Free outdoor Fitness Stations

On  a tight budget, trying to get fit without gym membership, I’ve been checking out the free outdoor fitness facilities in my local area. At some point in time you’ve probably walked past a “Fitness Station” in a park, and ignored it, or tried to explain to your child that it doesn’t “do” anything, it’s not play equipment, it’s for people getting fit. But funny that the minute you think you might like to use one near you (if there is one), it can be hard to work out where they’re located.

After much googling, I have stumbled onto some good information about the location of various Sydney fitness stations (which are sometimes called exersites or fitness trails), and have uploaded the locations onto this map:

A university student called Ellie Caldwell reviewed most of these in her 2010 thesis, which is conveniently available to read online here:  Let’s Get Physical: Planning for Outdoor Gyms in Sydney

Inner West

• King George Park, Rozelle
• Jarvie Park, Marrickville
• Steel Reserve, South Marrickville
• Airey Park, Homebush
• Henley Park, Enfield
• Wentworth Park, Glebe/Ultimo
• Federal Park, Annandale

(Plus Sydney Park and Leichardt have them planned for construction)

Eastern Suburbs

• Observatory Hill, Millers Point
• South Sydney Rotary Park, Alexandria
• Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills
• Centennial Park, Woollahra
• Christson Park, Vaucluse
• Rushcutters Bay Park, Darling Point
• Yarranabbe Park, Darling Point
• Dudley Page Reserve, Dover Heights
• Gaerloch Reserve, Tamarama
• Marks Park, Tamarama, Waverley
• North Bondi Beach, North Bondi
• Waverley Park, Bondi

 North Shore

• Rofe Park, Hornsby Heights
• Koola Park, Killara
• Lofberg Oval, West Pymble
• Turramurra Memorial Park, Turramurra
• Chatswood Oval, Chatswood
• Gore Hill Oval, St Leonards
• Castle Cove Oval, Castle Cove
• North Sydney Civic Park, North Sydney
• Tunks Park, Northbridge

Nothern Suburbs / Hills to Beaches

• Boronia Park, Epping
• James Hoskin Reserve, Carlingford
• ELS Hall Park, Marsfield
• Waterloo Park, Marsfield
• George Thornton Reserve, West Pennant Hills
• Castlewood Reserve, Castle Hill
• Ham Common, Richmond
• Manly Lagoon Reserve, Manly
• Lakeside Park, North Narrabeen

Parramatta way

• Doyle Park, Parramatta
• Arthur Philip Park, Northmead
• Cowells Lane Reserve, Ermington
• George Kendall Riverside Park, Ermington
• Third Settlement Reserve, Winston Hills
• Upjohn Park, Dundas
• Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Auburn
• Woodward Park, Liverpool

Canturbury/ Bankstown area

• Bankstown Memorial Park, Bankstown
• RM Campbell Reserve, Bankstown
• The Crest Sporting Complex, Georges Hall
• Cooks River Reserve, Canterbury to Hurlstone Park
• Kelso Park, South Panania
• Maluga Passive Park, Birrong
• Mount Lewis Park, Mount Lewis
• Playford Park, Padstow

MacArthur/Camden

• Cook Reserve, Ruse, Campbelltown
• Raby Park, Raby
• Eschol Park Sports Park, Eschol Park
• Harrington Lake, Harrington Park, Camden

St George/ Sutherland

• Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla
• Marton Park, Kurnell
• Olds Park, Peakhurst
• Smith Park, Kingsgrove
• Stuart Street Park, Blakehurst
• Cook Park, Dolls Point to Kyeemagh

Let me know if you try any of these out, which are the best ones, and if you hear about any more.