Lane Cove National Park (NSW) Guide

About Lane Cove National Park

The park is a strip of bushland on either side of the Lane Cove River, stretching from East Ryde up to Pennant Hills and West Chatswood. It’s made for a day out: more than twenty numbered picnic areas, walking tracks along the river and through the bush, boat hire on the water, and quiet roads you can ride a bike on. If you want to stay the night, the camping is at Discovery Parks Lane Cove, the holiday park inside the park on its south-western side, where we spent a night with the rooftop tent.

Best time to go

We were there on an overcast afternoon in October, and it was a comfortable day for a drive and a few short walks. Being in Sydney, the park works all year, but each season is a bit different:

• AutumnBest timeMarch–MayCrisp, sunny days, ideal for a picnic or a barbecue; March is the wettest month
• SpringGood timeSeptember–NovemberWildflowers along the walking tracks and ducklings on the river
• SummerFairDecember–FebruaryWarm, 20 to 27°C on average; pick a shady picnic area by the river
• WinterGood timeJune–AugustMild days of 5 to 17°C on averageAnd July is the driest month

Getting There and Park Entry

From Chatswood, take Fullers Road and turn into Lady Game Drive for the northern side of the river, or cross Fullers Bridge onto Riverside Drive for the southern side. From Ryde, turn into Riverside Drive off Lane Cove Road. Entry is $8 per vehicle per day: pay at the machines, which take coins and cards, or with the Park’nPay app. The gates open at 9am and are locked at 7pm, so plan to be out in time. Without a car, you can take the train to North Ryde or a bus from Chatswood.

Picnic Areas

The picnic areas are numbered along the road, from 1 to 23, each with its own car park. Some are open lawns with tables, others sit under the trees or next to sandstone boulders, and several have shelters and barbecues. We stopped at Barakee, Commandment Rock and Scribbly Gums, among others, and several have walking trails down to the river. Carter Creek, by the river, can be booked for a group celebration.

The River and the Boatshed

The Lane Cove River is the heart of the park. At the Lane Cove Boatshed you can hire a boat and paddle the quiet stretch of river, and the paddle boats line up along the bank. The boat hire was closed when we were there, so check it’s open before you plan a paddle. Along the water, look out for eastern water dragons, and listen for kookaburras in the trees.

Commandment Rock and the Rock Formations

Keep an eye on the rock formations as you drive through: sandstone overhangs and boulders line much of the road. Commandment Rock is the best of them, and a historic art site. It holds a collection of Aboriginal rock engravings, including a boomerang motif, alongside European carvings. It’s named after the Fifth Commandment, “Honour thy father and thy mother”, which a local resident carved into the stone in the late 1800s after a family argument.

Walks and History

The Riverside Walking Track follows the river to Lane Cove Weir, about 5 km, and the Great North Walk passes through the park on its way from Sydney to Newcastle, so you can do a short section as a day walk. For history, there’s a self-guided Heritage walk past the park’s historic sites, and along the road you’ll pass Porters Creek Bridge, built in the Depression between 1932 and 1934. Cyclists can ride the park roads, or the rougher fire trail between Pennant Hills and West Pymble.

Where to camp

There’s no camping at the picnic areas, but you can stay the night at Discovery Parks Lane Cove, the holiday park in the bushland of the national park, about 10 km from the CBD. We spent a night there on an unpowered site with the rooftop tent: it was busy but spacious, with kitchens, barbecues and toilet blocks all around, and easy walks into the park.

Practical Tips before you go

Watch the gate times. The gates open at 9am and are locked at 7pm. Make sure you’re out of the park before they close.

Pay as you enter, or bring your pass. It’s $8 per car for the day, at the machines or with the Park’nPay app. A valid NSW National Parks annual pass covers entry, which is what we use.

Bring your own picnic. The picnic areas have tables, and many have barbecues and toilets, so pack lunch and something to throw on the barbecue.

Leave the drone at home. Flying a drone for fun isn’t allowed in the park.

While You’re in Sydney

While you’re in Sydney, why not make a day of it on the harbour, where the Lane Cove River ends? There are a few things you can book: a sunset kayak under the Harbour Bridge, a kayak tour of the harbour’s history, a jet boat ride and a tall ship lunch cruise. We haven’t done these ourselves.

Summary: Is Lane Cove National Park Worth It?

Yes. It’s right in Sydney, but on the long road along the river it feels remote, and an afternoon here was well spent. For $8 a car, or free with an annual pass, Lane Cove National Park gives you picnic areas with lawns and barbecues, rock formations like Commandment Rock, boat hire at the boatshed when it’s open, and walks from short river strolls to sections of the Great North Walk. Mind the 7pm gate closure, and if you want to stay the night, book a site at Discovery Parks Lane Cove.

Recommended Gear for Lane Cove National Park

For a picnic day, a light camp table and a camping chair let you set up anywhere on the lawns, a hard cooler keeps the drinks cold until lunch, and a water bottle comes along on the walks by the river.