 100 years of European settlement on the island continent. This green oasis covers a vast 220 hectares of former swamp and grazing land in the heart of one of Sydney’s most urbanised areas.
The tree lined, 3.8km Grand Drive is the circular main road through the park. It’s part of the Sydney Marathon course and was used during the 2000 Summer Olympics. The drive is separated into five concentric circles. The outer drive is for cycling and rollerblading, the fourth largest for driving and the third for parking. The second smallest circle is a paved path for walking and running, and the innermost circle is a dirt track for horse riding.
Centennial Park is one of the few city parks in the world where horses can be both stabled and ridden. The East Side Riding Academy is located in the neighbouring Centennial Parklands Equestrian Centre, and can be contacted for lessons and leisure rides insides the park.
The park offers a beautiful setting for picnicking, with its manicured gardens and sweeping green lawns. There are plenty of shady, secluded areas where you can admire the groves of palms, paperbacks and majestic giant fig trees. Bring your own bike or hire one of Centennial Park Cycle's standard or tandem bicycles opposite the playing fields.
Another of Centennial Park’s prominent features is its ponds and wetlands, which provide an important habitat for water birds and aquatic life.
Hello Metro tip: pack a picnic, or visit the casual, contemporary Centennial Parklands Café between the Moreton Bay figs and the playing fields.
Posted by Fiona Davies
