Walking Tracks in Western Sydney
Western Sydney has more green space than most people give it credit for. Includes wetlands, river trails, botanic gardens, gorges and everything in between. This guide covers 14 walking track locations, from a flat 300m boardwalk to a 7km river loop and a full gorge scramble. Along the way you’ll spot wallabies, turtles, goannas, sea eagles and some of the best birdlife in Sydney. This guide covers what the walk is actually like, what you’ll see along the way, and everything you need to get there.
Riverside Walk
The Riverside Walk starts at Sydney Olympic Park Wharf (or get there by ferry from Circular Quay). The 6km path is flat and well-formed the whole way, and the scenery shifts constantly: grey mangroves and tidal wetlands first, then open grassland around the old Newington Armory buildings (some dating back to 1897), then playgrounds and the flying fox at Blaxland Riverside Park. Keep an eye on the water for white-bellied sea eagles and cormorants. Parking at the wharf is limited, so the Blaxland Riverside Park car park is the easier option if you’re driving.
Location: Sydney Olympic Park
More Information: Here
Narawang Wetland Walk
The Narawang Wetland Walk is a slow, easy 1.5km boardwalk loop through 22 wetland ponds with all reflections, reeds and frog. Wallabies tend to graze near the path edges early morning or late afternoon, and the ponds are home to turtles and the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog.
Location: 6 Hill Road, Sydney Olympic Park
More Information: Here
Parramatta River Escarpment Boardwalk
The Parramatta River Escarpment Boardwalk is an off-road boardwalk linking Parramatta Park to Melrose Park along the river. The boardwalk sits above the only exposed shale escarpment in the Sydney basin, so there’s a bit of geology to point out alongside the river views. It connects into the wider Parramatta Valley Cycleway, so there’s plenty of room to keep going if there’s still energy to burn.
Location: 2 Queens Avenue, Parramatta
More Information: Here
Nurragingy Reserve Circuit Walk
The Nurragingy Reserve Circuit Walk is a 6km paved loop shared with cyclists and runners, but wide enough that everyone gets their space. The walk passes the Chang Lai Yuan Chinese Garden and the Aboriginal Heritage Garden both worth a photo stop plus a lake that makes a good halfway break. With 63 hectares of bushland around the track, there’s enough shade to make this comfortable even on a warmer day.
Location: Knox Rd, Doonside
More Information: Here
Bicentennial Park Walking Loop
The Bicentennial Park Walking Loop is an easy, flat paths through 40 hectares of parkland, sculpture and garden beds. Expect open lawns giving way to wetland boardwalks, with the odd public artwork tucked into the landscaping along the way. Finish the loop near the Waterview Café and get a post-walk refreshment.
Location: Australia Avenue, Sydney Olympic Park
More Information: Here
Central Valley Walk
The Central Valley Walk is a self-guided 3km paved loop with a few gentle hills. The path runs past the Fig Arboretum then around Lake Fitzpatrick and Lake Sedgwick, where waterbirds are usually going about their business. Set across 416 hectares, the scenery keeps shifting from open grassland to denser native plantings, which helps if your crew gets restless looking at the same view too long.
Location: Narellan Rd, Mount Annan
More Information: Here
Auburn Botanic Gardens Walk
The Auburn Botanic Gardens Walk is a relaxed garden stroll through manicured beds, shaded paths and animal enclosures along the way keeping the track fun without much walking required. It’s a smaller, more contained space than most on this guide.
Location: Hutchinson St & Macquarie Rd, Auburn
More Information: Here
Holroyd Gardens Walking Trail
The Holroyd Gardens Walking Trail is a flat loop through parkland running alongside a playground. Good grass cover for a picnic blanket and enough shade trees to make an afternoon of it.
Location: Cnr Pitt St & Walpole Rd, Merrylands
More Information: Here
Central Gardens Path
The Central Gardens Path is a long, flat path winding through 30 hectares of native bushland in the middle of Merrylands. A waterfall sits along the route, the creek runs through the reserve, and the tree canopy is dense enough to make it genuinely cool even on a warm day. Good for an easy walk where you actually feel like you’ve stepped into bush rather than just a park.
Location: Cumberland Hwy & Merrylands Rd, Merrylands West
More Information: Here
Werrington Lakes Walk
The Werrington Lakes Walk includes boardwalks and bridges loop around the lake, flat the whole way. The water draws in birdlife, and there’s enough open grass around the edges for a kick of the ball if the walk itself doesn’t quite burn off the morning energy.
Location: Burton St, Werrington
More Information:
Lake Parramatta Reserve
The Lake Parramatta Reserve consists of two paths:
Heritage Path is a wheelchair-accessible path from the visitor hub to the Dam Wall Lookout, passing the swimming and boat hire areas on the way. It’s the easiest entry point into the reserve if you’re short on time or have very little legs in tow, and the lookout itself is a nice payoff for not much walking.
Lake Parramatta Circuit Walk is the full loop around the lake, which brings stepping-stone creek crossings and a few flights of steps mixed in with the easier stretches. It’s bushier and quieter than the Heritage Path, with kookaburras and the occasional wallaby along the way, and it finishes near a supervised swimming spot in summer if you want to make a swim of it.
Location: Lake Parramatta Reserve, North Parramatta
More Information: Here
Great River Walk
The Great River Walk is a 7km loop along the Nepean River that crosses the Yandhai Nepean Crossing. This pedestrian bridge with Blue Mountains views are good enough that you’ll stop for a photo. This is a proper walk with paths that stay well-formed the whole way.
Location: River Road, Penrith
More Information: Here
Lizard Log (Western Sydney Parklands)
Western Sydney Parklands consists of few paths:
Pimelea Loop is a short bushland loop that’s an easy entry point into Western Sydney Parklands if you want a taste of bush without committing to a longer trail. Expect native scrub, dappled shade and birdlife making it a “stretch the legs” walk.
Parklands Track starts from the same spot but keeps going, connecting through to The Dairy, Calmsley Hill City Farm and Prospect Reservoir. The terrain stays manageable; it’s the extra distance that bumps this one into moderate territory. A solid pick if you want a proper destination at the end of the walk rather than just a loop back to the car.
Location: Elizabeth Drive, Abbotsbury
More Information: Here
Grandview Fire Trail and Power Lines Track (Yellomundee Regional Park)
The Grandview Fire Trail and Power Lines Track consist of crushed sandstone fire trail through bushland near Mount Riverview, with proper elevation. Spring brings wildflowers out along the track, and goannas are a regular sighting if you keep half an eye on the undergrowth. It can get muddy after rain, so check conditions and pack the right shoes before heading out.
Location: Near Castlereagh/Yarramundi, Mount Riverview
More Information: Here
Learn more about Visit Western Sydney
For more to do in Western Sydney, please visit our Explore tab!
Connect with our platforms below:
